Finding ideas can often be elusive, especially if you just sit down with a blank sheet of paper and stare at it. Often times, though, before I sit down, I go through my idea file. If a story seems interesting, I will jot it down. If an idea seems plausible, I will jot it down. I keep all of my stories on my thumb drive, and I will read over them from time to time to see which one I could fluff out into a long story.
Yes, sometimes you have to have motivation to write. Sometimes, I story seems wonderful on paper and in synopsis form, but when you start to write, it can seem endless, long, and boring. If you can’t write it because of those reasons, chances are, your readers will not enjoy them either.
Sometimes. Just rarely. I step outside with my camera. I snap a picture that seems interesting. Later, I sit down, look at that picture, and I play, “What if…”
Find your motivation and your ideas in the world around you. Write and take notes. Become a part of the world around you, and see what makes it tick, while you step back and look at it from a different angle.
