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iza_wen
Jun '18

Hello, how are you doing? o/

So, I am currently writing 2 series for Tapas, and one of them is a short stories collection. It is basically one shot chapters with several different stories. I love writing these stories, but the problem is that sometimes I hit a wall and can't come up with new ideas. And sometimes when I do get an idea, I am not satisfied with the final result, because the stories tend to be about more serious subjects, and I feel like I have to write really well to show what I want.

What do you guys do to come up with new ideas? Just think about your own experiences? Or do you wait for inspiration to come around?

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    Jun '18

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    Jun '18
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joe_galindez
Jun '18

Most of my story ideas originate as awful, awful puns. Iza sad truth.

iza_wen
Jun '18

Hahaha
I am the type of person who usually laughs at any awful pun, so I don't see a problem XD

Cavechan
Jun '18

I basically draw what I would like to read. So I'm reading comics and usually thinking "It would be cool if this or that happened" and then it gives me ideas for my stories. I also think about ideas I want to express and how to work those into the story and characters.

ISNEKO
Jun '18

Mine don't have much in the way of meaningful birth.

For instance, I just started a book involving two long-life ladies. One is a cannibal and the other is an undead. I thought up the book because I was reading @joe_galindez 's book.

"Hey a rotting character. Do I have rotting characters?"

Then I thought up a book.

Shrug

MariMontoya
Jun '18

Whenever I listen to music, watch something, read something, sometimes it happens randomly, and also dreams offer inspiration (like the current story I'm working on).

silverraven0
Jun '18

Inspiration came from everywhere. Even when I'm having a shower thought, and I have a binder book full of my s*tty ideas that's still waiting to see the light.

monotone_ink
Jun '18

Look closely at your surroundings - you'll find that you can get ideas from pretty much anything.
Whenever you go to a place with lots of people, try to observe some of those that walk by - think to yourself 'what kind of character would this person be, and what kind of story would they be the protagonist of?'
Even the most mundane things like a water bottle could give you an idea - no matter how stupid it is, consider it and reflect on it. I'm looking at a bottle right now, and I'm imagining it as a giant, elusive super weapon that could do who knows what, and the hypothetical characters' goal is to figure out its use.
You could even go further and make it a reflection on human progression, and how far one should go for the sake of science.

Basically, look closely, observe meticulously, and you'll find that ideas can be born from anywhere.

Also, here is a nice image:

1527786618211.png566x780 180 KB

Kann
Jun '18
1

Most of my ideas came up when I had too much time to think. Like before sleep or while in bathroom. I just think about story and my brain suddenly is like "what if this thing happened?" or "I have a new character for you. Make them suffer.". You can let yourself go if you have some free time. Also great help with falling asleep!

hjfsdh2222
Jun '18
1

I get a setting(usually in the past).

I make some stipulations like “I want this one to be shounen action story.” Or “I want this one to be a funny romance.” Or “I want this one to have a Yandere.”

Then I let my mind go and play with it.

Sometimes I’ll make the characters for the story and wind up putting them in a completely different setting or not sticking to any of the stipulations I set in the first place.

It’s not really about sticking to the rules that I set for myself when I make my ideas; It’s about having rules that stimulate my mind and steer me in some kind of direction

But most of all you just got to play with it and work it out and refine it​:grin:

Edit(I don’t think I really answered your question from what I said hehe): Just look for something that you didn’t feel was done well in a movie or novel or any story. Take that thing that wasn’t done well and do it better. That’s kinda how I come up with ideas sometimes. Seeing how others failed, and fixing it up how I like it>:slight_smile:

Like the “strong independent woman” trope:/ I never liked how strong women have to be super bro-ish and tomboy-y, I also hate how movies kinda try to force us to like these characters:/ So I decided to create a more feminine strong female character with a more complicated and somewhat “unlikeable” personality at times:)

Speaking of fixing up troupes:) go to http://tvtropes.org/ really fun place to get story ideas or just fandom dafuq out:3

Anyhow hope this helps

iza_wen
Jun '18
1
A-weird-girler

@A-weird-girler Evil mind XD But this book I am talking about is actually something like this. I want to write several one shots that can get people to feel something or think about something. So this way of thinking might work to give me ideas :wink:

@monotone_ink I have a bit of social anxiety, so I tend to avoid looking at people in crowded places, but maybe doing this can help me not only get new ideas but also maybe get rid of this irrational fear of mine, who knows. Thank you for the advice! \o/

@JakiraJurosawa That's a great idea! I used to always think about how a show could have been done better, but I don't think I ever really put in practice making a story this way!

Dreambrush
Jun '18

I sometimes draw inspiration from the deep recesses of my haunting dreams.

And sometimes, when I'm not feeling so edgy, I pray a little and start scribbling crap on a page in hopes of finding something that works!

eochoa92
Jun '18

For me, they can come from anywhere.
The idea for my last story came from watching Ancient Aliens.
Last week, I went to the King Tut exhibit and got an idea for a story while there.
A good place to start is with "what ifs?' Or, what would you like to see done? If no one else is doing it, you should do it. Seeing as how you're going with one-shots, this would be a good approach to visit whenever you feel like you're out of ideas - given that you don't need to worry about the continuity of one ongoing story.

OliviaMerteli
Jun '18

I can't just go for a walk without ideas popping in my head. Most of the time, they are completely irrevelant to what I'm working on at that moment, but I note them. I have notebooks full of those ideas so when I hit a wall on whatever I'm writing, I read them for inspiration.

CurlyComics
Jun '18

I usually go to long walks when I'm in a mood to think something :slight_smile:
Also, it may sound weird and creepy , but when I see a person - a passerby - I sometimes play this game in my mind in which I make up a backstory having that persons appearance (not the same person) as a reference, (Yep writing that down seems creepy AF. )
Also, when I;m writer's blocked I play pen and paper rpg's with my group of friends.
The shenanigans that occur from it usually fuel my imagination.
Also, books, tv series, random images i find on pinterest can help

minerrale
Jun '18

I made a thread on here asking for ideas for short stories. People have been providing some surprising and awesome ones, good enough that 2 of my stories are currently beeing turned into a comic and a children's book!
So yeah, there's that option too XD

(Also feel free to steal some if you want, as long as you credit the people that gave their time to write them down, because that was the whole point of this experiment)

punkarsenic
Jun '18

lots of research

i recently described my research process as a 'primordial soup of ideas and influences,' and it could be that some tv show im watching for fun influences me way more than the things ive intentionally researched. but somewhere out of that soup comes an idea, eventually