Generating Ideas by Allison Symes

Image Credit:  Images created in Book Brush using Pixabay photos

Do you find it easy to generate ideas for your writing, whether it is fictional or not?

I use a variety of methods to generate ideas. I use proverbs and well known phrases as potential themes and titles. I then start thinking about the kind of character who would work best for these themes. There’s my basic outline already (which ties in with my post on Planning last month).

I often use random generators to trigger ideas. That is what I’m after here - something to get me started.

I like to use those small pockets of time we all get to brainstorm ideas. Sometimes I’ll come up with ideas for titles. Other times, I’ll think of a character and outline why I want to write their story up. I can return to these ideas when I’m back at my desk again. 

I like to “rest” these ideas. If they still grip me when I look at them again after a break, it’s likely I can do something with them. The first reader you must lure in to wanting to read your story is you. If you’re not gripped by the idea, nobody else will be.

 

I also find it far more interesting for me as a writer to mix up how I generate ideas.  I don’t want to have to just use one method. I want to have the flexibility of mixing up my approach. I also think it a great idea to practice using different methods of generating ideas as it (a) keeps me alert and (b) it means I am never fazed when a writing tutor sets an exercise. 

Why? Because I already know I can write to different kinds of prompt/idea (and therefore can do so again).

I use story cubes but also use books of prompts, some of which I’ve contributed to in recent years. The fun there was in seeing if I could write to my own prompts (definite yes - I deliberately didn’t do this before contributing to the books). I also had a great deal of fun in writing up stories to many of the other prompts.

If getting started on a piece of work is not an issue but finding the ending can be, there’s nothing to stop you using a random line generator and make what comes up as your last line. It may be a question of having what you know you need in place, then flesh the rest out. 

I find this to be the case for me and when I write my twist ending flash tales and short stories, I nearly always do write the ending first. Then I work out how I could’ve got to that point. So you can still use the prompts, the generators etc but you’re looking at things from the other end first, that’s all.

Ideas are all around but we can mix up how we find and use them. That in itself is a great way of boosting your creativity.

Happy writing!