Over the past month, we've shown that ideas come from everywhere. Some people can take a picture--any picture, whether a personal photo, a magazine picture, or any other--and create a story idea. For others, the picture appears in the mind.
It doesn't matter where your ideas come from, what matters is that you have them and... (drumroll) you do something with them.
One of the scariest things for a new author is often the fear that there's a limit to the number of ideas each person can have. Although there may be times of panic, when even the tiniest of an idea is impossible, ideas never stop. I'll admit that there have been times when I thought the idea well had run dry. I even felt a bit of that panic. That's when I turn to reading books to take my mind off the fear, when I start pulling DVDs from the shelf and watch them, one after another, and when TV becomes my best friend. NOT trying to think of an idea is the best way to have one--and sometimes more than one. Or two. Or five. Or... You get the picture. ;)
Whether you're refilling the well (aka ignoring the need for ideas) or working on your latest, be sure to write down any idea, no matter how small, that comes to mind, then leave it alone. Let it simmer in the back of your mind. Before you know it, you'll have the beginning of a new story.
Once those ideas have taken root, there are things to help move them along from that beginning to the middle and on to the happily ever after.
No matter what, when writing--or even not writing--have fun!
5 comments:
Roxann, thanks for the reminder to write down ideas. I have so many ideas I will never get to a tiny percentage of them. It's good to be reminded to have fun! I feel guilty when I sit down to write because I enjoy it so much.
When I get stuck for an idea in my current WIP, I pull something off the shelf and read. Like you said, when you get your mind off of the problem, your brain unfreezes and the ideas flow. I find it interesting that our brains work just fine when we get out of the way. Plus its a handy excuse to go enjoy myself by reducing my,
"to read someday before I die," pile.
Thanks Roxann
Great advice Rox. Writing down ideas great or small, just might appear in your next story. Phrases, words, ideas, things I see or hear, I believe can be golden nuggets for the future.
Sharon.
Good advice Rox.
I have a file full of ideas for future books because something is always triggering the thought, "That would make a great book! What if...?"
To rein me in and head me back to my current work in progress I just stick the thought in my file because if I don't, I'll forget it."
Pat
It doesn't matter where your ideas come from, what matters is that you have them and... (drumroll) you do something with them.
I need to print this out and post it over my computer, on my writing notebook, etc. Thanks for the reminder, Rox!
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