By Becca Puglisi

Inspiration is a fickle beast. She strikes at inopportune times (3 AM, anyone?) then disappears for months on end. She doesn't call, she doesn't write. Or maybe she treats you differently, pouring on so many ideas that you can't tell the golden nuggets from the stinky ones.

Finding and prioritizing story options can be a frustrating process, but it's easier if you approach it from the right angle. Here are a few possible starting points.

Start with Genre

We know that emotions are transferrable, from author to page to reader, so writing something that gets you excited pays off in dividends.

• What do you like to write?
• What do you like to read?
• Which kinds of stories are you passionate about?

Do you like fantasy? Which elements? Think dragons, portals, evil wizards, shapeshifters—then consider how those elements might be reimagined.

Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern series gave us a whole new take on dragons, turning them from marauding villains into loving creatures that impress upon humans at birth and use their fiery powers for good.

Then, twenty years after the first book was published, she released the dragons' origin story and how humans first came to Pern. While the previous books were straight fantasy, this one was also science fiction, showing the settlers traveling to the new world and using their technology to establish communities and bioengineer full-blown dragons from foot-long fire lizards. Dragonsdawn is an innovative blending of the sci-fi and fantasy genres in a way that was new and entirely fresh.

So think of the genre you want to write, then tweak the standard conventions to create something new. Or blend your preferred genre with another one and see what ideas come to mind.

Start with Character

Everyone's process is different. It's one of the things I love about the writing community—the vast diversity of thought and method that can birth uncountable stories. Maybe you're the kind of writer who's drawn to characters. They come to you fully-formed, or you have an inkling of who they are before you have any idea what the story's about. If this is you, start by getting to know that character.

• If you have a good idea of their personality, dig into their backstory to see what could have happened to make them the way they are.
• If you already know about their troubled past, use that to figure out which positive attributes, flaws, fears, quirks, and habits they now exhibit.
• What inner need do they have (and why)?
• Which story goal might they embrace as a way of filling that void?

Characters drive the story, so they can be a good jumping-off point for finding your next big idea.

BONUS TIP: For an easy-to-use, comprehensive tool to build your character from scratch, check out our Character Builder.

Start with a Story Seed

But maybe it's not characters that rev your engine. When I'm exploring a new project, I have no idea about the people involved. Instead, my stories typically start with a What if? question.

• What if a man abandoned his family to strike it rich in the California Gold Rush—what would happen to them?
• What if all the children under the age of 16 abruptly disappeared?
• What if someone's sneezes transported them to weird new worlds?

Four helpful tips:

1. If story elements, plotlines, and unusual events get your wheels turning, brainstorm those areas.
2. If inspiration strikes when you're neck-deep in research for your current story, write down those potential nuggets.
3. Use generators to explore concepts you wouldn't come up with on your own.
4. Keep a journal of any possible seeds for future stories so you have options.

Start with a Logline

If you've got a vague idea of something you might want to write about, a great way to explore it is to create a logline—a one- or two-sentence pitch that explains what your story is about. Here's an example you might recognize:

A small time boxer gets a once-in-a-lifetime chance to fight the heavyweight champ in a bout in which he strives to go the distance for his self-respect.

Writing a logline for a story idea enables you to flesh it out and experiment with its basic elements. The process of test-driving your idea with different protagonists, goals, conflicts, and stakes can turn a boring or already-done concept into an entirely new one that you can't wait to write.

BONUS TIP: For more information on how to write a logline, see these posts at Writers Helping Writers and Screencraft.

Start with GMC

Debra Dixon's Goal, Motivation, and Conflict teaches authors how to use these foundational elements to plan and enhance a story. But the same principles apply to fleshing out a story idea.

If you're thinking about a certain goal (it's a story about someone who has to stop a killer/find their purpose/plan a wedding), play with various conflicts and motivations. Throw ideas into the hopper and see what pops out. Keep turning the handle to produce concept after concept until one of them strikes your fancy.

Listen, we all know the importance of writing what we're excited about. Without that passion, writing becomes a slog and our stories end up partially finished on a back-up hard drive instead of filling people's bookshelves. So when it comes to story ideas, let your imagination run riot. Consider all the options, no matter how far out they are or uncomfortable they make you feel. Don't stop 'til you find the one that gets you going.

Then get going.

BONUS TIP: For a comprehensive guide on brainstorming ideas and planning your story (as well how to draft and revise it), check out the One Stop for Writers' Storyteller's Roadmap.

Tell us your most creative brainstorming methods and tips below!

About Becca

Becca Puglisi is an international speaker, writing coach, and bestselling author of The Emotion Thesaurus and other resources for writers. Her latest book (The Conflict Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Obstacles, Adversaries, and Inner Struggles) released in 2022 with a second volume coming out this fall. She is passionate about learning and sharing her knowledge with others through her Writers Helping Writers blog and via One Stop For Writers—a powerhouse online resource for authors that's home to the Character Builder and Storyteller's Roadmap tools.

I don't know about you, but I often have trouble asking for help.

It's not that I don't want help and it's not that I don't need help. It's that I don't want to be a bother. Or that I don't have time to explain what I want. Or that I feel like it is something that I "should" know how to do (even if I don't), and so asking for that particular piece of help means I feel less than.

Should is one of the worst, most shaming words in the English language, isn't it?

I know I'm not alone in this help discomfort. In fact, if I polled all of my friends, I'll bet "I need help" is likely to be one of the least frequent phrases crossing their lips.

Writing Life Help

The interesting thing about writing as a career is that it is an often-solo profession where it is very hard to succeed without help. We need writing friends and critique partners, writing teachers, editors, proofreaders, beta readers, cover designers, street teams, and in some cases, agents and publishers.

To do all that we must to be successful as authorpreneurs, we need help. Period. And what I've noticed is that most of us dislike asking for it. Even worse, many of us don't even realize that we can ask.

I'm going to get the ball rolling with some real-life examples:

Finding Other People Like You

In the Fall of 2000, I joined my local romance writing chapter. I was a baby writer who had no idea there were other people like me within driving distance. It had literally never occurred to me to go find other writers and I had no idea that entire writing chapters existed.

A financial analyst co-worker, who was also my SCUBA diving partner, read a few category romances and decided that "she could make a lot of money writing short little books that went to gobs of people via mail every month."

How hard can it be, she said.

[I can hear y'all laughing at that ignorance.]

So, she dragged me along to the local writing chapter, where she attended 3-4 meetings and I attended for decades. I don't actually write romance but that chapter is still the most welcoming writing home I've found.

New Writers Don't Know What They Don't Know

I went to meeting after meeting and (very slowly) began to understand how many writerly things I didn't know.

I learned how hard professional writers work, and that I'd better not quit my day job. I became friends with actual published writers and sat in awe of them at every monthly meeting, with no idea how to get from baby writer to published writer.

I didn't know that I could ask them about how to shorten the journey, because I didn't want to bother those busy professional writers.

Really...Just Ask!

About four years later, I attended my first big writing conference where, Lord help me, I signed up to pitch a story. On Day 1, two of my published writer pals sat me down at a table in the conference lobby bar and asked me what I was pitching. I gave them the title and word count of my book. And that was all.

They exchanged a look across the table that I can now interpret as "we'd better save this poor little baby writer peanut." And they absolutely saved me that week.

They taught me how to pitch in that hotel lobby, and sent me to my room to practice. Then they both took an hour out of their own schedules to sit in the pitch line with me and hold my cold sweaty hands. I got through it, as we all do, and later that night one of them asked why I hadn't spoken and asked the more seasoned writers for some pitching feedback before this.

My answer makes me sad today: I didn't know that it was okay to ask them questions.

I didn't know that nearly all of my published author pals were dying to help new writers like me succeed. They were just waiting to be asked.

It was a revelation.

Think of how much faster I could have learned if I'd reached for the help that was within my grasp.

Hindsight Takeaways

• If you have an established friendship with other writers, you should absolutely ask them questions.
• Experienced writers want to pay forward all the help they received when they were baby writers.
• As long as you're respectful about it, your request for advice will make those seasoned writers feel like rockstars.

Everyday Help Is Hard Too

Most people, especially Americans, are hard-wired to want to do things on their own. Even as toddlers, we're independent-minded, yelling at our parents that "I can do it myself."

Many of us don't learn early enough that leaning doesn't have to make you weak.

Here's a story about an experience I had with a friend who hates asking for help. Actually, hate probably isn't a strong enough word. She loathes asking for help. Viscerally despises it. She's one of the most helpful people you'll ever meet -- especially to other writers -- but she literally can't ask for help.

Many years ago, we were at a writing event held at a local hotel right after she'd had foot surgery. She was getting around via scooter at home, but she needed a wheelchair for the event. I knew she absolutely hated it, and I also know how tiring it is to sit in AND push a non-motorized wheelchair around.

I was her chauffeur to and from the hotel and I was happy to push her chair around that day because it allowed me to spend more time with her.

Full Disclosure

I have the helper gene, and I'm a nurse's daughter. I literally grew up in and around hospitals, watching my mama help people. When someone needs help, especially someone I love, I automatically rush forward. I don't even register that I'm doing it.

For someone who loathes asking for help, I'm pretty sure my helper gene can feel intrusive. This friend in the wheelchair was fine while we were surrounded by people and she was busy. But when we went to the parking garage, she whipped out her independence card.

She could put herself in the car, thank you very much.

She literally wanted to get out of the chair near the trunk and walk herself around the car to the passenger seat. And no she didn't want help. She was fine.

She was absolutely not fine. She stood up "so I could put the wheelchair in the trunk." Then she swayed. And then she fell on me.

I don't mean she fell on the ground, I mean she fell on ME.

I staggered and prayed I was going to be able to hold her up. (I was partly facing away from her, dealing with the chair, and I didn't have a good grip on her.) Thankfully, there were two nurses watching us from the next row of cars and they ran over and handled our nonsense.

We are still friends and we still laugh about "that time in the parking garage." And I'm about 90% sure she still dislikes asking for help.

Hindsight Takeaways

• It's always better to ask, especially among friends who love us.
• Many of your pals are dying to be helpful to you.
• It is often more work to refuse help than it is to accept it gracefully.

Why asking for help is a milestone.

Asking for help isn't just a skill we hope to acquire, it is an important developmental milestone.

In Psychology Today's article, What Makes It So Hard To Ask for Help, the author argues that asking for help is an essential aspect of emotional strength. (The article was eye-opening, y'all.)

[Excerpt below.]

3 key aspects of experiencing oneself as emotionally strong

1. Being Capable

"Your sense of being or feeling capable of facing life’s challenges emerges out of your experience of effectively handling eight unpleasant feelings: sadness, shame, helplessness, anger, embarrassment, disappointment, frustration, and vulnerability. These are the most common, everyday, spontaneous feeling reactions to things not turning out the way you need or want."

2. Being Resourceful

"Being resourceful..involves embracing the dependent side of your nature; it takes feeling vulnerable, courageous, and comfortable enough within yourself to recognize when you need help. When you are able to do that, you are more apt to openly and genuinely acknowledge your specific needs and limitations. This acknowledgment enables you to take the next, most essential move—that of asking for help. Asking for help is part of what it takes to be emotionally strong."

3. Receiving graciously.

"When others extend their assistance, wisdom, availability, time, talents, or enthusiasm to you, unquestionably, they are giving of themselves. Gracious receipt of their generosity not only meets whatever needs you may have, it also honors them. When you allow yourself to receive, you have reached that harmonious balance between independence and dependence."

Final Thoughts

The more I read about the psychology of help, the more I realize that one of the barriers to asking for help is fear of rejection. We think someone will say no, even when it is very likely they will say yes if the request is clear and concise.

An interesting addendum to this point is mentioned in this article from the Verge:

"Research shows that people who have rejected you in the past are actually more likely to help you than other people. [Author's quote] When I reject you and you offer me another opportunity to help, if I can, I jump at it. I want to feel better."

Plus, most of us are far more likely to ask for help for other people than we are for ourselves. I know I am. It's easier to ask when it's for someone else.

One final quote for y'all, from the Psychology Today article linked above:

"Asking for help is not a burden nor a sign of weakness; it’s a sign of humanness."

I'm going to tape that quote to my bathroom mirror. Who's with me??

Questions for you:

How easy is it for you to ask for help, on a scale of one to ten? Using that same scale...how easy is it for you to give help? I can't wait to see your answers down in the comments!

Sources:

• Psychology: why we should ask for help more often - Stylist
• A Social Psychologist explains why we should ask for help more often (The Verge)
• Asking for help is a big part of emotional strength

About Jenny

By day, Jenny Hansen provides corporate communications and LinkedIn advice for professional services firms. By night she writes humor, memoir, women’s fiction, and short stories. After 20 years as a corporate trainer, she’s delighted to sit down while she works.

When she’s not at her personal blog, More Cowbell, Jenny can be found on Facebook at JennyHansenAuthor or at Writers In The Storm.

Top Photo by sydney Rae on Unsplash

by Monica Corwin

Inspiration starts in the brain. I’ll save the health and wellness lecture for another time, but please make a note that your diet, exercise, and sleep all affect your brain’s neuroplasticity, allowing for what I like to call free-range inspiration.

Have you ever experienced one of those moments where you are watching or doing something and suddenly THE LIGHTBULB flashes and you have an idea in your brain? It might be a tiny little nugget of an idea that needs fostering. It also might be a fully-fledged idea, with shoots and roots ready to grow.

Inspiration can strike at any time. A moment between mowing your lawn or driving to work. The key is staying open and ready for whenever the muse pops in.

8 Tips To Keep Yourself Open for New Ideas

1. Do something relaxing, mundane, or repetitive.

These situations allow for your body and brain to relax. This, in turn, can give your brain some dopamine, allowing for ideas to flow in. Finally, relaxation can also facilitate the idea train, keeping you from blocking inspirational thoughts with worries or fears. It’s exactly why you get ideas in the shower and why waterproof shower notebooks are a thing that exists.

2. Go Outside.

There’s a reason many authors of old spend hours out in the countryside, or on beaches, walking. It’s why many of them retreated to the country, or their forest cabins, to complete their novels.

The outdoors helps inspiration in many ways. First, it can offer new views and experiences to allow new neural pathways. These pathways can help ideas flow. Like the first tip, nature can also relax you, and let ideas come in when they will, and not be hampered by Jeff from accounting breathing down your neck.

3. Create outside of your art.

This might sound strange, but humans are creative creatures. If you create art that isn’t your usual medium, you can often find yourself able to relax easier, and you can layer inspiration traps into these arts and crafts to double down on this tip.

The second medium you choose should be for fun. Something that you don’t have to monetize, therefore, doesn’t bear the same pressure as your original medium. For example, I write books for a living. When I need to relax, I do zentangles or cross stitch. I use colors that entrance me to help boost my mood and help me stay inspired and ready to sit down at the computer again.

4. Create routine, but also mix it up.

This might sound like I’m contradicting myself, but both methods can supercharge your creativity. This tip is all about what works for you, but don’t be afraid to do both. Routines are a great way to build in that relaxed state you’ll seek but mixing it up can also create new neural pathways and strengthen neuroplasticity. Do what works best for you, maybe keep a journal to track how you are feeling about either path.

5. Spend time with other creatives.

This is a two-fold path. If you spend time with other creatives, people successfully doing what you want to be doing, it can sting, but it can also inspire you to charge forward and try to reach your goals harder. Being around other creatives, talking about your art, sharing your art, can also supercharge your inspiration and send you home longing to dive into your work.

6. Keep your brain open.

Life is hard right now. So very hard for so many people. Use tried and true methods to stay above stress and keep your mind free from clutter.

Journaling is an amazing, and well-documented way, to help clear the stuff from your mind and allow those free-range inspirational thoughts to wander in. Journaling can’t pay your car payment, nor will it help you figure out your sister’s medical care, but it can help you get those thoughts that are weighing you down out of your head for a little while.

7. Be a collector.

Shhhh…don’t tell Marie Kondo. Collect things that inspire you.

I put things on the wall around my computer monitor. Stuff like quotes, postcards, pictures, fabrics, colors, textures. Don’t be afraid to branch outside your medium. Colors and textures can be an inspiration for a character’s dress, or the exact fabric of your villain’s suit. Gather those rocks that look cool, or the sea glass you found by the river.

Save what makes you wonder, ask questions, or leaves you in awe.

8. Be a good listener.

A lot of the writers I know are wonderful listeners. You can use this skill in a couple of ways to gather that free-range inspiration. Eavesdropping is the most common way I see my fellow writers employing this method. It can also be beneficial to meet new people, talk about things with them, and more importantly, listen to their stories.

Inspiration, or rather lack thereof, can be debilitating for a writer. Use these tips to ensure you are ready for the muse to swoop in and save your story. Also, carry a notebook, or use your phone notes, because there’s nothing worse than missing a call from the muse because she doesn’t leave voicemails.

What helps you tap into your muse or find creative inspiration? Are there experiences or places you've found particularly helpful? Please share them with us down in the comments! (And help us welcome Monica!)

About Monica

Monica Corwin is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. She always tells her dog when she’s leaving, and she apologizes to inanimate objects when she bumps into them. If you like your heroes broody, then check out her "classically sexy" romance novels at www.monicacorwin.com.