M – Make Ideas

I think one of the easiest parts of writing is coming up with new ideas. I get so many of them, I can’t write them all. However, I’ve heard that some people find this the hardest bit (for me, that would be sitting down to write the first draft). So, here are a few tips to get you started:

1. watch children play, they show you first hand how to make up stories

2. play the “What if” game using everyday situations as a starting point (what if an alien stood in the line at the cashier in front of me today) and see where it takes you

3. use brainstorming techniques like mind-mapping to get the details for your idea

4. join Holly Lisle’s “How to Think Sideways” course if you can afford it (It’s really, worth the money)

(This post appeared in German for J – Jagd auf die Idee)