Prompt: Write down ten things that might possibly serve as story ideas, drawing from things that happened to you over the past week– people, emotions, thoughts, situations. Nothing is too big or small, cosmic or microscopic. Then review your list and pick the idea that looks the most promising for a story. The right idea will probably give you a buzz when you see it. Then list several ways in which this idea might be turned into a fictional story. Will your idea result in a brilliant story? Maybe, maybe not. But you’ll probably discover how plentiful ideas can be.
- Job interview
- Altercation with sister-in-law
- My baby turned 16 weeks old
- Planning for a trip to the beach
- Deadlifted over 400 lbs
- My mother ignored my messages
- Looked into a coaching job at an alma mater
- Read “Crime and Punishment” every night
- My father spun a web of negativity around a promising endeavor
- Met a couple with very similar backgrounds and synchronicities
Looking into a coaching job at an alma mater could easily be turned into a work of fiction, Familiarity with the setting first and foremost…followed by the process of applying, getting the job, moving, etc. Would be an interesting story. Maybe I’ll run with it one day.
