Where do your ideas come from?

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What is your favorite genre to write in?

Horror
2
9%
Romance
13
57%
Sci-fi
8
35%
 
Total votes: 23

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msstroda
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Where do your ideas come from?

Post by msstroda »

My novel ideas are usually from my dreams. My first novel in fact was a dream I had in December of 2000. I began writing and in five days had written thousands of words which evolved into Bailey's Pond, a horror novel set in rural Arkansas. The books I am working on now are from dreams. Not all of them have come from dreams, just most.

My poems are from feelings and events happening in my life.

I also get ideas from others, how they act or things they say.
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DuchessAngel37
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Post by DuchessAngel37 »

That's pretty interesting that you can write from dreams. My dreams are way too weird for me to even try that. One minute I'm having dinner with an old classmate, then the next I'm giving a piggyback ride to my niece, who I know is my niece, but she's got my friend's daughter's face.

I tend to get ideas from life in general. Right now I've got a plotline involving someone stealing from their job, and when I worked in retail security, obviously I saw this stuff all the time. You'll always be able to tell when I'm happy with my life or relationships or when I'm pissed off when you read my stuff. You can feel it. If it's a really good arguement, I'm pissed at someone. If it's only so-so, I'm not. I've been trying to write scenes ahead of time, this way if I'm angry I can write a bunch of fight scenes, but I don't plan that far ahead in my stories, so I don't accomplish much.

So I'm looking at your icon here... and I remember you having said in another post that you are published... so I can go find your books in stores? Bailey's Pond sounds interesting as hell. Sucked me in with just the title.

Edited to add: Okay, I got over my lazy self and clicked your link there. And I'm sure I've got some money to spare.
Eastwood
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Post by Eastwood »

Mostly I get my ideas from just thinking hard, or even just putting fingers to the keyboard--eventually something good's gonna start showing. :)

But my best ideas (and execution) usually come from when I'm just walking down the street (to work, or back, etc.) and a single line of dialogue will come to me and I write it down (back of receipt, wherever). When I can get to a computer, I will begin writing with that line urging me forward, until eventually it works its way into the story (non-forcefully). And it can be beautiful, too, at times. :)

Duchess, your dream description was absolutely hilarious! I've woken up confused as all heck trying to remember what I just dreamed, and the faces rotate thru so many different...uhm...faces. A celebrity is now my brother; female, male; monster, Halle Berry--jsut all over the place! :)
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ALynnPowers
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Post by ALynnPowers »

Reviving a thread from almost 8 years ago! Whoa!! Time travel!

I get my ideas from dreams as well. Usually it is just one tiny little thing that sparks a bigger idea, and then the darn idea won't go away.
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belcorn48
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Post by belcorn48 »

I am still a 'wannabe' writer - written a myriad of words in my head but yet to put anything cohesive onto paper (or screen). however, on a three day drive, I had this mind conversation and by the time I arrived home, the bones of what I think will be my first book had jelled. time will tell.
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PashaRu
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Post by PashaRu »

ALynnPowers wrote:Reviving a thread from almost 8 years ago!
Interestingly, the word "almost" in this post says more about you than the rest. :eusa-think:
[Insert quote here. Read. Raise an eyebrow. Be mildly amused. Rinse & repeat.]
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ALynnPowers
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Post by ALynnPowers »

PashaRu wrote:
ALynnPowers wrote:Reviving a thread from almost 8 years ago!
Interestingly, the word "almost" in this post says more about you than the rest. :eusa-think:
Hey, it was still a couple whole weeks away from being 8 years!
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PashaRu
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Post by PashaRu »

ALynnPowers wrote:Hey, it was still a couple whole weeks away from being 8 years!
Mmmhmmm exactly. ;)
[Insert quote here. Read. Raise an eyebrow. Be mildly amused. Rinse & repeat.]
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ALynnPowers
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Post by ALynnPowers »

Well, I figured if I didn't put that almost in there, then someone would call me out for being inaccurate.

Probably you.

:roll:
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PashaRu
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Post by PashaRu »

Uh uh no way. You're not going to turn that around and put it on me. :eusa-naughty: Nice try though. :clap:
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DATo
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Post by DATo »

I try to maintain a very eclectic range of story ideas and premises. This creates some intentional challenges. So far in the last (approximately) 12 months I have written:

1) Boats That Sail Across The Skies - World War 2 Story, Time: present with flashbacks to 1940's, Some violence in one chapter. Settings: Japan, Pacific Islands, and U.S.A.

2) The Dreamer - Story about a senior citizen woman, present day

3) The Wisdom Of Herr Hoffman - Sixteen year old girl attempting to become a violin maker, 18th century Germany

4) Werewolf - Horror story, England - late 19th century, graphically violent.

5) Acceptance - A day in the life of a university professor, Present day

6) iL Sindaco -World War 2, Italy, lighthearted, no violence

7) Room 312 - Hospitalized criminal, Present day

8) An Unexpected Christmas Present - Involves Christmas party at veterans nursing facility - 2014

9) Causality - A story based upon the concept of 'determinism': how seemingly inconsequential causes can result in major effects. Settings: Korea - U.S.A. present day

10) The Secret Recipe - Rural American folk tale (comedy) - 1904 (Recently completed. Will offer this story as my first contribution to the new Short Story Forum when created by Scott)

So as you can see the ideas are taken from widely ranging subject matter and periods of history. Some premises are taken from personal life experience and others are based upon stories or legends I've learned from other sources.

All of my short stories contain twists - some presented more dramatically than others.
“I just got out of the hospital. I was in a speed reading accident. I hit a book mark and flew across the room.”
― Steven Wright
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ALynnPowers
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Post by ALynnPowers »

Impressive, to say the least!
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Snickerdoodle9
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Post by Snickerdoodle9 »

Most of my ideas come from other books. I will be reading and then later I will think about the storyline deeper. I will think about a character, and then keep thinking until that person inspires my own character. For example, once I was reading a book about a girl who was a relative of a famous person. Then that inspired me to write a book about a long-lost descendent of a long-dead famous person. That is how I get "struck" most often.
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Post by Braktooth »

My best ideas come either from conversations with friends, reading non-fiction, or thinking while riding the bus, preferably cross-country. I always think better when I'm moving, even walking, than when I'm sitting down. Sometimes I'll take a bus in the city, or take a walk, just so that I can think.

I dreamt a totally original short story once. I had never run across the concept, there was nothing to add. Woke up, thought, "That was good! Gotta write that down." Immediately went back to sleep. Couldn't remember one detail about it when I woke up. Nothing. Arguably the most frustrating experience in my life, and I've never really remembered dreams since.
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CataclysmicKnight
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Post by CataclysmicKnight »

The best thing about ideas is that they can come from anywhere. I've had story and poem ideas come to me from every day life, movies, games, other stories and poems, texts, dreams... And the same can be said about game ideas!

One of the coolest things I remember hearing was that Shigeru Miyamoto, creator of Mario and Zelda (along with lots of other games) came up with the idea of Pikmin watching ants in a garden! Even really big, famous people can find inspiration in the smallest of things, things anyone can experience for free!
Nothing is true, everything is permitted.
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