Outlining Part II: Ideas

IDEAS ARE THE EASIEST PART OF WRITING!

I have to assume if you are reading through these writing processes, then you are at least remotely interested in writing. And also, it is very likely that you have an idea.

Some people can be really protective of their ideas, nervous that if they share them, then they will be stolen. That is basically impossible, and your story will not be based on one idea alone. You might even think that you only have one idea, and if it fails, then you fail. Again, completely wrong.

IDEAS DO NOT EQUAL STORY!

I cannot stress this enough. It would be wonderful if all you needed to write a story was an idea, but this is not the case. A story is made up of a mood, the author’s voice and perspective, characters, settings, plot development, pacing, prose, structure, description, dialogue, and MANY MANY ideas.

Maggie Stiefvater (I literally cannot stress enough how obsessed I am and how incredible her seminar was) gave a prompt in her seminar, an idea. A writing group I am in took that same prompt and all wrote a story, and all of them were so SO different. BECAUSE A STORY IS NOT AN IDEA.

Ideas can come from everywhere: from ancient scrolls found buried in treasure chests to overgrown gardens to glancing up and seeing a candle sitting on a shelf. There are millions of books out there that will help generate random ideas, or stress that a story must have a core idea, or a story begins with an idea. But that is all they are: a lit match that fuels the author’s story-telling flame.

But how do you begin? You could start with a random idea.
List three things:
1.) A pen
2.) An old pocket watch
3.) A black and white photograph

These could spark a multitude of stories. OR, they could initiate thoughts and then become completely irrelevant to the story itself. The ideas themselves could be plugged together: a black and white photograph of an old pocket watch. And so on and so on.

Add in personal experiences, something important to you that you value:
1.) the idea of “self”
2.) honesty and trust
3.) the constant need to learn something new

Combine these with the random ideas and your story becomes more complex, deeper. An old pocket watch that helps the wearer predict when someone is lying. A pen that writes a new fact each morning. A black and white picture of someone who looks just like you. The more you confront the things you value, the better the “core idea” of the story.

The ideas themselves do not matter. A story is a series of decisions. The writer crafts a “what-if”, creates problems and solves them through the lens of a well-developed cast. Often the heart of the story is a message the author is trying to get across: some belief or value or wisdom they wish to impart.

Do not get hung up on an idea. Do not hoard it away in fear that someone will steal it. Do not worry if it is a good idea or a bad idea (there is no such thing!). And do not be discouraged by books that deal with similar ideas to yours. An idea is just a building block, and when you add your own personal experiences and your values to them, that is when you have a foundation for a great story.

Still need some inspiration or feeling stuck? Take a look at your favorite TV show or book or song. Break it into its component ideas and how it relates to you specifically: your relationships, something you are afraid of or excited about, your feelings about the state of the world. These specific experiences will allow you to write your own story.

For example: Finding Nemo
– father/son relationship
– growing up/needing space
– the fear of being lost
– a grand adventure
– compromise
– the meaning of friendship
– the lengths parents will go to for their children

Taken in pieces, it is easier to find a theme that means something to you and write from that place. This is how you contribute to the greater conversation, how you provide a fresh perspective on an “idea”.

Finally, maybe you are someone with too many ideas that don’t seem to mesh or that distract you from what you are writing. Keep a running list. These ideas can be used later when you are feeling stuck. Or, if they are very distracting, write them out into a short story, a small glimpse of a world or a character that can either stand on its own or be developed into a full novel later when you are able to give it your full attention.

Let your ideas spark your creativity, but don’t get hung up on them. In the end, the idea itself is meaningless. Its execution in your hands through your story-telling perspective is what really matters.

Here’s some fun random idea generators or pictures to spark your creativity:
Random Idea Generator
Random Idea Generator
Random pictures
Writing prompts