Find Meaning In Everything

The most common question I am ever asked is: "Where did you get the inspiration for this?"

To give the short answer I always say, "Oh, I just liked Sherlock Holmes all my life."

That isn't what I mean though. Honestly, the idea for my book (and other books) comes from just a flickering thought. Most times it isn't even a complete thought, or fully formed, when I just decide to write it out, to see where it goes. Authors always seem to wrack their brains trying to come up with an idea. It shouldn't be that hard.

Ideas comes from everything! Every piece of life can stem from just a simple observation. The biggest writer's block for a writer is simple; it is yourself. YOU are the only one standing in the way of your future piece. Simply take a step back from your head for a bit. Examine life around you. Watch everything that is happening. Allow your creative juices to flow to your brain.

Example:

Look at your pet lingering underfoot.

Write a story about a boy and his dog.

Give them an insane journey together.

Help them form an unbreakable bond.

Create a world that pries them apart.

Still not getting any ideas? Yikes. That is a BIG writer's block. But don't worry. It is easily remedied. If watching the world pass by isn't helping your mind form a topic, find something else to grab ideas from. Broaden your horizons. Watch some movies and TV shows. Listen to some music and check out some music videos. AMAZING ideas can come from watching trippy music videos. You don't even need to like the song as long as you just watch the video.

Example:

Blank Space by Taylor Space

Write a story about a lonely woman who constantly seduces men

Help her form a connection with someone to break the cycle

Learn how she became so unattached, heartless

Reveal how her life is so elegant yet unhappy

Wow, nothing is coming to your mind yet either? Well now it is time to play hardball with your head. Now, you could do the old fashioned thing, and just read another book (which is often a good process to form a story) but who wants to be normal?! Try this instead! Write something. Anything. Just place your thoughts on paper. Eventually (it may take a day or so) a story or character may start to form. That's all you need. Just a little smidge of personality is all you need. 

Example:

My Second (Upcoming) Book

I started out by having a short stories blog

I wrote a little each day to just give me something to do

Believe it or not, a story formed

A character showed it's face

After that, the story just created itself

Don't believe anyone who tells you to map out an entire story. DO NOT follow that advice. Often it will lead to a stricted style of writing and thus, an unrealistic story. Characters (obviously) have their own voices and feelings and quirks. Let them form the plot, connections and choices. As writers, we are often the vessel in which the character chooses to come through. Meaning that we are just there to document the story, not to steer the ship.

Not every story is going to be a New York Bestseller. There will be many that aren't. Don't view these as failures. Quite the opposite is the truth! These broken stories and little characters only help form a stronger story with a more solid connection. Every story, short or long, is a great accomplishment. Every piece should be viewed as a success by a writer. Because sometimes we are the only ones who can fairly judge if the story is right or not because it is in our minds that the story was born.