What if dinosaurs still existed? What if we only had a limited amount of luck per day? What if our hair changed color every day? What if my best friend was a spy?
I wonder what Jim does in his basement every night. I wonder what it’s like to be a cross-country truck driver. I wonder what life is like in rural Russia.
If you think you’re making anyone uncomfortable, stop eavesdropping and try another conversation.
Write your dreams down, too. Dreams and daydreams can be great starting points for a good story![4] X Research source
Most literary genres and types have specific conventions, so make sure you reading books and stories that are written in the style you plan on writing in.
For general plots, try http://writingexercises. co. uk/plotgenerator. php For fairytale plots, try http://www. springhole. net/writing_roleplaying_randomators/fairytaleplot. htm For mystery/horror plots, try http://tzplotgenerator. com
Write the whole plot, not just the beginning, so you know where your story is going. Outlines don’t work for everyone. If trying to plan out your story before you start bogs you down, just dive right in and figure out the details as you go along.
Height, weight, race, eye color, hair color, skin color, health Mannerisms, habits, hobbies, speech patterns, whether they’re an extrovert or introvert Greatest flaw, best quality Education, intelligence, short- and long-term goals The most embarrassing thing that’s ever happened to them The thing they’re proudest of Strengths, weaknesses Their relationship to the other characters
The year the story is set in The climate and time of year Nearby bodies of water, mountains, plants, and other geographical factors The cultural and political environment of the location you’ve chosen For example, a story set in Washington D. C. will probably include a mention of politics A story set in Paris might choose to mention fashion or nearby monuments like the Eiffel Tower
Are you telling the story from the protagonist’s eyes? If so, your story should be told in first person or in third person limited (“He,” “She,” and “They” pronouns that still express the protagonist’s thoughts). Are you telling a story with a narrator? In this case, you’d probably use third person and either tell every character’s thoughts or no character’s thoughts. Second person a less common point of view, as it can be disorienting and confusing for the reader. Before choosing to write a second person story, read a book or short story that uses that point of view.
Try starting with a character in action or your character’s physical appearance to immediately show the reader who’s important. Start with a bird’s eye view of the setting. Describe sensory detail before zooming into your character’s life or home. Tell your readers a character’s “secret” to immediately hook them. Set up the central conflict at the very start to make the reader desperate to know what’s going to happen next. Begin with a memorable, dramatic, or important flashback. Be careful, as flashbacks can confuse the reader if they don’t know it’s a flashback.
Absurd and amusing: “It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were striking thirteen. ” From Nineteen Eighty-four by George Orwell. Foreboding: “It was a queer, sultry summer, the summer they electrocuted the Rosenbergs, and I didn’t know what I was doing in New York. ” From The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath. Inviting: “Call me Ishmael. ” From Moby-Dick by Herman Melville. Unexpected: “All children, except one, grow up. ” From Peter Pan by J. M. Barrie. Expansive truth: “All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way. " From Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy.
Make sure your prologue is necessary and impacts the story’s plot significantly – if it doesn’t, your story might be better off without one.
If you’re not sure if your opening is working, ask for an outside opinion! Tell your reader that you’d like some honest but positive feedback on what you have so far.
Choose a writing location that works for you. Try writing at home, in a coffee shop, in a library, in a park, or somewhere else. Decide if gentle conversation, silence, or music helps you be most creative.
