Setting Self Doubt On Fire: How To Get Ideas

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  2. Setting Self Doubt on Fire: Rejection – The Ugly Word
  3. Setting Self Doubt on Fire: Learning to Juggle
  4. Setting Self Doubt on Fire: To Dump or not to Dump
  5. Setting Self Doubt on Fire: Keep the Faith
  6. Setting Self Doubt on Fire: Finding Your Identity
  7. Setting Self Doubt on Fire: Just for the love of it
  8. Setting Self Doubt on Fire: 5 Step plan for success
  9. Setting Self Doubt on Fire: The Planning Issue
  10. Setting Self Doubt on Fire: The Crossroads
  11. Setting Self Doubt on Fire: The Overwhelming Effect
  12. Setting Self Doubt on Fire: The Waiting Game
  13. Setting Self Doubt on Fire: Reflection 2013
  14. Setting Self Doubt on Fire: New Year New Challenges
  15. Setting Self Doubt on Fire: Am I a real Writer?
  16. Setting Self Doubt on Fire: Taking The Next Step
  17. Setting Self Doubt on Fire: Submission Phobia
  18. Setting Self Doubt On Fire: How To Get Ideas
  19. Setting Self Doubt on Fire: Dealing with Fear
  20. Setting Self Doubt on Fire: The Only Guarantee
  21. Setting Self Doubt on Fire: The Doubts of others
  22. Setting Self Doubt on Fire: Let those positives shine
  23. Setting Self Doubt on Fire: First Draft Blues
  24. Setting Self Doubt on Fire: The Time-wasting issue
  25. Setting Self Doubt on Fire: Embrace the bad ideas
  26. Setting Self Doubt on Fire: Writer or Author?
  27. Setting Self Doubt on Fire: Negative Feedback; the double slap
  28. Setting Self Doubt on Fire: Pat yourself on the back
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  30. Setting Self Doubt on Fire: The doomed quest for perfection
  31. Setting Self Doubt on Fire: Writing Group fears
  32. Setting Self Doubt on Fire: The Horror Tree Crew tackle Mr Self Doubt
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  34. Setting Self Doubt on Fire: Find your inner belief
  35. Setting Self Doubt on Fire: NaNoWriMo and Self-Doubt
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  37. Setting Self Doubt on Fire: New Year’s Resolutions for Writers
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  40. Setting Self Doubt on Fire: The Writing Group Experience
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  43. Setting Self Doubt on Fire: The Importance of perseverance
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  61. Video Refresh: Rejection – The Ugly Word
  62. Video Refresh: Setting Self Doubt on Fire: Learning to Juggle
  63. Video Refresh: To Dump or not to Dump
  64. Video Refresh: Keep The Faith
  65. Video Refresh: Finding Your Identity
  66. Video Refresh: 5 Step plan for success
  67. Video Refresh: The Planning Issue
  68. Video Refresh: The Crossroads
  69. Video Refresh: The Overwhelming Effect
  70. Video Refresh: The Waiting Game
  71. Video Refresh: Am I A Real Writer?
  72. Video Refresh: Taking The Next Step
  73. Setting Self Doubt on Fire: Let’s Feel the Fear and Do It Anyway in 2019
  74. Video Refresh: Submission Phobia
  75. Video Refresh: Dealing With Fear
  76. WIHM: Setting Self Doubt on Fire: The Female Horror Author Reading Challenge
  77. Setting Self Doubt on Fire: Writer or Author? Video Refresh
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Hi all, I’m back again, here to help you all on your writing journey, and mine. So today I have an interesting topic for you, I will be discussing how to get story ideas. Now I know for many of you the ideas just pop into your head out of nowhere, but others it can be a little tricky, especially when you need to create a story for a submission call that has a certain theme or topic.

 

I’ve experienced it, you see a new story submission call, you would love to have a story published with them, but you are left with a question. What shall I write? You want a story idea that stands out from the crowd, that’s different from any other that has ever been created, but that pressure can often result in a blocked and often strangled mind. No ideas come to you, you become frustrated, the deadline draws near, and you still don’t have a clue. Don’t panic I have some ideas that might help you solve this tricky situation.

 

So I shall throw on my Supergirl cape (it’s pink lol), and fire my 10 tips at you.

 

  1. Take a shower: Now this might only work for me, but I find that when I have a shower the ideas just come to me, and not only that if I have a plot to figure out, it all gets worked out in the shower. I’m not sure why that is, maybe it’s because it can help to relax your mind, either way it’s worth a try.
  2. Open your mind and senses: Sometimes you can close off your mind to the world around you when you’re worrying about things in your life. So block off that part of your brain, and sit and take in what’s around you. The best place to do that would be outside.
  3. Do some research: If you don’t know much about the theme or topic, doing some research into it can help. You might even find some information that could work as a story. Wikipedia is my friend when it comes to research, however it isn’t a reliable source, or so my lecturers once told me.
  4. Ask yourself, what if: The what if question can open your mind to more possibilities, and at times you can even get the main character answering them for you. This technique is also suggested when working out who your main character is.
  5. Relax don’t force it: Trying to force an idea will only block you further, also what you come up with might result in a weak story. You need to let the ideas flow and embrace them.
  6. Go for a walk: This links with point two. By being outside you allow your mind to relax and open up. Make sure you take a pen and notebook with you to note down any ideas that come to you, and no matter how random the ideas seem to be, make sure you write them down anyway.
  7. Mind map: I did this once for a story submission call for a supernatural Christmas related short story. I wrote down the word Christmas, and then next to it I wrote the word Supernatural. I then listed all the words I could think of that related to each word. My story didn’t win, but I created an unusual story that might have a home somewhere.
  8. Create a character first: For many the first thing they create is the character, they pop up, and demand you write their story. However, not everyone works this way, so if you are used to coming up with a plot first try creating a character because from that a story might follow.
  9. Use your dreams: Sometimes you think about the story submission theme so much you can end up dreaming about it, and if you’re very lucky you might just get that idea. I suppose this comes under using your subconscious.
  10. Observe: You’ll be surprised how a simple thing as watching your family and friends, or even the quiet next door neighbour can help you come up with ideas. This links with point 8 because you are focusing on characters more so than the plot. I like to note down my observations because it could be of use for another story if not for the one you need to write.  

 

What you can see from these tips is that the main thing is that you relax your mind, and allow yourself to be open to the ideas. To get ideas you must allow space in your brain for you to receive them. So if you are struggling to get an idea for that short story submission try one (or more) of the tips above. Hopefully one of them will relax your mind, and you will finally be able to come up with that story idea that you desire.

 

Well that’s all I have for you folks, keep writing and keep the dream alive. 

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