One of the questions writers are asked the most is ‘where do you get your ideas from?’ Generally, this question is met with a shrug of the shoulders, a rolling of the eyes or a flippant and funny reply. Many authors find it difficult to articulate where their ideas come from because they arrive in such a variety of ways. As Neil Gaiman says ‘You get ideas from daydreaming. You get ideas from being bored. You get ideas all the time. The only difference between writers and other people is we notice when we're doing it.’
The Writer’s Prism
Story ideas are all around us, we just have to be open to the possibility of them. Writers blessed with abundant story ideas are those that are open to different sources of inspiration. They take in the little details of everyday life, the smells, sights, sounds and events, building up a mental storehouse of ideas to draw from. David Baldacci describes this as seeing the world through a ‘writer’s prism’. Through this prism, we give our imagination free rein to invent and build upon what we see.
Follow Your Curiosity
Cultivate your own writer’s prism by getting in touch with your sense of curiosity and wonder. Tune in to the world around you. Take note of what grabs your attention and ask questions. You can start with your own personal experiences. Many writers think they have to search far and wide or have an extraordinary experience for their story to be interesting. Yet, often the best subject matter is right in front of us. It’s in the daily routine that we take for granted. Many of the best stories have grown simply from the author asking themselves ‘what if?’
Observe and Play
Observe your surroundings and play with different ideas. Watch people in the street, explore unknown areas of town and think deeply about past conversations. Give yourself space to daydream and ponder. Try linking together two seemingly disparate concepts to form a unique and intriguing plotline. Pull apart an old story to see how you could re-tell it. Dive into the past and explore historical events and personalities. Just as writing is a skill that can be learnt, so too can the gathering of ideas. Train yourself to seek out inspiration everywhere. Take note of when you have an idea and let your mind expand upon it freely. Allow your thoughts to take on a life of their own.
Down the Rabbit Hole
Avoid overthinking and remove your ego from the equation. This is not the time to second-guess or stifle yourself. Doing so can squash the seed of an idea before it has a chance to fully develop. We often find ways to reel ourselves back in by moving away from things that feel too extreme or are out of our comfort zone. Don’t be afraid to embrace the crazy and bizarre. Follow that strange idea down the rabbit hole. You never know what you may find.
Write What Lights You Up
Take heart in the fact that good ideas are only one part of the writing equation. As any writer will tell you, writing is about perseverance. Books are written through sheer determination and grit. It’s about getting the story down one word at a time and writing and re-writing until you have a storyline that works. No matter what story you plan on telling, make sure it’s one that excites you. Choose the right idea and you’ll be stepping into a world that you are passionate about. If it doesn’t thrill you then it’s not the idea for you. It’s essential that the idea you choose is one that lights you up so can deliver those same emotions to your reader.
