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My ideas usually come form music or videos.
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I often have vivid dreams that always spur my imagination when I wake up.
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I also forgot: sometimes when I write a story by the seat of my pants for about two or three pages, I generate a story idea based on what I'm writing then do an outline. I guess you can call it freewriting than outlining.
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My inspiration comes from everything I do and sometimes the stuff I dream about.
If I have just finished a good book and couldn't put it down, it inspires me to go and write something along the lines of it (not copying it, of course) or the next book in the series or writing something linked to it, like if it's a historical book set in the war times (for example), I'd use the facts from the book and write my own with a twist or something like that.
Thanks,
Jessie122 :)
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I believe what really helps when you have an idea for a plot is to "mind map" it to all of it's possible outcomes. That way, you can see all of the plausible scenarios for a plot line that you can use, then use the one that best fits the story you are trying to convey to your audience. I think "mind mapping" also helps to break the writer's curse (sitting with fingers over the keys or pen in hand without being able to think of what to say or where to go). Mind mapping or "thought mapping" suppresses your "critical, analytical" mind and allows the "design, imagery" mind we all possess to bring ideas to the forefront of your mind and writing. Once the ideas that flow naturally from mind mapping are in place, you then write using them as a guide, then you apply your critical, analytical mind to what you've written. It works for me. There is software out there to help you mind map. PersonalBrain is one that I use. You can use paper and pencil too.
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Hi Don9307! Thanks for the contribution.
Yes, mind mapping is indeed powerful as it does "make" me think of a nice flow of ideas as it does keep me focussed as opposed to drifting off into yet another tangent and later discovering that the main storyline is still incomplete at the end of the day.
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Ideas are the easy part,for me anyway,from observing, listening looking at things from a different angle,imagining the points of view of others,it's good to carry a notebook so you can 'catch' an idea when it strikes you and get it down..it's actualising them into a coherent piece of work which I find harder.That's when the real work comes in.For me that part can be the slow process.It's good to have a planned structure to stick to but also good to 'go with it' if a revalation comes into your mind and that can change everything.
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