#WordWednesday: How do you come up with a story idea?
This is a question I get asked all of the time, and the answer isn’t an easy one. Below, I’ll list three ways I come up with story ideas. Hopefully, this helps you come up with a few ideas of your own.
What’s Trending?
I like to stay up-to-date on what is currently trending in the genre that I write. If middle school kids are obsessed with slime, that’s so 2019, then, perhaps I should write a book where slime is a main character. I seriously have written this book. It is the second book in one of my middle grade series, and it all began with my son’s slime addiction.
Netflix is also a great source for me to identify what is trending. I swear this is research. At least, that’s what I tell my husband (wink. wink.). In all seriousness, though, I click on what’s hot in romance or young adult angsty (not a word) dramas. Then, I binge watch the series—all in the name of research, of course—and it helps my brain start popping and fizzing.
“Double, double, toil and trouble;/ Fire burn, and cauldron bubble.” Oh, wait, that’s not my brain working. That’s Shakespeare’s Macbeth. Duh.
Pray About It:
Before I begin writing any book, I pray for direction. I didn’t always do this, though. Before 2010, I used to only write books that I knew were trendy, and those books don’t have the same authenticity as the books I currently write. Yes, as I stated above, it’s important to be on trend, but it’s also important to remember your reason for writing.
My personal reason for writing books is to honor God with the talent he gave me. So, if I get this awesome book idea, I don’t just instantly start writing the dang thing. Instead, I pray about it. Then, if I still feel the urge to write the book, I talk with some trusted advisors (my agent, my husband, a handful of friends, and sometimes my children), and I ask them if they think this story has roots to grow. If they like the idea, I start crafting a quick plot. If I can fill up an entire page of ideas, I know this story has feet to run, so to speak. Do as my elementary school idol did: pray. Thanks, MC Hammer.
Dream On:
Often, I have dreams that feel way too real for words. Though these dreams feel real, the content is just plain weird: like my students throwing their desks and refusing to open their textbooks while a man in a hockey mask chases me around my classroom with a chainsaw (this is seriously a recurring dream of mine).
Then, there are times when my dreams are epic, and I have to get up as soon as possible to write down the idea before I lose it. This happened just a month ago. I was stuck in the middle of one of my sweet romances, and I needed direction on where to go next. That night, I prayed for guidance, and then I had this amazing dream that totally fixed the entire plot of my book. I won’t share the dream with you because I’d give away the book’s twist, but let me tell you, it is AWESOME!
Closing Time:
To sum it up, there are loads of ways for authors to come up with book ideas. Maybe music floats your boat. In fact, every book I write has its own playlist. Whatever the muse, I feel it’s altogether important to stay true to your reason for writing. If you’re writing to make millions, as many people do, you’ll quickly find out, that writers are typically starving artists. Many of us don’t write the words for the money, though we do like to eat and all. Most authors have other jobs, and some have more than one. (These folks are bosses!)
We write because it is our art. We write because it is the very beating of our hearts. (Edgar Allan Poe, watch out!) We write because we can’t think straight when we don’t. We write because we were created to do so, and that is the point, dear readers. Write the dang words because you were given a story to tell. Now, get out there and tell your story.
Write on, word nerds. Write on…
