Start With an Idea
Having an idea or something to write about is an important starting point when writing. It’s hard to write a book if you really don’t have any idea of what you want to write about. This doesn’t mean everything has to be fleshed out at the start, but you do need a base of something that sparks your imagination and gets you writing.
Coming up with an idea is often a very personal process. Different people have different processes that work best for them. Sometimes ideas come easily, but the ability to stay motivated on the idea is the hard part. Other times, it takes forever to come up with an idea, but it will last you through a whole book’s worth of writing. Though I can’t help you come up with the idea or overcome your writing block, I can at least help you with some tips on possible ways to come up with ideas.
Tip 1: Think of an idea you would want to read about
This is the easiest way to find a topic. As a reader, there are probably many times you think ‘I wish there was more of such and such’. You have probably had times that you have thought an idea would be so cool to have written about. Maybe when you are joking with your friends or messing around and think ‘hey that would actually be pretty amazing’. Those thoughts can help inspire your writing. Give the idea a try if it sparks something for you. The worst that can happen is that the idea doesn’t pan out and you move on to another topic.
I personally like to write down ideas like this. Sometimes when I’m at work or with friends something pops into my brain for a great idea. I don’t want to lose it, so I write it down (usually on a sticky note) and stick it in an area I have designated for such notes to reference and come back to when I have time or when I’m looking for something fresh. If it sparks interest when I look at it again, I know it’s an idea worth giving a shot and seeing where it can take me.
Tip 2: Think of something you noticed is uncommon in fantasy that you wish there was more of.
This idea is similar to the last one and can sometimes come in the same concept. Sometimes the idea that you want to see more of is one that you want to read. However, it can be thinking from this angle that sparks the idea. Are there any events, characters, or creatures that you wish were explored more? Do you want to explore a unique aspect of something that already exists?
I think this type of idea is triggered fairly organically as it comes from a desire while reading or from being an avid reader. This way of coming up with an idea might be harder to come up with just when you want to start something new. You might have to think back on past concepts you’ve thought of or wait for a new one to come to you. I’m sure you will know when an idea like this strikes your interest enough to start an idea.
Tip 3: Think of a fantasy world first, then decide what would happen in this world.
Sometimes, a great idea can come from thinking of a fantasy world first. Maybe this starts as simple as a magic system you think would be interesting or even a location. If you’re interested in mythology and gods, you could cast your mind about for what kind of mythology does the world you want to create have. Don’t stress about it or reach for it. Just explore possibilities of places and systems and locations until you find something that excites you. Maybe even write the ideas down that you want to keep while mentally replacing different ideas that you’re not set on.
A fantasy world can help you decide what kind of story you want. What kind of plot will work best with the kind of world you have built. Then, from there you can decide what kind of character will be needed to complete the plot you have built and so on and so forth from there. This method is a building method. You take one piece of your puzzle and work it out until it excites you to put people in it and want something to happen.
Tip 4: Think of a character you want to explore.
Sometimes a great character can be a spark of inspiration by itself. Think about what kind of characters are your favorite to read? What personalities do you connect with and what ones are turn offs? Start outlining a character or a couple characters that you want to read about and excite you to write about. Again, like everything else, don’t reach for it, just throw out ideas for who this person, or these people should be.
Don’t move on until you find one or two characters that really are exciting for you and make you want to have them do something. From there, you can build around the character(s). This process can be even more organic by taking your character(s) and putting them into a random situation just to seeing how he or she interacts with another character or in a certain type of situation. As you work with the character(s) you’ve built, you will find more ideas will come to you.
Tip 5: There are lots of places that supply writing prompts.
Take a look at many different writing prompts and start one that interests you. Doesn’t have to be fantasy oriented since you can always find a way to incorporate the fantasy elements once your interest is sparked. Don’t think too hard about the idea or where you want it to lead to. Just start writing and enjoy the idea. Let the enjoyment of a fresh idea move you forward. If the prompt doesn’t stay interesting only a short time after you start working on it, find something else that will hold your interest longer.
In many ways, this is a test to see what topic might interest you for the long term with little to no commitment. You won’t spend a long time figuring out complex world building, characters, or plot points only to find your idea lasts you a few writing sessions before you’re bored and losing interest in it. Once you find yourself fulling engaging with an idea and wanting to explore it more fully, you will know you have an idea worth your time exploring and branching out into a fuller manuscript.
You can either use just one of these ideas or combine a couple of them. I find that the most important thing is to let it come without stressing or searching for the ideas. Let it come casually either by consciously throwing things out and rearranging things until you feel the spark of interest or by doing other things and thinking of it on the side to help you not stress about coming up with an idea. Some of my most engaging ideas has come from just randomly thinking ‘hey I wonder what a story would be like if this type of person did this’ or ‘this kind of world would be so cool! Let me flesh it out and add some characters and see what happens’. I have also had a full story come from a writing prompt that just sparked an amazing idea to me. I also have had ideas come from wanting to have more of something that I haven’t seen in the fantasy stories I’ve read. It really depends on what sparks an idea at that particular time. I use all of these tips and often start at one point but continue to work my idea and my story with another method.
My biggest suggestion to making an idea that will last you to complete your story is to only continue working with an idea that really inspires you and pushes you forward. Each step needs to be something that makes you want to do more. If it doesn’t, find something else. If you are only mildly interested or only parts of your idea excite you, you won’t continue very long. If you start an idea and don’t get very far and already are unsure about it, drop it and move forward with something else or with reworking it. This might take some time to find an idea that you’ll stick with, but it will be worth it if it starts you on a journey you’re willing to put the effort in completing.
Writing means a lot of rewriting and editing, so you need an idea that will help you get through and reimagine your story many times over.
