How to Come Up With Story Ideas

Probably every successful writer gets the question from someone. The more creative the writer, the more insistent the question. Where does the idea(s) for a story originate? To those who don't write, it all seems like such a mystery. For them life is one day after another of the same boring experiences. They don't realize that story ideas can be found anywhere and in everyday circumstances. All it takes is putting unrelated things together to form a new combination. There are times when a concept doesn't work out and is abandoned, but when it does come together the results can be satisfying.

A fictionalized biography of J.K. Rowlings, Magic Beyond Words (2011), tried to portray the creative inspiration for her Harry Potter book. Despite an otherwise interesting movie, the situations that sparked her imagination felt false. The movie's representation of the creative process didn't come off as believable. Too many of the inspirations were over simplified coincidences. An object or person seen for the first time doesn't suddenly become a large part of the story, although they can have an impact. There is history behind creative ideas.

The truth is most creative ideas boil together and ferment over time, coalescing into a single narrative structure after lots of thought. Before that can happen, the writer must pay attention to their surroundings or look back on long lost memories. Consider that “creative work comes from noticing. You are being given a warning, an intimation of something, and that something is the creative urge, sometimes buried deep in your subconscious . . . material to uncover there, memories and associations to explore.” (Alice LaPlante, The Making of a Story. W.W. Norton & Co., 2007. pg 36). This can take conscious work. For instance, the movie scene where J.K. Rowling sits in a café with a writing pad presents too casual an instance of inspiration. She watches two people playing a chess match and then carefully writes a scene that would become famous. In real life she would feverishly be jotting down a spur of the moment idea. She wouldn't want to forget what came to mind, and it certainly wouldn't be seamlessly flowing from the previous text of the book on the same page.

More likely she remembered playing or watching others play chess over several years. Seeing two people playing the game while concentrating on the next story idea probably brought back memories that inspired her to incorporate into the book. There is also, for those who know the scene, a hint of Alice Through the Looking Glass that came to her while devising the living chess game. The importance of one chess game are exaggerated for story telling, but distorts true genius.

The history goes that J.K. Rowling was sitting in a commuter train gazing out of the window. She came up with the idea of Harry Potter while delayed for four hours returning to London from a trip. Apparently there are those who doubt the book idea came to her while on a train, although no other credible alternative is put forward. Her explanation of when and how the book idea came to her is realistic. To be sure, it didn't come all at the moment in full bloom. The kernel probably existed floating around since childhood. Whatever set the spark to set fire on the accumulated debris, there is no reason to disbelieve a train ride set the creative blood flowing and brought the book series to life. Stephen King, another bestselling author, wrote, “good story ideas seem to come seem to come literally from nowhere, sailing at you right out of the empty sky; two previously unrelated ideas come together and make something new under the sun. Your job isn't to find those ideas but to recognize them when when they show up.” (Stephen King, On Writing. Pocket Books, 2001. pg. 37). It is often during moments of reflection and boredom that daydreams can become projects given the right circumstances.

There is a common saying told to budding writers to “write what you know” as if it was a truism that could bring success. Whoever says this is either lazy in answering the concerns of new writers or deliberately wanting to avoid a deeper discussion. To become a good writer, a person should write about what they don't know. This might sound counter-intuitive, because if a writer doesn't know the topic then how can the information be accurate. Better advise would be write what you are interested in, and study if the topic is unfamiliar. The idea of fiction, for instance, is writing about not only something that we don't actually know but that is not real. Research is the busy and time consuming companion for any creative process. To write is self discovery for charting the unknown made knowable. The best words for generating story ideas is “what if” and then seeking to answer that question.

Getting at the heart of where story ideas come from; there is no magic formula. They can come from other books a writer enjoys, a dream that cannot be left alone ( like the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyer), a conversation, a person's life, an experience to remember or reinterpret, a challenge accepted, new knowledge expanding old, and the list continues. A better question to ask an author, because it means having actually taken time with their work, is where did “that idea” or “that scene” come from. They will more than likely be happy to answer more specifics. Chances are there is going to be an illuminating description of the back story to the text. Still, don't be upset if the author responds a few times with “I don't know.” They probably don't. Sometimes the subconscious is a powerful tool in generating story ideas. All an artist can do is go with the creative flow. For those who are trying to come up with a story idea, it is best to ask themselves for what reason they want to write. Examine the details of past and present. Work with whatever comes comes from the answer, because that probably is the future story.

The Right Pen for Write Work

Nothing is worse for a writer than having the wrong writing pen to do an ink on paper job. A too thick or thin handle will make it hard to grip. Less than smooth pen tips increase the lack of comfort by forcing the user to drag the ink along the paper. It doesn’t take very long for the hands and wrists to burn with the forced effort of putting thoughts to paper. The hands become tired a lot faster than the brain, destroying any rhythm achieved by the busy writer. Because of this, it can be important to decide if a ballpoint or a fountain pen is a better personal choice.



The fountain pen represents the early days of ink and is surging in use among enthusiasts. They are descended from reed and quill pens often associated with candlelight letter writing. There is a certain prestige associated with their use that a now common ballpoint doesn’t carry. Unlike the first ink writing utensils that required the messy dipping of an inkwell, the fountain pen has an internal liquid container. Even more enticing for the discerning scribe is the different styles of metal nibs. They can range from fine to broad nibs for different drawn line sizes. Better yet, all of the pen can be taken apart and put together with parts desired by the owner. Interchange the nib for different needs without replacing the whole pen. Most of all, many users feel the writing is consistently smoother than the ballpoint counterparts.



Despite the wonderful acclaim of a fountain pen, many writers still consider the ballpoint pen more user friendly. They might not have time to refill an internal bladder or clean it out before the ink becomes dry. A ballpoint pen is not as messy when the lid is off the point. They are also ubiquitous when the pen runs out of ink or breaks. All a writer has to do is go to the nearest store and buy one without the hassle or higher price for purchase. Perhaps there is not as much versatility, but the desired smoothness or grip can still be found after careful brand and style experimentation. Practicality might be more important than elegance. The muse and comfort can decide.

Any Life Can Be a Simple Life

By N. D. Melander

Most people acknowledge their lives have become busy and complicated. They wish to simplify, but aren't sure how that can be possible.   It doesn't take drastic measures to enjoy a simple life. There are steps that any person can take to lower stress and still have a normal life.

Probably the biggest challenge to a simple life is financial concerns. This is tied to a very consumerist culture that may question buying too much, but is still in debt to the point of bankruptcy. The main culprit is using credit to purchase almost everything. Financial guru Dave Ramsey suggests paying cash for any purchase other than basic expensive necessities, “When you pay cash, you can 'feel' the money leaving you. This is not true with credit cards. Flipping a credit card up on a counter registers nothing emotionally.” ( Dave Ramsey ). Although many people use credit cards responsibly, too many pile up debt burdens that increase stress. It is better for those who are looking for a simple life to save up and allocate cash for  specific purchases.

Spending money leads to the issue of having too much stuff. What was once wanted, even for a fleeting moment, starts to take up too much space. Marie Kondo suggests in her best selling book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up that a simple life is a clean and organized one. To be successful at doing what is necessary to create a simple life means changing hard to break habits. “Changing lifestyle habits acquired over a span of many years is generally extremely difficult,” Kondo wrote, “. . .  People cannot change their habits without first changing their way of thinking. And that is not easy!”(pg. 15). Most simple living experts suggest having a needed and don't need pile, then getting rid of the latter.

Deciding what is needed and what isn't cannot be a one time thing for creating a simple life. Every decision and purchase must ask the question is this necessary? Whatever becomes not used is a complication. Living space must be sparse and clean, and that goes for a personal life as well. Learn to walk away from people, places, and things. Cleaning expert Don Aslett wrote in his book Lose 200 LBS. This Weekend, “We don't like to admit that anyone or anything could get the best of us. So instead we let overbearing people – or our overload of clutter – push us to the breaking point.” (pg. 55). Fewer objects and drama leads to more happiness and fulfillment.

Getting rid of debt, unnecessary possessions, bad relationships, and wanting it all can give a person freedom and peace. They don't worry as much because there isn't as much to worry about. Unplug the computer and cable containing frivolous entertainment. Take time to go for a hike, plant a garden, and talk with a neighbor. A simple life opens up more time with family and friends, helping others to enjoy life too. That is worth having fewer things.

Life.Simplified. T-shirt.

Editing Service for Writers

Mention editing a written text and most people think of checking for bad grammar and misspelled words. The process of editing is much more than that, as it can include restructuring the material and making sure all the important information is included. There are at least three types of edits, although they are not the only ones involved in making a better product. Many times they work together in order to produce the best readable work to communicate information.

Each step of editing the text includes checking grammar and spelling, but a copy edit looks at chunks of the work. It is a check to make sure the text flows with the reading, there are logical consistencies in story and structure, and the facts are correct. For publishing purposes it also makes sure the length is proper for the medium used. This can include newspapers, magazines, blog posts, and any other short form releases.

Proofreading is done after all major revision and additions have been accomplished. It is the polishing and cleaning up of loose ends that would decrease the professionalism of the finished product. This can include spelling, grammar, syntax, punctuation, verb tenses, and much more. No major changes should be required at this stage of editing. It is expected the proof manuscript is the final text before going to publication. 

Content editing (also called developmental or substantive editing) is far more extensive than the other two discussed above. A lot of work is involved and probably is based off the first draft. Much like copy editing it looks at constancies and structure of the work, but also what needs added or taken out. It makes sure the plot of a story makes sense or all necessary information has been included. Suggestions for re-working the material will be sent back or be done at the request of the writer.

Writing Service for Blog and Business

Maybe you don’t have the time to complete a writing assignment. Perhaps you have to maintain a publication, but you can’t do it all alone. At other times the ideas are there, but you are not sure how to put it down for easy understanding or polished communication. For any number of reasons a person wants to hire a writer to create good content. There are two types of writers that might be required for hire. Depending on needs it might be good to pick one over the other, but be sure it is an appropriate decision.

Most authors like to have their names or bylines associated with the work done. This is to show others examples of their writing as evidence of how well they can do a project. Usually the byline choice of writer is when contributions are required to add to an already extensive catalog or magazine. Blogs need content and successful ones often have more than one author to give variety to a subject. No one person can cover all the possible angles or do all the writing, especially when large volume is needed.

Sometimes a person just needs help making sure their ideas are realized. They know what they want, but don’t feel confident or skilled enough to get the job finished. This might be a good time to hire a “ghostwriter” to do the manuscript. All the information, research, and even outline has been worked out and needs to be put into words. Successful collaboration takes a lot of time and work, with constant communication. The name of the employer will be what readers see as on the product. Letter writing and press releases are best for this pick, although longer works are certainly a possibility.

Research Writing Service

No one can be everywhere at all times to look for information to put into a written form. Other eyes and ears might be needed to extend the range of searching. In the modern world there is no longer a central repository, such as local library, as the only means of finding facts and opinions. The Internet has expanded the search frontier with digital resources. Searching for material might be a matter of putting in the correct words to bring up the desired results. There might be a need to gather everything together for easy reference.

That isn’t to say that a physical library is no longer needed. Sometimes it might seem the Internet has everything at a person’s fingertips. That is not always the case because not everything in the world has been digitized. We are not yet living in the matrix and physical books are still a great source of information. What is often forgotten is just because information is easily found, that doesn’t make it reliable. Facts need to be checked and double checked to make sure they are accurate and even true. That can be a daunting task without some help.

Maybe the information and sources are found, but they need to be correlated for easy reading and reference. A writer can read all the collected research and then do a write up on the material. A synopsis, or general summary, can be produced for later recall or reference. A long or short version of the synopsis can be written, depending on needs and how much information has been found. 

This is a great service when lots of people will be using the information or volumes of writing should be readily available for retrieval. The source of information might come from one or a handful of places, but it needs to be extracted from them. Diaries, journals, and notes are great places to learn about people or events. In the electronic age hand written manuscripts are becoming more rare, but so are those capable of reading what hasn’t been put into a computer. Transcriptions are often associated with audio or video captioning.

What is less realized is how much is out there that hasn’t been typed up or words digitized. That can take time and a careful eye to handwriting detail. Caution must be expressed that some handwriting can be very difficult to interpret, and even the most professional can be unsure. If you want your own handwriting transcribed, make sure it is the clearest possible. Jotting down notes for an extended writing assignment requires lots of communication to avoid misunderstandings.

English Language Tutoring

Learning a new language, or even a familiar one to improve upon, takes time and patience. Reading books can be a step in the right direction, but a mentor puts it all into usable context. Even when taking classes a teacher doesn’t have time to attend to the needs of all the students. Sometimes a student needs more help than an educator has time. That is when a tutor can step in and give the one on one care that might otherwise be lacking. It can determine success for failure, or just an increased grade

School isn’t the only place or means of learning. Going to college can be expensive and if not an native English speaker a daunting task where that is the main language. Tutoring English as a Second Language can include the writing, editing, and resourcing all at once. A main goal is that a non-native English speaker can be taught enough to become independent and understood. Perhaps they need material read to them and explained in a way that they are able to use the information.
 
Every time literary and other courses become available to increase knowledge of English writing the books taught will be of historical importance or often taught in a school setting. Homeschoolers and their teachers might be interested in using them in their own lessons. Perhaps there are history, literary, science, or other English writing related topics that a teacher would like to have a lesson prepared for them. That is certainly an option for the busy teacher. Students can even request a topic to be developed for their learning. Just be aware it can be time consuming, depending on the required depth of the subject.