If you follow me on Twitter, you might have saw me mention the teenage angst going on in my neighborhood last week.
There was a MAJOR breakup between my teenage neighbor and his girlfriend. Afterwords, the girl cried hysterically outside the boy’s house for about ten minutes — and just when I was about to go outside and save some of her dignity, she left.
The plot thickens.
On Sunday morning, there was a little present for the teenage neighbor. Someone had spray-painted “DIE” on his car.
It doesn’t take a rocket-scientist to figure out who probably did it.
This incident sparked a story idea. I’ve always been interested in what makes stalkers tick. A spark formed of a jilted teen girl dumped by her boyfriend and the escalating lengths she will go to get him back. A flood of ideas came to me. And although the story premise isn’t new, there are so many ways for this story to play out to make it unique.
But hopefully in real life, this incident will stop with the spray-painted car.
Story sparks can ignite anyplace at anytime. I always keep a notepad by my bed as well as a little post-it pads in my purse and in my car. Because I’ve learned the hard way that ideas can disappear never to be retrieved by memory if not written down quickly.
And although I’m going to keep firm with my current novel project, I can’t wait to start on something new and visit my folder of story ideas to choose my next project.
What about you? Where do you get story sparks? How do you record them?
Story Sparks
August 16, 2010 Read Comments
I get sparks from the same place you do! Random things happening, things I see, things I watch and read and hear…
I keep a mindmap on my computer that I add all story ideas to. That way, if I think of a new detail, I can add it to the original idea and keep branching out that way. I do need to get into the habit of keeping a notebook by the bed, though. Thinking: Do not forget this idea no matter what doesn’t seem to work very well. =)
Your new idea sounds excellent, btw! All sorts of teenage passions!
I used to have my students keep “author’s notes”, encouraging them to write down any little thing that could end up being something to work into a story.
Very intriguing, your neighborhood event.
Anywhere and everywhere.
Notebook or post-its always in my purse. And I’m supposed to have a notebook by my bed, but it keeps wandering off to the office. I don’t always remember to put it back.
Maybe I need a post-it by my bed to remind me to make sure the notebook is there…
I love when story sparks come from real life. There are so many silly moments in life when I think ‘that HAS to show up in a book sometime!’
I love that, I mean, obviously I feel bad for the girl, but it would make a great book idea :) My ideas come from all over. And it’s crazy, because just when I’m almost done writing one, a new idea will pop up like clockwork. At least that’s one thing I don’t need to worry about as a writer :)
Anne: What a good idea. A mind map could lead to all kinds of possibilities.
Caroline: Yes, a very intriguing event indeed. Hopefully it will stop with the spray paint. I feel sorry for the girl though. And you’re right, every little idea can add to the story.
Megan: Ha, definitely need a notepad by the bed. I actually had a creepy dream early this morning about demons. Actually had to turn on the TV afterwards. I’m such a wuss (but hey, it was about demons — scary).
Jemi: All kinds of weird is always happening to me — always scribbling like “Ooh, this would good for one of my characters.” I swear, I may need to start posting regularly about the kooky things I see.
Tiana: I felt really bad for the girl. She had been hanging out with my teen boy neighbor ALL summer and then just when schools starts, he breaks up with her. But seriously, I was putting on my flip-flops to go out there and say, “He’s so not worth it” but she was driving away when I got to the door.
Story ideas always come to me furiously when I’m finishing up a project. It’s hard sometimes to keep working and not start something new. New ideas are always so intriguing!
Wow, what neighborhood do you live in? I’ve got my lawn chair ready. I’m coming to watch the show this weekend :-D
Story ideas? Just got one driving with a friend down I-85 S in Atlanta last weekend. She misread the large digital sign about traffic. The phrase she said was so funny(it had to do with a fairy- the magical kind), I decided it need to be incorporated into a picture book. Later in the week, in a totally different place and situation, another friend mentioned another magical fairy comment that hooked together with the first one. That, to me, is the Universe confirming the need to write about the fairy!
So ideas, they find me wherever I am:-)
Yes, I def. record story sparks. If it’s a good spark I usually don’t need to rush to write it down because it stays with me. And I continue to dream about it until I open a file on it and brainstorm. And the sparks come from anywhere and everything. Take adv. of yours!
Sad about the poor girl, but happy for you. That girls misery maybe your million dollar novel!!!! I also try to jot ideas down whenever inspiration strikes. With two little ones at home and being a pb writer, they are always doing or saying something that will give me a story idea.