Getting Ideas for Stories

Let’s be honest, there’s no one way to get ideas. In fact, half the time we don’t even know where they come from. Your brain collects information, makes associations and boom, an idea emerges to the surface. However, there are ways to stimulate your mind. I have found that using a set of questions helps me discover ideas.

Here are five questions to ask yourself that can help you come up with ideas for stories.

Believe it or not, you do want to write about something. Maybe you watched “Lost in Space” on Netflix and you want to tell a story that takes place in space. Or maybe you read “Harry Potter” and you want to tell a story about wizards or kids going to a school that takes place in fantastical setting. But then you ask yourself, well, how do I do that? Well, the trick is to explore what you like about the thing you want to write about. You want to get to the core, because the core provides opportunity for original concepts.

Let’s say you want to tell a story about spies. Ask yourself, what do I like about spies and spy movies? Write everything down. You’ll start coming up with specific reasons. Maybe you like the idea of someone being able to use tech gadgets and/or disguises. No ask yourself, why? Keep exploring. Before you know it, you could be coming up with idea for a story.

Do you like horror, mystery or romance? Make a list of the genres you enjoy the most. Go through each one and ask yourself what you like about them. The purpose is to break the genre down to specifics. What elements or characteristics of each genre do you like? Get to the core of your interests and your tastes.

Do you have a favorite character? Think about the characters in the books you’ve read. Think about the ones on the television shows or movies you enjoy. Make a list of all the characters that interest you the most. Then, ask yourself what you like about each character. Pull those traits out and explore them. Maybe you like Sherlock Holmes because he’s extremely skilled in investigations or because he struggles to connect with people and their emotions. Explore that. Maybe your main character can possess some of those traits or they can serve as a theme for your story.

Based on the books, movies and TV shows you consume, what premises or plot lines did you enjoy the most? Do you like the idea of children fighting to the death in a televised competition? Do you like the “rags-to-riches” plot line, or the “journey to somewhere” plot line? Make a list and explore each one. Write out what you like about them. Consider the cliches you like or don’t like, too.

What types of things interest you the most? Politics? Science? Relationships? Nature? List them! It can be anything. Once you’ve listed them, explore these topics. What specifically interests you about them? Get specific. Write out your thoughts and beliefs. Soon enough you’ll be generating ideas for themes, settings or even characters.

In Summary

Everything you generate by using these questions is material for your mind to play with. Sit down and free write, free type or video journal your thoughts. Follow what excites you, and before you know it, ideas will start emerging.

How do you come up with ideas for stories? Did you give this technique a try? Tell me about it in the comments!

Hi! Shantal here. I’m a writer and a storyteller. I created Shantal Writes to share my experiences with writing fiction. I also provide new writers with tips, tools, and writing advice. I hope you find something helpful while you’re here!