Where Do Writer's Get Such
Great Ideas?
by Melissa Alvarez
Have you ever read a book and then wondered how
the author came up with such a riveting, entertaining story? A
writer gets ideas from many different places. Let’s discuss a few.
What If
- The first question an author will usually ask him/her self before
beginning a novel is "what if". What if an astronaut got caught in a
black hole and was transported to another galaxy and met the love of his
life? What if a woman moved back to her hometown after a devastating
marriage to find that her one true love still lived there and was
single? The 'what if' can provide the plot of your novel, your
characters and their actions. Fear is also part of the ‘what if’
thought – what if the rope breaks while I’m rock climbing. What if
those people walking behind me are dangerous? What if I miss my bus and
am late for my interview? Think of the things that scare you or worry
you – now through your characters in the midst of that scene and run
with it.
Fairy Tales – How many different ways has Cinderella
been redone? I can count a few. Oh, and
Pinocchio…that’s another good one. Or how about Snow White? In every
fairy tale there is a story spark that can be spun to work in relation
to a modern day romance.
Romance Themes – Pick a theme and go with it – how
about amnesia? Man finds woman washed up on the beach, half dead, and
provides for her while she recovers. But she can’t remember a thing
about herself and one day a limousine shows up at the hero’s door to
take her away. He refuses to let he go because he’s fallen in love
with her but the limo driver knocks him out and kidnaps the woman. The
hero searches for the heroine until he rescues her from the villains.
See how easy that is?
You must be asking yourself – how can I come up with
a great idea for a book? Try this. Sit down and write a list of what
ifs. That will give you a story spark. Now think of places you’ve
lived or visited or would like to visit. There’s your setting. Now, places you’ve worked
– could they be the hero or heroines job? Your fears could get your
hero or heroine into some real trouble and their bravery, courage, trust
in each other and other values can get them out of trouble.
Just remember the first thing a writer always does is
ask “What if?” and then they run with the idea. If you get stuck in
the middle of your novel add in another one and smile as the words come
to you.
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