Fiction Story Generator - A Low-Tech Writer's Aid

Do you want to write but feel short on ideas? Are you a member of a writers circle looking for monthly writing projects? Or are you simply stuck in a rut with your writing, and seeking a way out of the doldrums?

This economical and easy-to-make low-tech fiction story generator will fix that. This useful tool for writing exercises will provide a huge quantity and variety of story ideas simply and quickly.

All you have to do then is get writing!

To the public they are artists, creating beauty in their shared Liverpool home. In private, they are members of an ancient occult order riddled with intrigues and power struggles.

Will Morgan keep them safe in their turbulent world of dark magic?

Each character steps up to reveal their story - and their piece of the hidden history of the mysterious order which dominates their lives.

You will need three small containers of some kind. Plastic tubs will be fine, such as old margarine tubs (washed and dried, of course.) Or you could use three sandwich bags or paper grocery bags, for example.

You will also need some paper - ordinary printer paper or typing paper will do. You might want to use three different colours of paper, one colour for each container. Or you could use three different colours of ink if you prefer. Neither of these are necessary, however.

You will need to Copy and Paste into Word (or an equivalent program) each of the three lists below. You may find it easier to use double-line spacing, as after you have printed each list you are going to cut out each word or short phrase individually and put each group into one of the containers.

Don't mix up your three lists. This is why you might prefer to use different colours for each.

Dancing, sailing, decorating, reading, gardening, watching a film, dining, walking, running, hiding, laughing, exploring, photographing, making a telephone call, arguing, carrying a parcel, sharing a secret, sunbathing, worrying, rehearsing, hunting, riding a bicycle, cooking, watching crowds, crying, trekking, bullying, rushing, planning, travelling, threatening, studying, destroying, sculpting, shopping, driving, grieving, celebrating, scheming, sewing, cleaning, talking, swimming, fighting, looking for a lost item, working, lounging, horse-riding, ice-skating, camping, doing a crossword, mending an object, knitting, teasing, walking a dog, waiting, playing chess, collecting.

Beach, woodland, mountain, park, cottage, indoor shopping centre, school, bedsit, office, bus, villa, hotel, luxury apartment, staircase, alley, fountain, pub, village green, bank, orchard, theatre, stables, formal gardens, cafe, country road, hairdressing salon, law court, caravan site, restaurant, farm, historic country house, distillery, factory, studio, town monument, garage, library, cave, train station, dockside terminal, church, hospital, pre-historic stone circle, kitchen, airport, vineyard, museum, bar, vegetable allotment, penthouse suite, island, castle, nightclub, animal sanctuary, work's canteen, monastery, car park, art gallery, observatory, derelict house, motorway, scrap yard, market.

Dreamer, witch, ballet dancer, teacher, nurse, artist, accountant, traffic warden, florist, journalist, radio DJ, shop assistant, care worker, street sweeper, historian, sailor, tailor, printer, lorry driver, potter, fortune-teller, comedian, janitor, street entertainer, trainee, celebrity, plumber, electrician, builder, mechanic, architect, sceptic, politician, scientist, amateur inventor, musician, doctor, campaigner, volunteer, tourist, liar, joker, angry man, laughing man, angry woman, laughing woman, playing child, noisy child, police, soldier, pilot, grocer, fashion designer, hairdresser, shoe mender, hotelier, cleaner, web designer, thief, vicar, animal lover, newspaper vendor, pianist, carpenter, horticulturalist, cartoonist, drunkard.

After you have cut out each word or short phrase of the above lists, place each set in a separate container and give them a stir. Then pick one from each container - without looking!

The activity, location and person lists give you the 'What, Where and Who' of a story. For example, the first of each of the lists here give us Dancing, Beach, Dreamer. It is now your task to ask questions and use your imagination to create the 'Why' of the story.

In our example, we have a dreamer dancing on a beach. Is this person dreaming of dancing on a beach, or is this someone whose head is in the clouds? Why are they dancing? What are they dancing to? Are they on their own, or are other people nearby - and if so, are they playing music, sharing food, sunbathing or enjoying a summer's evening?

Where is this beach? It could be anywhere in the world, or on another world - you choose! And how did the people get there?   Where will go they later?  Let your imagination play with the ideas.

If you feel you wish to add a second main character, you can dip into the 'Who' container again. Or if you want something specific to happen next and can't think of anything, draw another paper slip from the 'What' container.

Add more words and phrases to your containers if you wish. You may want to add words which are more specific to the kind of fiction you like to write.

You can use this story generator time and time again.  Even if you use it only for creative writing exercises, you will find it a useful resource for ideas.  Its main purpose is to start a story off, to give a writer a definite starting point.  After that, it is entirely down to each writer and their own imagination as to how they build from that point.

Give it a try, and let me know how you get on.