You can also use your phone to keep track of your ideas! You could type them in your notes, email them to yourself, or use an app, such as Google Docs.
House was a brilliant, but simple combination of medical dramas with one-off “murder mystery” type shows, swapping medical diagnosis for detective work. Star Wars is a typical hero’s quest, with the plot ripped straight from the oldest known Greek stories. George Lucas’s genius? Simply setting it in space. The collected works of William Shakespeare are full of “artistic theft,” as almost every one of his plays was a brilliant amalgamation of other plays, books, and historical records.
Try to read every day, even if it’s just a few pages. Reading books in the genre you write is an excellent idea, but it’s also helpful to read books in other genres. This can help you broaden your understanding of the writing craft and gain new ideas for your own work.
Try writing from the perspective of the people you see on the news. You understand the facts of a war or struggle, but try to actually imagine living it. Creative writing doesn’t have to be fiction. Use stories from your life that speak out to you as potentially exciting or compelling stories.
Almost all writers enjoy having at least one person to bounce ideas off. Frequently, just vocalizing your plots or ideas can make them much clearer and easier to write.
Look online at collections of “free writing prompts. " There are thousands of ideas out there to spark your creative juices and get the writing flowing, even if only for a few minutes. Rewrite passages from your favorite books – many famous authors, from Billy Collins to Cormac McCarthy, literally re-wrote favorite chapters to learn from the best. [1] X Research source
There is no “right” way to start writing. Some people plan, storyboard, and plot, and others plow right into it and deal with the rest in revision. Experiment for what works for you. [2] X Research source
Well-rounded. Good characters are multi-dimensional, with both strengths and weaknesses. They are not just the “strong hero,” “damsel in distress,” or a million other simplified character types. They are people and have nuance and complexity Desiring something, and fearing something else: Plots are driven by character’s wants – what do they need or desire to be happy or safe? Some characters are driven by fear, or the desire not to be something. But all characters are pushed by some desire, a desire that drives their plot. [3] X Research source This is your character’s motivation. Aware self-agents Good characters make decisions, for better or for worse, that they think will help them. Always ask yourself – if I were in the same situation as the character, would I see that as a good decision? Sometimes, only one decision catapults the whole story, as the character deals with the fallout. Other times characters make decisions every minute. Just make sure they fit the character. [4] X Research source
Setting writing timers – 1 hour of straight writing, 10-15 minutes of relaxing, then repeat. Deciding on a daily writing time and place, building the habit. Getting a writing buddy – someone you trade 10 pages with each week at the same time.
Consider each scene, chapter, or segment a short story. How can you make it compelling if it was published all on its own? Make sure you establish the setting, appealing to the reader’s 5 senses. Additionally, set the mood of your scene. The reader should be able to clearly visualize your setting when they read your writing. Scenes should have tension and rising action – starting with a problem, making things more difficult or introducing new challenges, and resolving everything in some way at the end. It seems overly simplistic, but these three stages are the basis of 95% of all good plots. [5] X Research source
This isn’t to say some relaxing time isn’t worth it when you’re stuck, just get back to writing after you’re done walking, reading, meditating, or enjoying a cup of writer’s block coffee. Never tell yourself that, “I can’t write right now. " All you have to do is sit down – the words will flow if you give them the time and energy to do so.
Looking for inspiration that you’re not alone? Check out Raymond Chandler’s writing process: “Throw up into your typewriter every morning. Clean up every noon. ”[6] X Research source
Know that you’ll likely need to keep writing, filling in holes you didn’t notice on your first draft. Prioritize those areas that grip you the most already, or the characters that seem the most alluring to write. It is not uncommon for the tone or main idea of a story to pivot at this point – don’t be afraid to forge a bold new direction if it is clearly more enjoyable than the original plot or perspective. [7] X Research source
Make sure your dialogue actually adds something and doesn’t simply regurgitate information for the audience. Reading dialogue out loud, with a friend, is the best way to make sure it is natural sounding and worth keeping. [8] X Research source Save new copies of your work every day you open it up, allowing you to still keep copies of everything you erase in case you later change your mind. Hemingway said it best in a letter to his friend F. Scott Fitzgerald: “I write one page of masterpiece to ninety-one pages of s–t. I try to put the s–t in the wastebasket. ”[9] X Research source
Pick your people wisely– friends who love to read, and you know will be honest with you, are often the best picks. Let your friends know that you’re looking for constructive criticism. While being nice is great, it won’t help you write any better. [10] X Research source
