Unless your gifted with a wild, wild imagination and liberating self-confidence, then you have at some point struggled for ideas. Whether writer's block is fogging your mind or you loathe every idea that you have, this blog will outline several ways that you can get back into the writing groove and not have to wait for the lightning bolt of inspiration to strike. So, in this post, we'll explore various techniques for generating ideas and finding inspiration, ensuring that your next story, poem, or article is bursting with originality.
[You can also read my blog on writer's block here.]
Start with a Character
Characters drive stories, so why not begin with a strong personality? Imagine a person —real or fictional— who intrigues you. Give them a unique trait, a goal, or an internal conflict.
Ask yourself:
What is their deepest fear?
What motivates them?
How do they see the world?
And many more questions for constructing character can be discovered in my Proust Questionnaire Blog.
By fleshing out your character, you may naturally discover a story waiting to be told.
Use a Picture
An image can tell a thousand stories. Browse old family albums, explore online photography archives, or pick a random painting at a museum. What’s happening in the image? Who are the people? What emotions does it evoke? Write a short paragraph describing the scene, and let your imagination take over.
This exercise is great for invoking the world of the story, as it is rich in textures: note down what sounds are invoked, what smells, tastes, culture, rules, themes; really interrogate the world.
Exercise: spend five-minutes describing the world or character that is invoked by this image.
Let Music Inspire You
Music has the power to transport us to different times, places, and emotions. Listen to a song and focus on its lyrics, melody, or mood. Does it remind you of a specific memory? Can you envision a scene playing out to this soundtrack? Try writing a scene that captures the same emotional resonance as the song.
Engage with Materials
Textures and objects contain powerful memories and heighten the senses. Hold an old book, a piece of fabric, or a childhood toy.
Consider:
Where did it come from?
Who used it before you?
What stories could it tell?
The tactile experience can trigger forgotten emotions and experiences that inspire new writing.
Conduct Research
All writing should be based on research - whether that is because you're writing about a historical event or researching a specific style of writing, research is where it all begins. Explore history, science, mythology, or true crime stories. Find an obscure fact or an unusual event and build a narrative around it. Real-world discoveries often make the best fiction.
Find a Prop
Objects can serve as writing prompts. Pick up something mundane—a key, a letter, a photograph—and ask:
Who owned this?
What secrets does it hold?
How did it end up here? These small details can lead to intriguing plotlines.
Consider a Proposition
What if you took a simple "what if" question and expanded it? Some classic examples include:
What if humans could live underwater?
What if a letter arrived from the future?
What if your reflection in the mirror had a mind of its own?
By playing with possibilities, you can uncover stories that are both imaginative and engaging. This pairs well with research and can help to uncover and distil the themes of your writing.
Draw from Personal Experience
Be careful with this one, as, whilst writing can be therapeutic, it should not be used to process unhealed trauma.
Your own life, however, is a goldmine of inspiration. Think about significant events, unusual encounters, people that you have met, or dreams that have stuck with you. Even seemingly mundane experiences can be transformed into compelling narratives with the right perspective.
People-watching is always a fun thing to do - obviously, I don't mean staring at someone until they become uncomfortable. Sit in a cafe, or at a bus stop, or practically anywhere and listen to other people, notice them, observe the small details about them. What are they wearing? How do they walk? What are they talking about? How do they sound? Imagine what is going through their head: what are their goals in life? Are they happy? Why? Why not?
I often like to exaggerate people into idiosyncratic caricatures and take elements of them for my characters. For example, once on the bus, I saw a man at the bus stop whose beard and hair were half grey, half jet black. I was fascinated by the split in colour and wondered whether it had been artificially dyed that way or whether it was stress or some medical condition. Anyway, I utilised that idiosyncrasy into a farm worker in my novel, The Falling Sun. The worker has a split-coloured beard and is the bringer of bad news on the farm - his grey was created by stress and shock.
This is a prime example of how you can use the mundane to create colourful characters.
Keep an Idea Journal
Inspiration can strike at any time, so always have a notebook or a digital note-taking app handy. Jot down dreams, quotes, interesting facts, and fleeting thoughts. Over time, these notes can develop into full-fledged stories.
Final Thoughts
Generating ideas and finding inspiration is an ongoing process. By experimenting with these techniques and staying open to the world around you, you'll never run out of material to write about. The key is to stay curious, explore different perspectives, and, most importantly, keep writing.
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