Where do story ideas come from?

I have been asked where the ideas come from for my books, but the question does not have a simple answer. For the most part, the source is my own imagination which is fed by life experiences, news reports, casual conversations, dreams, movies, and other books I have read. It may be said there is a story to be told in almost anything – the trick is to make it interesting for the reader.

I cannot speak for any other writers out there, but I live in my head most of the time. Ideas come and go constantly, and some get more attention than others. The good ones tend to stick around and bug me, while the others are dismissed unless they come up again. When that happens, I tend to stop and rethink the possibilities. Some ideas would be great for a short story but impossible for a novel length piece. Other ideas are ones I wish I could write about, but lack the skill or experience to tell them properly.

With a brain like grand central station, I am forced to write things down when inspiration strikes, or I tend to lose them quickly. I have a number of file folders, divided by genre, filled with scraps of paper with hastily scribbled notes. That may seems like a quaint and inefficient way of doing things, but it works for me and gives me the peace of mind to let the idea go for now, knowing it is safely recorded for use when I need it. Each day is filled with potential story prompts, and as long as I have a pen and paper handy, I will have plenty of fodder for creative and interesting future books.

If you have read my books and have suggestions for future stories, drop me a line at aelliottbooks@gmail.com

I never know where a great idea may come from – it could be you!