Inspiration

Here's one of my really long random thingies - I've compiled a big thingy of how to get inspiration! =3

We all know that sometimes it can be hard to get inspiration for our writing sometimes. So maybe this can help you out!

Note: A lot of this isn’t mine; I took info from different websites and books, and put them together here. (Can’t remember ‘em all, but if you recognize something, you’ll know why. XD) I’ll mostly just add in little tidbits here and there - but everything before the list of questions is all mine. ;D

Another note: I just want to make sure you guys know that you don’t have to do any of these to have a successful story; these are all just ideas that may help you, even though most of them are like, “Do this.” XD

When people ask me for advice on how to come up with ideas, I usually say one thing - “Well, what’s your biggest dream, something that will most likely never happen? Just write about that!” That’s how I came up with my novel, to an extent. ;D

Something else I find as an easy way to get a good idea is I write a story of my favorite songs. Like listen to the song for a while, and come up with an idea of the perfect movie for the song, and write it out! (I also like to give the story a name that’s similar to the song title, or has the song’s name in it.)

And another method of my own - similar to the song idea, think about one of your favorite fantasy books. Think of what the fantasy behind it is - if it’s Twilight, then it could be that there’s vampires and werewolves hiding in the real world. Or maybe it’s Inkheart, so it’d be that you can read books to life. So take this idea, and apply it to original characters of your own, and come up with your plot. It’d be a perfect way to come up with an awesome fanfiction, while being original at the same time! ;D

Try remembering your dreams - you can get some really interesting plots and characters from them! And if you become obsessive enough over one of your stories, maybe you’ll have a dream about it that will give you something to add to the plot!

You don’t necessarily need a plot to start writing. One story that my bro and I wrote started with a customized Lego on an Indiana Jones Wii game - I made an interesting-looking man; he had a blue suit, long hair, and a totally fake-looking mustache. XD I named him Pootnic. My bro made his own Lego guy too, and we just started writing ramdomly about their histories - now we have a story well on its way to being a novel! (Not like published, but like the length.) If you just free write a bit about a simple setting or character, great things can happen.

And my last bit of advice, when all else fails, is to write about your real life - but add in a few twists. >

Try asking yourself the following quetsions, and see if anything sparks.

• Who do I know? They may become characters.
  
• What has happened to me? These may be story events and ideas.
  
• Where have I been? These may be places in your story.
  
• What’s wrong with my life? These can become problems.
  
• What do I want? Anything you want . . . what if you had it?
  
• What would happen if _____? Fill in the blank and answer the question.
  
• Why ____? Answer your question.

Come up with an interesting problem, and then solve it. This will be the main part of your story, always - nobody will want to read a story without some kind of conflict; they’ll get bored without one. Even the most goofy stories you find in the library all have some problem - read them and see!

Good beginnings are the key to a successful story. Practice writing them.

• Write a suspenseful first line:
  
• Write a funny first line:
  
• Write a tragic first line:
  
• Write a surreal first line:
  
• Write a first line to a mystery novel:
  
• Write a first line in the first person:
  
• Write a first line in the third person:

Keep writing first lines beyond these, even, until you find one you really love, and once you do, free write for ten minutes off it. It might become the beginning of your story!

Map out your story if you have problems with continuously writing it - if you know where you’re going, it’ll help you to avoid writer’s block.

• The Beginning. (You can start with one of the first lines written above.)
  Inciting Incident. (What event or other person motivates your character to begin to face their fears, battle their antagonist, and set off on their adventure to go after their dreams?
  
• Rising Action. (You don’t have to write everything now, just write down some of the events that build up to the climax. Don’t forget to include some supporting characters!)
  
• The Climax. (This does not need to be long, but it does need to be really exciting!)
  
• Falling Action. (What happens after the climax? How does your character defeat their villain and overcome their fears to finally get what they want?)
  
• Resolution. (What happens after your protagonist’s dreams come true? Did they find that they didn’t want it after all? Does the antagonist end up being a really nice person deep down inside? How does everything work out in the end?)

Stories don’t have to follow this guideline, of course. Some start with an inciting incident, or maybe even with the climax. Novels are filled with flashbacks, flash forwards, and plot twists. And not all stories have happy endings.

Increase your understanding of the three story elements - language, character, and narrative flow - and use as many of the five senses as possible. (I find that trying to do good descriptions can spark other things in my stories!)

Try to come up with a setting that will reflect or reinforce the characteristics of your characters, or a character that will match the setting. Like if the character is a stressed-out woman that’s always rushing around, maybe she lives in the city.

Observe real people to get an idea of how characters will act and look - and maybe even come up with “theories” for any behaviors of theirs. Why was that old man so hurried when you trick or treated at his house? Why did that little girl seem so scared when she came out of the woods?

Just write; don’t wait for the perfect idea! The writing comes in doing it. If you’re really stuck, just start something random, and the ideas will come!

Write about something you really like; the excitement and quality will show through in your work!

Use a special notebook and pen - or even a special keyboard and computer desktop! - and try to always use these when writing. If you really like it, the writing may come easier! Also have a favorite place to write, and a specific time. If you set aside an hour a day for writing, then you’ll have a great story before you know it! It can be helpful to have all your notebooks, pens, pencils, and anything else that helps you write in one area, too. I write at my computer, and there’s a shelf with all my writing materials above me! (Although, the pen is a bit closer than the shelf if I need it. XD)

On the topic of smaller ideas - put a few little pictures in the cover of your notebook, things that will inspire you, and collect fun words and quotes. They might be your inspiration when all else fails!

Try to have your own writing style, but don’t ignore the styles of others either! Read a lot, and pay attention to these styles. Try to put together a writing group with your friends, so you can exchange ideas and techniques, and critique each others’ work. And always share your work with your family and trusted friends for opinions and ideas!

If there’s anything you’d like added to this, feel free to share! I’d love to see your methods for how to get inspiration!

Thanks for posting this!

Thanks Shadow!!

Oh my gosh, that's a lot. Thanks for posting this!

Lol, you're welcome everyone!

Thanks so much Shadow! I used to doubt free writing and now I am like. "Hmm.... I can't think of a story.... free writing time!"

Thanks for the help! Maybe this page with help save me from getting writers block sometime soon!

Thanks for the tips! I'll try and use them in the future.

Wow, that's a lot, and a lot helpful! Thanks! They will be put into use in the future.

That's good! x3 No prob.

Awesome! I did the first line thing in my head. XD