About a month ago, I decided to go back to my writing roots. What are writing roots? I consider it to be your specialty. To some, it might be poetry, screenwriting, songwriting... whatever. Mine happens to be the short story.
It started as I wrote the opening paragraph to my first novel. I polished it to make sure it had a hook from the first line and was powerful. I felt it was so powerful that it could stand on its own as a piece of flash fiction. Then I thought, I should write a few more short stories to build an audience and continue progress on the book after writing a few. The ideas came flooding for pieces that felt like they fit the short story format. Within two weeks I had over 30 ideas for short stories, flash fiction, and a handful of poetry.
- I would hear current events on the news that sparked the question "What if?". The most powerful question that awakens the imagination.
- Catch phrases and idioms intrigue me. So I thought of those and how I can develop a story out of something like "Don't let the bedbugs bite." What if they carried a disease and their bite in a large dose mutated humans? You're probably thinking zombies... overplayed. Even if it is yet another take on zombies, tell it in a unique way. Make it your own. Don't pay attention to anyone that says, "That's already been done." That's why I don't discuss a project while I am working on it. What if the mutations did something else to humans? Think of a unique mutation. Perhaps it changes humans to make them have exoskeletons like insects. See? I'm already developing a new story idea as I write this post unfurling in real time. Let ideas germinate (like those bedbug bites).
- Tell a story from something you experienced. We all experience the same event from different perspectives.
- Perhaps a magazine article sparks an idea. Don't base your piece on that article. If you do, you will probably need to pay royalties. But you can use that article as a jumping point for the "What if?"
- Maybe even a term like 'acid rain' sparks an idea for a story. What if rain really turned acidic? How would we survive or even travel outdoors? Tunnels?
- Maybe something happened on the way to work. You boarded the bus. It pulls out going on to a stop or two, then before it reaches the next stop it pulls over and sits there. Everyone looks around puzzled and start to mutter to one another speculating on the matter. Sirens near as the police pull up in front of the bus and board without speaking. They walk up to a business man, cuff him and escort him off the bus without a word. The bus is free to continue. What if? What if he were a mob boss, terrorist, senior citizen? Perhaps it was a little old lady with a cat in a carrier they hauled off along with the cat!!
I will take the opportunity to resume writing that novel next month during NaNoWriMo. I may not finish all 30 plus ideas, but as I continue to write the novel to a complete first draft, I will work on a story here and there.
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