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
Katie said,
June 14, 2012 at 6:42 pm
I have been set off by as little as a word that I thought about for too long. I like thinking of a scenario, then coming up with characters who would find themselves in that moment. Then the story eventually extends from there. I’ve been practicing placing deadlines on myself to encourage my ideas to develop faster. It’s been a lot of fun.
Sarah L Fox said,
June 14, 2012 at 7:01 pm
Cool, thanks for commenting!
I’m trying to get myself to develop ideas faster too. Takes practice!
Kevin said,
June 14, 2012 at 8:24 pm
For me, it is many different things. My first novel was sparked when I was reading books about ancient myths and mysteries and began filling in the wholes to them. That began the story. My recent one I’m working onwas sparked by a song. One idea for a future project was sparked when the first line of the story just popped into my head. The sparks are everywhere, we just have to be open to them.
Sarah L Fox said,
June 15, 2012 at 1:42 pm
“The sparks are everywhere, we just have to be open to them.” So very true!
Abby Geiger said,
June 15, 2012 at 3:20 am
My stories begin with scenes. Little imagination flashes that grab my attention. My WIP began with a single scene in which a captive woman on a ship sees a man violently brought on board and restrained as well. I wrote the scene just for fun to get it out of my head, then I couldn’t stop asking questions. So I kept writing to find the answers.
Sarah L Fox said,
June 15, 2012 at 1:42 pm
Isn’t it great when one little flash leads to an entire story? I love it when that happens!
Nicole L. Bates said,
June 15, 2012 at 6:18 pm
Mine usually start with a “What if?” and then the idea takes hold and expands. Sometimes a flash of a scene will play in my mind and I’ll write that down, then develop a story around it. Another great questions Sarah!
Sarah L Fox said,
June 15, 2012 at 7:03 pm
Cool! I like asking these questions because it’s so interesting to find out how other writers’ minds work.