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The one rule of thumb for writing a story is to be passionate about what you are writing about. So not only finding a story idea, but finding a suitable story idea for yourself, is extremely important.

I have just completed a certificate for "Writing for Children and Teenagers" and I have learned that if I am not passionate about what I'm writing than my readers will be able to recognize this and lose interest.

A tip for finding a fictional story idea for what is important to you, is to simply jot down the word of interest. For example; bike riding. Circle the word and surround it by related words or phrases such as; wheels, mountain biking, safety equipment, races, etc. From the related words or phrases, you can circle the one that you are most interested in, for example; races. You may go on to surround the word "races" with other related words such as; champion, gold medal, silver medal, bronze medal, last place, and so on.

From the example I have given above, I can see that there is a possible story in the words; bike riding, race, and last place. I could write a story about a bike race and develop it into a situation in which a champion loses the race but learns that you don't have to win the race to feel like a champion.

This is just one simple tip on how to find a story idea if you are staring blankly and your computer screen, as I most often do. The example shown above is for short articles, but even if you are writing on a grander scale like a novel, you can apply the same example. Developing a word of interest and finding a history in that word goes hand in hand with developing a main conflict in a novel and finding a history to that conflict.

Learn more about this author, Tina Sin.
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