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Tips for finding ideas to write a story

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By Eileen Hughes


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Tips to Find ideas for a new story

What did you say? You cannot find anything to write about for a story. Open your eyes, look around you, and listen to snippets of conversation. Here are a few simple suggestions:

You could be a nurse, what happened to that patient? You are a wife and mother, yet you say; "I haven't done anything interesting." Then how do you cope with your children, what about their fights at school, how did you stop the kids from killing one another? How has your husband survived over the years in his stressful job?

You can create a story from anything at all. A snippet of conversation; "Minnie is having an affair with her best mates husband," Jodie said." That is the making of a story. Why, when, where, how, did she cheat on her friend; what made her husband be unfaithful, was it stress, lack of money, pressures of work, maybe he thought his wife was being unfaithful to him.

Once you put down answers to those questions, you ask yourself, where did they live, in which town, city, or country did it happen. What did the husband do for a living?

Was it the wife's fault? Did she spend too much time with the children, leaving her man feeling neglected or not needed anymore? When you have worked this out, put obstacles in their way, to prevent them from reconciling their marriage.

When that is fixed, create an illness, so he/she feels sorry for the other one. It is fiction, so you make up anything; create suspense, drama, and action. This is how you keep the reader interested. Hold the reader's attention, or they will put the book or story down without a second thought.

If you really cannot think of anything to write, then you may think you have writers block. Grab a dictionary and open a page, close your eyes, and stab your finger on the page. No matter what the word is, write it down.

Do this ten to twelve times. If you do not know the meaning of the words chosen, look at the description in the dictionary or get a theasaurus and find a similar word, meaning the same thing. Now start writing sentences, each with a different word until you make it into a gripping short story or even a novel.

Read, read, and read, the more you read the more you will learn. Start reading a short story; see how they have written it. Pick one and replace all the plots with your own plot, or drama. Practice this until you have a completely different story.

Then start in the middle of your story as though it was the beginning and rearrange the whole setup. Start your story with action. Show the action happening, do not tell it.

The Five senses

Smell the flowers, hear the ocean roaring onto the sand, touch the softness of satin and last but not least, taste the saltwater on your lips.

Now look for color in the scenes. "The blue sky dissapearing behind the grey rolling clouds.". "The violet lavender waving in the breeze".

In the beginning, write about things you know something about. Do you own pets? Medical problems or insurance claims that went wrong, an ocean or beach disaster, incredible holidays and the best destinations.

Plagarism

Beware of the meaning of plagarism or copyright. Remember whatever you write yourself is yours. Never copy anything that someone else has written.

Find ideas for your story, from everyday happenings. Look around you, listen, and read how others do it. Then you will be writing your own stories.

Childrens short stories

Make up stories to tell the children. Then write down the ones they loved the best. Ask them to participate, adding their own little suggestions.

Writing for children can be very hard. You need to make sure to use different lengths of word for the different age child. A five year old would not understand the longer word. At the same time high school kids would not bother to read baby talk. Get it right.

Conclusion

Find ideas for your story, from everyday happenings. Look around you, listen and read how others do it. Then you will be writing your own short stories or that thrilling novel.

Keep a small notebook with you at all times. Jot down the little things and ideas that pop into your head. You will never remember it,the next day or week, if you don't write it down.

Above all, learn to write, write and then write some more.

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Comments

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helenathegreat profile image

helenathegreat  says:
2 years ago

Really thoughtful tips for starting a story! Great hub.

The Good Cook profile image

The Good Cook  says:
2 years ago

Great ideas Eileen.

Eileen Hughes profile image

Eileen Hughes  says:
2 years ago

thanks for that. I appreciate it.

http://hubpages.com/_30qckaz1z7h2s/hub/The-worst-r

Kenny Wordsmith profile image

Kenny Wordsmith  says:
2 years ago

Good tips, thanks!

Zsuzsy Bee profile image

Zsuzsy Bee  says:
2 years ago

I'm usually in trouble because I don't know which idea to follow through with. So I've taken on the habit of wearing clothes with packets so that I can fit my little notebook and pen in them. So when-ever an idea hit me I write it down. I currently am on notebook #6. Everyones in a while I take the booklets and kind of X-out the non useful ideas...

Great HUB

regards Zsuzsy

Cameron Corniuk profile image

Cameron Corniuk  says:
2 years ago

Thanks, E. This is just what I needed right this moment.

Shaun J. Rice :)!  says:
17 months ago

thanks for these comments, im only 15, but i love writing, and i've wrote some pretty good stories, if i do say so myself!

Ideas come into my head all the time, sometimes good ones too; so the tip about the keeping a small notepad with me is tremendously helpful.

Also, listening to snippets of people's conversation's is something which is equally helpful!

Thanks for your help, Shaun.

shree  says:
10 months ago

Very good tips! I am interested in writing a story but needed some tips to start. Thanks for the wonderful tips. I hope, my first attempt of writing a story will give me happiness and inspire me to write more...........something interesting and something natural, the facts about life which is happening around us...............

Eileen Hughes profile image

Eileen Hughes  says:
9 months ago

Shree

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoy writing for pleasure and then earn some money in the process.

Ina  says:
2 months ago

dats so useful!! ty!! ur da best!!

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