Short Story Library

Week 1 - Getting Your Idea

Each week for the next 4 I will post a series on how a new writer can get published. It took me months of trying to get published but looking back if I just did it right I could have been published within the first month. Here is what I learned and I hope it helps!

We all know how to write, let’s face it. Some do it better than others but at some point in our youth we are taught the basics of writing. Verbs, nouns, adjectives. We know the terms; we know how to implement them.

What separates one author from the other is the plot. The story itself, not the writing. This week get an idea, get an inspiration and motivation.  If you spend this week taking in your surroundings, listening to other peoples conversations and reading the news you will find a story that moves you. Real life is an amazing thing. It is full of drama and happiness. Good and bad. The stuff that people want to read about! So this week do not sit in your chair and try to think of a good idea… get up and find one by observing the world around you!

Getting Your Idea!

• Take a long walk around a park or your neighborhood. Don’t drive, don’t ride a bike and don’t bring headphones. Walk around and soak in the world around you.
• Note the way things really look and remember that! The way a bird flies, the way the trees move with the wind and the way that people walk and talk to each other. Keep in your mind these descriptions.
• Find something that interests you. Be it a new story about some murder or a feel good story where some stranger saves a person from dying. Whatever it is find it. Read about it. Understand what happened and more importantly why you were interested in it. The same reason you found it interesting you want your readers to relate to in your story.
• Pick a genre to write in. While you may always consider yourself a sci fi writer, try something different. Try your hand at general fiction or horror. Changing it up a little bit might help you find a new story to tell!
• This week keep it in your head. Don’t put pen to paper yet. Once you do, your mind tends to lock in on it and limits where you can go with it. Keep it fluid in your mind! Question well what if the person did this? Then what could have happened?

That’s it! Week one is inspiration and finding your story. Do not write it, do not do anything but think about it. Get an idea and work it over in your mind until you think you have it down pack. Main characters, twists, plot, motivations and all the other key ingredients to a good story!

You get your idea yet? Don’t post it here but please comment here on what you did to find it!