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Where Do You Get Your Ideas?
Late last year, Writer’s Digest published a book by author and instructor Fred White entitled Where Do You Get Your Ideas? The book’s premise is that finding ideas isn’t so hard, but finding good ideas and turning them into stories that are worthy of spending six months, a year, or even longer on takes some careful thought. White shows readers where to look for ideas, how to separate the good from the bad, and how to develop the former into something great.
For me, I’ve always found that with my best ideas, I feel as if there’s a purpose to the writing — that I’m always moving towards a predetermined ending that I can’t wait to get to. That helps me drive forward and finish. I find that when the ending is uncertain or “fuzzy around the edges,” my writing lacks focus and energy.
But that method is really just something that works for me. I know many folks who relish not knowing the outcome and enjoy letting their characters dictate the direction of the story and its ultimate outcome.
What do you think? What criteria do you use to determine what story is worth telling? Let me know below. If I get at least 10 responses, I’ll send one random respondent a copy of Fred White’s book.
Keep writing!
Phil
I am and probably always will be a pantser. While I know the general direction of a book, I’m not always clear on the outcome until the characters let me in on their little secrets.
That being said, I get my story ideas from many places. I found my current series in my hometown. Another came from an article buried in section 4 of the Wall Street Journal. And my wonderful friends, acquaintances and people I don’t even know provide plenty of fodder!
I think the trick is to remain aware of the world around you. Ideas circle us like pesky flies everyday. We just need to be paying attention when they slap us upside the head!
I have huge struggles like you regarding the ambiguity of an ending and my desires to move forward. Unfortunately my brain is not an idea machine like some authors. I have to struggle for everything. But when I write the story I’m trying to write it so that it will evoke emotion in whomever is reading it. As far as endings are concerned, I need that ending to be powerful enough to cause people to act a certain way that others around them will know something is up. Whether it be laughing, sniffling, or a behavior suggesting exasperation, there had better be a reaction of some sort or else I will feel as though I have failed. I’m very self conscious of this. And I’m aware that I might perhaps well I’ve too much on others reactions. I guess the first rule of writing is to write for yourself. But I am a person that requires a lot of affirmation. That is my neurosis, and I just have to deal with it.
I love to talk to people and am pretty good at getting them to respond. As we converse I like to see their eyes and feel the words. Sometimes you can get a different feel of a conversation and I try to capture that in a poem, short paragraph description of what that person looked like. I find this helps me characterize a person. Ideas then seem to pop up and I use this character to form characters for my writings. One day a good book on people. I also take photographs and try to use these as words too. One day will be soon.
Cool. I’m writing a book right now
When I begin writing a vicious cycle begins to unfold. In my head the story seems clear and pristine, but the second I begin putting words on the page the characters take over. I will have no say as to where the story will lead because I have to get to know the characters. Honestly, I have to develop each one to such a depth that I could call them a good friend. The ideas for my characters come from the world around me. Everyday dozens of ideas fly through my head, but eventually I am able to sift through them and determine which are worth telling. As a writer, I do not believe I create these stories. Rather, I am fortunate enough to discover them.