Happy Friday, friends!
Today, we’re answering a question that showed up in our mailbag. You know you can send us questions, right? There’s a form just for that purpose right at the bottom of our homepage. Feel free to drop us a line and, if we’re able, we’ll answer your question in a blog post, just like this.
Today’s question comes from Abigail:
What advice do you have for someone who is good at writing, but has a hard time coming up with stories? I know that my actual writing is pretty good, but I can’t ever seem to come up with story ideas that interest me.
This is a fun question, Abigail! We’ll talk about ideas in just a second, but first, I want to dissect your question a bit.
When you say that your “actual writing” is good, that could mean a few different things, but mostly I take it to mean that you’re good with the mechanics. You’ve got the basics of grammar down and, when you write, you don’t hate it. Maybe you’ve got a lovely or compelling writing voice.
All of these things are enviable. They really are. For some, getting to that point never happens. Some writers have ideas in abundance, but struggle with the nuts and bolts of getting everything on the page.
In either case, the writing toolbox is just a little incomplete, but I have good news! Tools can be gathered, skills can be learned, and even if it’s the ideas that evade you, there are things you can do to increase your chances of catching a good one.
Fair warning though. Idea catching is not easy. In fact, one of my favorite, most authentic quotes on the subject comes from Stephen King himself. In the introduction to his craft book, ON WRITING, he says this about a group of his writer friends:
We are writers, and we never ask one another where we get our ideas; we know we don’t know.
Ideas are tricky. And sometimes even the shiniest ideas don’t stick. When we sit down at the blank page, we find them lacking somehow.
So how do you do this thing? How do you come up with an idea that holds your interest long enough to see it through to completion?
I have a few recommendations, but there’s no knowing what will work for you, friend. You just have to get out there with your butterfly net, and start swinging. Perhaps one of these techniques will yield an idea substantial enough it won’t slip through the netting.
Get outside. In all fairness, this is my answer to everything.
Put down your phone, your tablet, and your laptop. Walk in circles in your backyard if you can’t get out into the woods where I do believe most ideas hide. But whatever you do, find fresh air.
Sink down against a tree or a wall, lay sprawled on the grass. Maybe stare up at the sky or sort through the clover at your feet, but whatever you do, stay there. Don’t let your need for entertainment drive you back to a screen. Be quiet and let your brain do the hard work of entertaining itself for a bit.
Here’s some truth: As you wander through this life, you store up more ideas than you’ll ever really need. It’s getting at them that can be problematic. And the deeper they’re buried, the more patient you have to be. Quiet helps.
Whether you strike immediately upon an idea or not, this discipline is good for you and necessary. Our creativity is not dependent upon technology. Oh, we may need the keyboard or the software at some point, but that creative spark inside us needs fresh air. Feed it. See what happens.
Ask “What if” questions. Make this a habit. Searching out ideas works best if you’re curious. If you aren’t a natural questioner you will have to train yourself, much like an athlete works to strengthen specific muscles.
Simple trick: When you see a painting on a wall or a snapshot on Instagram, ask yourself as many “what if” questions as you can.
What if the man in this picture is the very person who will save the world? What if he just stole three million dollars worth of diamonds? What if that guy isn’t actually human? What if he’s a robot? What if he’s from the planet Zork with plans to take over the universe? What if that tree in the background is his spaceship?
Let your questions waterfall. Let them build up momentum and see how far they’ll take you. And remember, this exercise won’t always yield immediate results, but that’s not the only goal. The foremost purpose of such questions is to teach your brain to be curious. To question the world around you.
Books are born out of curiosity.
Explore the arts. One of the most inspiring places I can be is at the theatre. For you, maybe it’s a concert hall or a gallery. All of these places stir me. Without fail, I never leave without ideas or motivation. Watching others excel in their craft encourages me in mine.
But it’s more than that. It’s seeing the creative measures that are taken to ensure the audience gets the show they paid for. It’s the sweat and elbow grease that goes into a pristine performance. It’s all the grit you don’t see that I love.
Because the beautiful shimmer that lingers on the best productions doesn’t happen without hard work. And I need that reminder sometimes. That these performers who conjure inspiration are not magical creatures. They are human, just like me, and they work through frustration and angst to reach the levels they do.
If they can do it, so can I.
Read. You knew it was coming, right? You can’t write well, if you don’t read much. For a writer, most ideas lose their shine after a few chapters, but that’s how it’s supposed to be.
YOU are the author. YOU make the story what it is. The idea is just the shove you need to get going. After that, it’s up to you to maintain momentum, and the best encouragement I can offer are the millions and millions of completed books in the world.
Every author you can name has hit a wall. At some point their ideas stopped appealing to them, but they pushed on anyway. And that seedling of an idea that fell on fertile soil while they we’re doing dishes or mowing the lawn or climbing a mountain, grew into something masterful and artistic.
Because they watered it on sweltering days, and they pulled the strangling weeds of doubt when they would have preferred to give up and seek out something new and diverting.
The masterpiece is the goal, not the idea. Ideas are everywhere. Art is what you do with them.
Once you’ve found that magical idea, it’ll be up to you to commit to it. And, believe it or not, that’s the hard part. Some thoughts on that here.
Tell me, friends, what advice do you have for Abigail? Do you have any idea where your ideas come from?
Shannon Dittemore is an author and speaker. Her books include the Angel Eyes trilogy, a supernatural foray into the realm of angels and demons, as well as the fantastical adventure novel Winter, White and Wicked. Its sequel, Rebel, Brave and Brutal is due out January 10, 2023.
Shannon’s stories feature strong female leads grappling with fear and faith as they venture into the wilds of the unknown. She’s often wondered if she’s writing her own quest for bravery again and again.
It’s a choice she values highly. Bravery. And she’s never more inspired than when young people ball up their fist and punch fear in the face.
To that end, Shannon takes great joy in working with young writers, both in person and online at Go Teen Writers, an instructional blog recognized by Writer’s Digest four years running as a “101 Best Websites for Writers” selection.
For more about Shannon and her books, please visit her website, Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest.
I would say exactly what Shannon said: read. Whatever genre you are writing or want to write, read as much as you can in that genre. I write fantasy and have read about to many different fantasy worlds. I take mental notes about the world itself, characters, dialogue, plot twists…..I’m a better writer because of it.
And if you don’t know what genre you want to write it, explore. Read fantasy, non-fiction, mystery, thriller, horror, etc.
As for where ideas come from. Does anybody remember the movie Inside Out? I think those 5 emotions decide our ideas and store them away to either be kept or thrown out.
(I am completely joking. I have no idea where they come from or why we forget some.)
Here’s my advice: think about your favorite books. What kind of books are they? What makes their plots compelling?
This is very wise, Ashley! I’ll need to plan a time to sit down and focus on this soon.
You’re hilarious, Macey. Thnak you for this.
You are very welcome!!!
I thought I was the only one with this struggle! Writers always say they have too many ideas and I struggle, I thought I had something wrong with me!
I’m so glad you said it’s tricky, Shannon!
I have been trying to not sensor myself as well as train myself to ask “what if?”
I’ve noticed I zone in on settings or careers, that’s what I see as shiny. Like ooo what if my Mc was a mineral watercolor maker or wedding dress boutique owner. Those are my sparks usually. I need to learn how to develop them into a plot I’m excited about.
Oh yes! We do sensor ourselves, don’t we? It’s a challenge to free that part of our brain up, but I’m glad you mentioned it.
Such wise words!
Hey! Thanks!
I’d never heard ideas talked about as a kick-start to the story you write. I’ve always kind of felt like my ideas needed to include a plot line and cast. For that reason, this quote was astoundingly eye-opening and inspiring: “YOU are the author. YOU make the story what it is. The idea is just the shove you need to get going.” Thank you for that.
As for story ideas, most of my ideas come from life and reflect something simple about me. For instance, I’m a really reserved person- I don’t talk about myself all that much, few people truly know ME, and I spend conversation being a friend and learning about others. A few “what if” questions came out of this: “What if someone is cursed to never speak about themselves? What if someone knows everybody’s secrets, but is unable to tell? What if there’s an important secret she learns, and she must stop evil with it? What if there are only two people who she can share secrets with? What if… etc.” That’s my tip, but just know there’s not right or wrong way to have an idea.
“What if someone is cursed to never speak about themselves? ” That would be such an interesting story! I’d definitely be interested in reading that, Camille!
Thank you, Riley! It’s actually one that I’ve been playing around with in my spare time. Perhaps someday it will be written… ?
Ohmygosh! I hope young writers don’t think ideas have to arrive fully baked! That is a very rare thing. Most of us work relentlessly to build around a seedling of an idea.
Glad to hear it! I didn’t exactly expect a fully baked idea, but I did feel like there was a certain amount of information needed for an idea to qualify. In a way, this post has helped me to create a difference between a rough plan and an idea. Any-which-way, you’ve been quite helpful and encouraging, so thank you again.
I get alot of my ideas from dreams I’ve had, actually. It’s weird, sometimes I’ll have dreams with a main character that already has a name, and there’s a plot and everything. So weird.
I love the “what if?” question idea. I use that so much. One time I saw something about in Italy, there’s an annual Hide and Seek championship, and the gears in my brain started turning like truck wheels.?
It’s fun to see what crazy ideas you can get from the funniest things!
Ooo! A Hide and Seek championship! That’s fun! And I’ve had story ideas as dreams too. Definitely a thing.
Me too! I’ve had a lot, but my big story I’ve been working for a while, and that I shared an excerpt with you guys last sumer, I got my big idea for that from a dream. That particular scenario is no longer in my story, but it gave me my idea for Matthew.
Thank you so much everyone, especially Ms. Shannon! This was super helpful!
radiantwords.wixsite.com/blog
You’re so welcome, Abigail! Thank you for sending in your question.
Your thoughts here are so, so good! I especially loved your encouragement at the end that other authors have gone through the same struggles. I’ve recently been at that point in my story where I’m like, will anyone even read this if it feels this mediocre and boring to me? It was good for me to remind myself that other writers experience the same feelings, but that like them, I shouldn’t give up.
For the most part, I agree with what Shannon said. Something that I find often helps me is dreams. I get a vague idea of what I want my world or my plot to be like, and then I think about it nonstop until it bleeds into my dreams. That way I can see what my unconscious mind comes up with. Another thing that normally gets me the vague ideas to begin with is music. It can be any music, really, and completely unrelated to the idea, but if it springs a thought into my mind, I try to follow it, and then start the steps I mentioned in the last paragraph, to see where it goes.
Stephen King also said that he gets his story ideas from the bottom shelf in the third row at Woolworth’s!
Maybe that is where Abigail can search for her ideas too.
The only glitch in this wonderful plan is that Woolworth’s has gone out of business since!