The Challenge of Thinking of New Ideas for a Story…
I don’t normally have a problem thinking of ideas for a story. Life is continually throwing up new concepts to write about, and what I see, hear or read about often circulates in my mind until a new tale starts to weave itself together. Sometimes when I reflect on the past it will trigger a thought process that concludes in a book, or maybe it will come from an interesting narrative told by someone else.
Generations
People are full of interesting stories. I love listening to the older generation talking about their lives. Some of them have done amazing things or enjoyed good fortune; others have fought in various wars or endured great hardship. They speak of the folk that influenced their lives, of much-loved pets that enlivened their existence, and the idiosyncrasies of people with whom they brushed shoulders during their lives. All of them have interesting things to relate. The strange thing is that most of them don’t even know how interesting their lives have been, but their recollections stay in my head and often entwine themselves into the stories that I write.
Just observing people when out and about can also initiate a story:
- The young lady riding on a mobility scooter who has taught her little dog to jump up onto her lap when other canines approach;
- The mother who, with anguish in her eyes, assures her little girl that she will have fun, as she encourages the child to get into the car with her father and his new partner;
- The old man dressed in a threadbare Savile Row suit who has bright blue eyes that shine with intelligence, standing on the bridge with his bicycle, begging from people who go past;
- Any or all of these sights could easily conjure up a story that would begin to fill my mind!
Find out more about my latest book by reading a preview HERE. It’s on sale on Amazon–check out the two links below:
