By DiAnn Mills @DiAnnMills
Story ideas can be like fireworks. They soar and explode in beautiful colors…then their dance fizzles to the ground and we turn our attention to the next one. But story ideas don’t have to fade away. A writer can take those wild moments of inspiration and build a credible, colorful, creative, and compelling story.
Where do story ideas come from? Everywhere!
- Pieces of a conversation…juicy tidbits that move us to explore story and character
- An article in the news that grasps our attention
- Books we’ve read—fiction or non-fiction
- Music—including lyrics
- Poetry
- Nature—with all of its beauty and danger
- A movie you’d have written differently
- The behavior of family or friends
- Historic events about people and places
- Genealogy
- Personal experiences
- Dreams
Consider the topic of dreams. While some writers keep a journal of theirs, I’m not that systematic. But I’ve learned not to discount my dream world, which knows no time or place, where the impossible is probable. Deep within our subconscious activity lies this realm where plot problems find answers, character situations resolve, and new characters are born. My first romantic suspense novel was the result of a dream.
I know you have a story idea. It’s banging against your head and heart, keeping you awake at night. You’re not sure what to do with all the information, and you fear you may lose it. So let’s turn your burning thoughts into a book project.
Ready? Are your fingers poised on your keyboard? The exercises below will take a little time but so worth the effort.
Step One
Write your story idea in one sentence. Don’t concern yourself with character names, setting, and genre. That part will come in the following chapters.
A few examples:
- A young mother confesses to her police officer husband she is not only addicted to drugs, but she also deals them.
- A businessman discovers the owner of his company is smuggling assault rifles into the country.
- A newly married couple is left behind on a wagon train when the husband is suspected of carrying a terrible disease.
- A young woman travels west to marry a man she’s never met—only to discover he doesn’t exist.
- A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s means a middle-aged woman must become the caretaker for her mother, with whom she already has a strained relationship.
- A couple is wakened by thieves in their home. While the husband attempts to overpower the intruders, the wife is killed.
- During wartime, a prince is forced to take the throne for his ailing father. Then the prince learns he’s not the real heir, but the son of the warring king.
- The inhabitants of a planet wracked by pollution face extinction. Their only solution is to exterminate half of the population.
Take a deep breath and congratulate yourself. You’ve given your story life.
Now perfect your one-sentence storyline. Tweak it until you’re satisfied. Envision your protagonist(s) and antagonist(s).
Definitions to help:
- Protagonist: The character who has a worthy goal to achieve or a problem to solve. Your champion, the character can be a hero or a heroine. A story with a romantic thread may have more than one protagonist.
- Antagonist: Anyone or anything that stands in the way of the protagonist achieving her goal or solving her problem.
- Villain A character who will commit any deed to achieve a selfish goal. Every villain is an antagonist, but not every antagonist is a villain.
Step Two
Take your one-sentence idea and write at least one paragraph about your story. Extend the idea to include what you know about your characters and the storyline. (Close your eyes while you write this.) Don’t worry about grammar and punctuation. Simply envision the story. When you’re finished, save and edit your paragraph(s).
Step Three
What is your story’s genre? Consider the list below and find a home for your idea.
- Contemporary
- Historical
- Romance
- Suspense/Thriller
- Mystery
- Western
- Women’s Fiction
- Speculative (includes science fiction, fantasy, allegory, etc.)
- Young Adult
Story ideas often mix genres with romance, such as:
Contemporary Romance
Historical Romance
Romantic Suspense
By including a thread of romance, writers increase their readership. It’s been said that 80 percent of book buyers are women. Half of them buy romance. Do the math and consider adding a spark of love to your project.
*Excerpt from The Dance of Character and Plot by DiAnn Mills
Where do you find the foundation for your story ideas?
DiAnn Mills is a bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. Her 
titles have appeared on the CBA and ECPA bestseller lists; won two Christy Awards; and been finalists for the RITA, Daphne Du Maurier, Inspirational Readers’ Choice, and Carol award contests. Library Journal presented her with a Best Books 2014: Genre Fiction award in the Christian Fiction category for Firewall.
DiAnn is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Suspense Sister, and International Thriller Writers. She is co-director of The Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference and The Author Roadmap with social media specialist Edie Melson. She teaches writing workshops around the country. DiAnn is active online and would love to connect with readers on any of the social media platforms listed at www.diannmills.com.
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