Where Ideas Come From

It's interesting to sit back and see where story ideas come from. I was with a friend at a local restaurant-bar last night discussing writing and the life of a writer among other things when the subject turn to ideas and where they come from and the fear that they will one day stop coming along. It's a natural fear I think most writer's experience at some point in their life, especially when the pressure of the everyday gets hard to handle.

I mentioned to her that on this past Fourth of July as I was waiting for the fireworks to begin, a story idea came to me, and me without paper and pen handy (I had left in the car) went over and over the idea in my head, trying to eek out more information from the hero and heroine that had arrived so unexpectedly. Not only was I able to figure out a little about who they were, but why they were there, and I learned that their story isn't the first that needs to be told (now that was a surprise), but the third, and will bloom into a series. She didn't seem convinced. So, I told her to look around at the patrons, there is a story possibility behind each person there tonight, it simply depends on the point of view you choose. Do you choose the bouncers at the door? Or the college guy with his friends? Or maybe one of the girls sitting nearby? Are they watching the game on the big screen or at the pool table? The story will be told, not only by you, but by your characters.

Will one of my characters rise from that night? Maybe. I do know that while we were sitting there, I figured out the inner workings of a secondary character who is turning out to be more important than even I realized. I can't wait to get back to my book.

Ideas, when they come to you, from where ever they come, need to be grabbed and held onto. Write them down and explore them. And if you can't finish it right then, because you have to focus on a different project, you at least have the basic information needed to start on it later.

Happy Writing! Happy Reading!

Exercise - Hero

Take anywhere from 8 to 15 minutes to write about your hero.

Pantser vs. Plotter

A pantser is someone who writes by the seat of their pants, without a written outline.

A plotter is someone who has a written, nearly complete outline of major and usually minor plot point.

THere are varying degrees of both and everything in between and NO wrong way to write

Assignment 6

Describe, with as much detail and information you can the setting surrounding your story. (outer space - nebula galaxy - is fine, if that is all you know) Due Tuesday.

How I write --

I was recently asked to describe how I write -- so I thought I'd share my jumbled answer here.
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I'm more pantser than plotter, but I adjust things for me. I hate lines, so I don't usually work within them. I start with an idea, usually a snippet of a scene with a couple of characters in it. While I'm writing the idea down, I write down any thing and everything that comes to mind. Usually on unlined paper all over the place, I'll put into the 30 day outline spread sheet later. I write without editing, whereever the characters and story take me. I do usually know how the story is going to end and one or two of the major events that will take place, but I not a whole lot beyond that. WHen I get stuck, I get out my wipe board and markers and will plot either from where I am to where I need to be or the reverse. Or I'll do a spider-brainstorm thing on it. My wipe board usually looks like a huge mess of colors. I'll write using the plot points I've come up with and continue on from there. I use the wipe board for sorting my characters personalities and backgrounds. About once a week or once every two weeks I'll input the information in the outline or personnel folders or both.

Where Ideas Come From

So, I was watching "Jesus Christ Superstar" by Andrew Lloyd Weber, and there is a scene where Jesus is led before Caifus (spelling bad today) and he is led away and in passing he sees Judas and he takes a minute and puts a hand on his chest and in that instant forgives him.

My idea... two brothers, they are young, twins, or possibly best friends, one is taken away by the police he is crying, reaching for his brother. The other one stays put until his brother is out of sight. The two grow up to be men, one has the "All-American" type childhood, the other has more scars and pain than even he knows what to do. One has guilt "blood on my hands" his whole life is driven to be worthy, to erase the blood from his hands, the other has resentment not at the brother, but the family or system or situation that caused the rift.


Ideas come from many different places and in the weirdest times. Like the middle of a movie, the shower, or during a boring car ride, or while listening to music. Write them down immediately. Write down everything that comes to mind, and what you were doing or listening to when the idea struck. The story of Jesus and Judas may have nothing to do with what will happen in the course of character and plot development, but then again, it might.

Later, we'll brainstorm these ideas.

Quote of the Day

Beyond talent lie all the usual words: discipline, love, luck -- but, most of all, endurance. -- James Baldwin