Three Powerful Ways to Brainstorm New Story Ideas

Pre-Writing

Mar 14

Many of our best story ideas come to us at the most unexpected times: in the shower, while we’re driving, when we aren’t thinking about much at all. These moments can be exhilarating, but they aren’t so easy to duplicate when we’re in desperate need of inspiration.

Often, it seems the longer we work to devise the concept for our next great novel, the more distant our muse becomes. A lack of inspiration can lead to mounting frustration that keeps us from picking up the pen. How, then, can we overcome this form of writer’s block and begin generating new story ideas like the ever-inspired writers we long to be?

Today, I’m going to break down three powerful brainstorming methods that can stir your muse to life in no time. But first, let’s take a moment to explore what the muse really is…

Where do new story ideas come from, exactly?

In Ancient Greece, the Nine Muses were goddesses of inspiration. To carry a muse was to excel in one’s art, which in ancient times not only included creative arts such as music, dance, and poetry but also the fields of science, mathematics, and geography.

Though the Ancient Greek religion has fallen into myth, the reality of an inner source of inspiration yet lives on within us. As humans, we’re creative by nature, as evidenced by our arts and crafts, our critical thinking and resourcefulness, and our desire to change the world, each other, and ourselves.

Unfortunately, it isn’t always easy to call upon this inner source of inspiration. Or is it?

In a moment, I plan to share three of my favorite mental exercises that can help you generate new story ideas. But first, to truly make the most of these methods, it’s important to understand how all of those unexpected ideas come into being.

To do so, allow me to share this excerpt from Build Your Best Writing Life:

“Creativity blossoms in what’s called a meditative state. You don’t have to physically meditate to enter this state, though that’s certainly a valid approach. A meditative state is simply a situation in which there are few or no demands on your mental energy and attention span. Just as you can experience growth without intention, you can benefit from a meditative state without seeking it out. Maybe you can even recall some of the times you’ve experienced this.

Consider the many fantastic story ideas you’ve had while showering, driving a familiar route, or drifting off to sleep. In those moments, you were relaxed, calm, or even bored. And so, to entertain itself, your mind began to create. This is what occurs in a meditative state. You free up space for your imagination to run free. And suddenly, without any active work, you tap into your full creative potential.”

Pretty awesome, right? Working with intention can help you develop new story ideas, but if you’re feeling well and truly stuck, carving out a little time and space for your brain to simply be (and in being, to generate new ideas) can prove the key to unlocking your muse.

In fact, I recommend using the following brainstorming methods as a way to both develop new ideas directly and to provide fodder for your subconscious to use in quiet, meditative moments.

Three Powerful Ways to Brainstorm New Story Ideas…

You’ve finished your latest story, and you don’t know what to write next. Your well of new ideas has run painfully dry. You’re feeling frustrated, or maybe even afraid. How long will this dry spell last?, you wonder. What if I can’t come up with a good idea? What if I never write again?

Okay, maybe your situation isn’t all that dramatic — or maybe it is. Either way, the good news is that inspiration lives within you. It’s something you can call upon, and it’s something you can create. So let’s break down three ways you can begin feeding your well of inspiration ASAP:

Method #1: Steal Like an Artist

Popularized by creative Austin Kleon in his book of the same name, to “steal like an artist” is to acknowledge that all stories — and, by extension, all works of art — are a product of tributary influences.

When nothing is truly original, everything becomes a fair source of influence and inspiration. By actively seeking inspiration in the stories we consume, as well as in our life experiences and in other sources of interest, we can cultivate creative influences to inspire our work.

To steal like an artist, consider what you do and don’t love about the stories you consume. What aspects of a good story would you love to explore in your own? What negative aspects would you like to avoid?

You may also wish to cultivate influences from other interests in your life, such as history, sports, or people-watching. What concepts and ideas can you take from these interests that may make for an interesting story idea?

Method #2: The Question Game

At the heart of storytelling is the question “what if?”.

What if a galaxy was ruled by a corrupt empire?
What if a wealthy aristocrat fell for a woman who loathed him?
What if a third-world African country was secretly the wealthiest nation on earth?

Brainstorming “what if?” questions can be a powerful way to generate concepts for new stories. All you have to do is unleash your curiosity. With your own interests and experiences in mind, how many “what if?” questions can you ask?

Once you’ve developed an extensive list, choose or combine the idea(s) that most excite your interest, then challenge yourself to write new a story based on each question.

Method #3: The Emotional Rollercoaster

Emotion is at the heart of any good story. As writers, the stories we’re most passionate about telling are often the ones with which we have the most powerful emotional connections. These stories are also the ones that readers are most likely to connect with themselves.

Brainstorming new story ideas with emotion in mind can therefore be a great way to develop new concepts that excite and inspire you. Consider the specific hopes, fears, joys, and pains that impact you most deeply. Can you think of any ways you might translate these emotions onto the page?

If you aren’t sure how, consider combining these emotions with interests and ideas from the other brainstorming methods.

For example, let’s say you have a deep fear of dying alone, a love for soul-searching adventure memoirs like Wild by Cheryl Strayed, and a morbid sense of curiosity about what you would do if you were lost in the wilderness. Can you see how easily the first tendrils of a story can come together?

It’s important to note that the purpose of actively brainstorming new ideas is to develop a concept for your story, not a core plot. Just because you’re excited about an idea doesn’t mean it possesses the necessary narrative potential to become a fully-developed story. Be sure to test the strength of your new story idea before diving in.

If you already have and know that your idea has the power to carry a complete narrative arc, then congratulations! It’s time to begin developing your story in earnest. Check out the blog archive or download The Pre-Write Project, Well-Storied’s bestselling workbook, to get started today!