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How to Come Up with Fresh Story Ideas When Your
Well has Been Tapped Dry
When I face the desolate impossibility of writing
500 pages, a sick sense of failure falls on me,
and I know I can never do it. Then gradually, I
write one page and then another. One day’s works
is all I can permit myself to contemplate.
—John Steinbeck
I know that it seems easier to make that extra
pot of coffee, read that good book, that you have
had in storage for the last ten years, and
suddenly decide to make the kids that Halloween
costume by hand, than it can be to make yourself
sit down and write. Believe me, I have been
there.
Here are some brainstorming techniques to get
your brain pumping again and churning out ideas.
1) If you are having trouble coming up with
characters or even a story line, try developing
an action scene. One good scene to kick off
your book can get the rest flowing. Develop the
characters and story line around that scene.
2) Come up with a problem to solve. Is your main
character the class clown or the brainiest kid in
school. What type of problem would your character
face in his or her normal life? Write your story
around the problem and a unique way of solving
it.
3)For character development use common sense. Use
what is in front of you.
Look at your family and friends and see if they
remind you of anything. My first Shakespearean
teacher reminded me of a caveman or a husky
walrus because of his whiskers. Does your Uncle
Arthur have whiskers, wear glasses, and walk with
a little bit of a waddle? Turn him into a know it
all beaver or a store clerk, at a bookstore that
sells books that you can actually climb into and
live out an adventure.
Does your sister have a talent for jumping rope
and blowing bubbles, with purple bubble gum?
Maybe the heroine for your next book could do the
same. Is there a kid in your neighborhood that is
always getting into trouble? Hmm, do you think
that the creator of Dennis the Mennis might have
known one?
You can use your family and friend’s talents and
their physical characteristics to come up with
tons of characters. One hint though- if you
choose to make Uncle Charlie a slug or Aunt Emma
a rhinoceros, keep it to yourself. They may not
be thrilled with their induction into literary
history.
Inspiration is all around you, waiting for you to
reach out and grab for your next storyline or
character. Use stories from the news, jokes that
your neighbors tell you, the quirky things that
your dog Buster does in the morning.
One final word - stop criticizing what you have
written down. In these first stages, no one cares
if you have misspelled words or if your grammar
isn’t perfect. Just write. The rest will follow,
after your story is done.
Caterina Christakos is the author of How to Write
a Children’s Book in 30 Days or Less. For more
writing tips please go to
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