What is the spark that ignites your story ideas?
Do your ideas usually start with a character, a plot, or setting? Maybe a few lines of dialogue or a fantastical creature?
Does it differ for each story?
A character usually sparks my story ideas. Sometimes two characters.
For my science fiction/adventure series, the entire concept grew from a conversation between two characters in a restaurant. One of the characters freaked out when someone from her past appeared in the restaurant, and the entire series grew from there.
My urban fantasy novel that I’m currently writing started with the female main character. At first all I knew was that she had the ability to see through magical disguises and could therefore see demons and other supernatural creatures even when they magically disguised themselves as humans. Again, the story grew (slowly) from there.
It can take a long time (sometimes years) for me to come up with a plot to go with a character. I still have many characters in my head just waiting for a story of their own. Some of them will have quite a wait.
How do your story ideas begin to take shape?
Sarah L Fox
