ISWG: Where Do Story Ideas Come From? (And How to Catch Them)

Recently, I was talking to my oldest son, who, in the spare hours he has after his engineering job, is always working on a story. I asked him how it was coming along, and he said he keeps starting things but never finishes them. I could relate. It wasn’t till my late 20s that I completed a story.

But it got me thinking about coming up with ideas. When I was teaching and homeschooling, I found that helping struggling writers (my own kids or students) wasn’t too hard if the problem was difficulty forming the words, grammar, or spelling. But if a child has difficulty coming up with ideas, it’s much more difficult.

Brainstorming or webbing can work, but how do you teach someone how to put together a good idea for a story? Whether you are eight or forty-eight, it’s still a struggle to find the heart of your story.

 

If you don’t already know, I am a member of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group, a wonderful community of authors who share monthly about the winding paths of the creative life. It’s a place to be earnest about our hurdles and celebrate our small victories together.

This month’s question: Do most of your story ideas come from one place (the news, dreams, etc.) or do they hit from all over the place?

Catching Seeds

 

My youngest is showing off a butterfly he caught.

For children (and adults), the blank page is intimidating. But what’s helped me is to think not as “coming up” with an idea, but as catching ideas that are already out there, like swirling a butterfly net through the air—and finding a species I’ve never seen before.

My current project: A middle-grade humorous contemporary with Anne of Green Gables vibes (status: final edits)

The seed for this story was thinking about my own love for Anne of Green Gables as a child—and how wanting a bosom friendship just like hers blinded me to the beautiful friends I already had. 

 

Whidbey Island

My next-in-line, a middle-grade magical realism set in the San Juans (status: completed and in early, big-picture edits)

The seed for this story grew out of my trips kayaking in the San Juan and Gulf Islands, memories of childhood friends and enemies, and a work situation where showing love to a difficult person changed everything.

New-new Project (in the planning/brainstorming stage):

I only have a small seed for this one, so it’s currently in the greenhouse, where I’m watering it and patiently waiting for it to grow. The tiny seed was my aunt sending me my great-grandfather’s manuscript, unedited and unfinished. The two most interesting parts sparked an idea—what if these events happened to a kid?

Looking for seeds

 

An acorn hunt with my youngest

If you are sitting beside a young writer who is staring at a blank page—or perhaps you are yourself—here are some places to look for seeds.

We can start with wonder.

What if the hero or heroine of your favorite book made a different choice?

What if a rainy camping trip had a touch of the unexpected?

What if you could step inside that old photo of your grandparents?

I may not have all the answers for my own sons, but the best way to catch an idea is to go after them: take a nature walk, reread a favorite story, and keep a notebook for the quiet whispers. They may just grow into a beautiful plant.

 

Max’s Thoughts

Max, the Reading Dog

 

 

 

 

 

I love plants! Especially carrots and grass. What do you mean, a story? Well, as long as it has a dog, I call it a good one.

 

 

Notes from the Front Porch:

Writers: How do you come up with your ideas? 

Homeschool parents and teachers: What has worked in your family for growing writers?

 

I'm so grateful to be part of the Insecure Writer's Support Group community. 

A special thank you to this month's wonderful co-hosts: 

Victoria Marie Lees, Sarah Foster, Natalie Aguirre, and C. Lee McKenzie!

You can join us here.

 

If you love gentle, heart-filled stories, come sit awhile—I’m writing one, too. 

Never miss out on future posts by following this blog.

Photo credit: All photos by Jenni Enzor, Front Porch photo from Canva