by Merrianna Mutton

Created on: May 15, 2009   Last Updated: May 17, 2009

Whenever writers share what they write, it seems inevitable that eventually someone will ask, "How do you come up with your ideas?" or say, "I could never come up with ideas like that." Perhaps they never realize that finding ideas is something you can train yourself to do.

When we have any kind of choice about what to write, we tend to choose what strikes some kind of chord with us; whether we think it's beautiful, inspiring, disturbing, or just off-beat in kind of a cool way. When you have to come up with your own ideas, you need to train yourself to look for those things instead of letting them come to you.

When you notice something interesting, stop and consider it. Would it be better darker, lighter, in a different color, or is it best as it is? Multiply it in your mind, then consider it by itself. Which way is better, more interesting, more suited to what you're looking for? Keep it in your mind and play with it. Turn it this way and that, twist it, roll it around.

This Something Interesting could be anything, really: a building, a shadow, a tree, a song, a face, a snatch of dialogue, something that was quoted to you, something that seems out of place. If possible, keep a notebook with you at all times to record these things or the ideas they gave you.

Maybe you're wondering how this is supposed to be helpful. Something is out of place - so what? The thing is, people tell themselves stories all the time, whether or not they realize it. If we see a banana peel in front of a store, we might assume a child left it there. If we see an abandoned car by the side of the road, we might assume it broke down or ran out of gas. Every assumption we make is a story possibility, especially if we consider the possibility that our nice assumptions are wrong and something not-so-nice is going on. If we can harness our ability to tell ourselves stories, and perhaps make them more elaborate, how can we lack for ideas?

Let's look at an example. Suppose you're waiting for someone, and you see a woman ranting at a man. They're some distance away, but you catch a few words here and there. "How could you... what are we supposed to do now?" Of course, the way you interpret this may depend on the situation, and any elaborate stories you invent will rely heavily on your inclinations as a writer. The question here is; why is the woman upset with the man?

Here's a possibility. The man lost something important, perhaps some kind of amulet. They were going to use it to rescue people imprisoned in trees, but now they're going to have to get help. But that's just one possibility. What do you think might be going on? Writers of romance will look at the situation one way while writers of spy thrillers will look at it another. Writers of crime fiction, science fiction, horror, mystery, fantasy, and so on, will all look at it differently. The possibilities are endless.

Of course, since fiction is my "first love" I'm always on the lookout for story ideas, but this method can easily apply to other writers - writers of poetry and prose, of course, but non-fiction writers as well. If you look around and stay alert you may notice a cause you'd like to be involved in, or be reminded of something that happened to you, or realize an interest of yours that you didn't know you had.

Some things that may help you in your search for ideas are alertness, curiosity, interest, and a sense of wonder (it's not just for children anymore). But just remember, keep looking and thinking. Any one of the things you see may be worth telling someone else about.

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