You’re a writer. You want to write a story, but you’re not feeling inspired right now. Or maybe you are, but you can’t come up with story ideas that pique your curiosity. You’ll need some techniques to educate you on how to generate tale ideas. And you’d want to employ these methods on a regular basis to generate narrative ideas.
Writing creatively is like a muscle: use it or lose it. Thinking of story ideas is a necessary component of developing that muscle. And wow, if you want to create short stories, you have to think of a lot of ideas. Read on for some ideas about doing it.
Use Prompts For Story Ideas
Looking at writing prompts is the most straightforward technique to get story ideas. They can be found just about everywhere. Google and you’ll discover lists, lists, and more lists of things you can do. Prompt books, games, and newsletters all exist and can be helpful. There is a never-ending supply of ideas for writing prompts. There are even story idea generators online.
Writing from a prompt may seem like a waste of time for some authors because they believe it will prevent them from coming up with anything new. But remember, it’s the author who makes it unique. A hundred different tales will emerge from the same prompt. You are the only one who can make a narrative your own.
People Watching
People watching is the best way for authors to come up with new story ideas, hands down. There are a number of authors working on their computers at coffee shops. In addition to writing, they’re also eavesdropping on others.
When it comes to creating characters and storylines, there is no such thing as a blank slate. Everyone and everything that happens in our lives is put into context to tell our stories.
To come up with new ideas, you’ll have to pay attention to what others are saying. Eventually, your brain will become “tuned in” to what is going on around you without your conscious effort. You could overhear a few words being said in a shop as you go by someone, and then, wham! A fantastic story concept.
Pay attention the next time you’re out in public (or simply glancing out your window as people pass by). Be aware of your surroundings and stay in the now. You’re surrounded by a sea of possibilities.
The ‘What If?’ Question
Another great way to come up with story ideas is to ask yourself ‘what if?’. Just look around you; what if your kitchen exploded? What if a spaceship landed on your driveway? What if a stranger appeared in your doorway? What if you cracked an egg and money fell out? What if… what if…
Just asking yourself this simple question will give you a plethora of story ideas that you can take and expand on. What if you did that and came up with a way to fight your writer’s block? Amazing!
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