Pebblepup's Writing Den

Where do you get your ideas? I’m not sure where I get my ideas from an idle thought. Somewhere pops into my head and presto, I’ve got an idea. That’s a little simplistic, but it’s true. I do not know where my ideas come from. It could be something I’ve heard. That sort of thing. A distant memory comes to mind and reforms itself into an idea for something else. I suppose they come from all over. I don’t know about you, but that’s where my ideas come from. Everywhere and anywhere. I sit down and relax, put my head back, close my eyes and go inside myself. And I have ideas. I have no idea if I’m alone in that. Everyone has ideas in their heads. The trick is to find them and get them out of your head. I also have a notebook where I’ve put straight thoughts into occasion.

Another good way to get ideas is to think about things and write them down. That’s how I write down straight thoughts. That’s free writing. And it does help. It’s not the only way, because sometimes you can use word association. Think of a word. And then think of words that relate to it. Write them down. Sometimes that can generate an idea or two. The trick is not to throw anything away idea-wise. That’s where my system comes in handy because my system is all digital. No, trees have to die for it. And since I have access to the digital folder or file that I have them in, I always have access, even with my phone. I love cloud storage. It means that I can jot down ideas on my phone and have it accessible through my tablet and my laptop. It’s a nice feeling. Sometimes when I’m reading another book and thinking. I could have written it in a different way. Then I play around with that idea and generally develop my own version. And. If it’s changed enough, I can use it as my own novel. Short story or something? The trick is to do that without plagiarizing. Plagiarizing is bad. You don’t want to plagiarize. If you plagiarize, people will not read your stuff. They will know it and they will not read your stuff. It’s as simple as that.

Sometimes I insert my own characters into the story I’m reading. Then I developed that character and put them in my own story. Sometimes you’ll see a picture. And think I’d like to write a story about that place and it comes from there. No matter how you generate your ideas, you should keep them written down in a folder or notebook. Someplace where they’re accessible. In my case, like I said, I use a digital notebook. And store it online. I have access to 24/7 no matter where I am. So when the urge to write hits me, I can look up an idea and go with it. It sounds super organized, but I’m not. This is what works for me. Sometimes I note things down and never look at them again. Sometimes the act of writing them down helps. But you organize your thoughts, that’s the way you should work. That’s because it works best for you. What works for me won’t work for you. Or it could. So the next time you’re stuck for an idust kick back, relax, and go inside and see what ideas are in there. You might find a gem.