Where do you find inspiration for writing? I really want to write fantasy and my dream is to write an amazing YA fantasy book, but I don’t know how to think of an original idea!

I find inspiration everywhere: in nature, in conversations, in memories, in music, in art, in dreams. I know sometimes it feels like there is nothing new under the sun when it comes to stories, but there is! Because no two writers are going to write the same story the same way.

All that being said, I understand what you’re saying. You want to write something original and unique, and at the same time, you’re already carrying all the stories you’ve ever read in your heart, and they can easily influence you in your own creation.

So here is something I recommend doing: keep a brainstorming journal. 

In your journal, jot down your ideas. They can be snippets of scenes, dialogue, how your characters look or act, secrets and plot twists, the way the food tastes and the wind smells. This will help warm you up. And then choose a prompt and begin writing. Let the words flow; let your imagination go. Don’t think too hard about it. See what you come up with. You may have something spark, something you want to keep writing and exploring. Or you may even have another idea branch out from that one. That’s how the best ideas work: they are organic and unfurl and multiply and grow on their own.

If you need some help thinking of prompts, here are a few I love to play around with:

A forest that slows time

Friendly dragons

Not-so-friendly dragons

Sisters meeting for the first time

A night that lasts all summer

A circus

A boy who can breathe underwater

A girl with rainbow hair

A broken clock

Wings

Flying lessons

An Elf family reunion

An antique store that holds dangerous secrets