Ideas for a story but not a story

[lizardlullabye]

Well for me, I'm OK with unfinished story ideas.

Some stories are just going to couple of sketches and notes made for yourself. You expand on whatever the story ideas as you like, and then stop when you feel done (for now). If you feel like working in the future, you can revisit your old story ideas.

Sometimes the ideas are just free-floating characters I like. No story, no plot. I just like them.
Not everything needs to be completed.

[InfiniteLine]

I’ll do some brainstorming around the ideas I initially have. Typically thinking about how I can create conflicts that will prevent the characters from reaching their goals, mess with the status quo of the world, etc. It really depends on what ideas you currently have, but in the end conflict drives stories and often reader interest in the story too.

[vinoff]

This happens all the tiiiiimmeeee... I have 385 notes on my Evernote that contain list of things with no plot!

I usually start with characters, setting and background story. Then I add scenes and conflicts that may happen along the way. And then I plan the ending. This is where the plot begins to come together. Once you're able to create the synopsis, you got yourself a story. Good luck!

[WildMoonCrow]

My stories always start out with characters and maybe an event, zero plot, and then I let the characters create the plot for me I basically just develop characters and their backstories until they give me a plot

[JaveCraze]

write it down. keep it.
write down every little unique story idea you have. Eventually, you'll find new additions or new ideas, and you'll find two ideas are similar, so why not combine them?
Keep doing that, and eventually you get a decent plot or two.

[darthmongoose]

Happens all the time, and when it does, I tend to just write them down. in notebooks or google drive docs and the like. I'll often combine them with other idea fragments, or bring them into an idea where I have a concept for a story, but the world or characters need some more unique quirks, or the story is too straightforward and needs a twist.

[Lensing]

My story is exactly like that. Random story ideas with the same characters but they are all in the same
genre and mood and play in the same settings. This probably doesn´t work in other genres but I enjoy writing
like that and adding new scenes to the story.

[adkahdj]

I write them down and either go for a walk or go to bed early so that I can explore the idea and see how I can make it work.

[igneriss]

I have so many of those! what I do is write them down and wait. I'm still focusing mostly on my main series, so I wouldn't have time now to write/draw that other ideas anyway. But from time to time when I'm drawing or taking a walk that idea would come back to me with some new piece in it. Maybe more details, maybe an idea of what characters could be or a scene for this story etc. So I collect those, let those ideas grow, and by the time I finish 6,75 I hope I have enough of those pieces to create a story plot

[esquarecomics]

I still have to learn that some ideas don't really make good stories. I think an interesting solution I've seen to this issue is like a fake encyclopedia. Like all tomorrows which is just a bunch of designs and a chronicling of history rather than a plot with a main character, or singular theme. Either that or some good concept art or a short music video. Other than that I just kinda set them aside and maybe one day I can fit that nice idea into a story somewhere but there's no guarantee that it will manifest somewhere.

[powerplantanimations]

Music helps me. I listen to different rhythms to try to inspire me. I then find songs with a similar genre/beat with lyrics that match-up with each other. This can help you brainstorm.

Whenever I recommend this technique I tell people to stay away from "orchestra" or "anime OP's" or video game OST's or songs made by people on YouTube. Has to be anything but that (I recommend staying away from songs that play constantly on the radio too. NOT until you get used to this lmao). You come up with sum crazy stuff when you do.

I like to picture this as someone putting in a new CD in someone's brain.

[Lilmonstart]

sorry If I confused you and for replying late I just got time to read the thread´s replies

Or do you mean you just have many ideas but no idea what the story will be about?

and yes this is exactly what I meant!
just got few ideaslike the characters, setting, the genre but don´t know how exactly the story gonna be!

[Lilmonstart]

That´s a way to start I got some characters waiting for their development because I only got a little of their personality, likes, dislikes, fears, backstory but still missing their goals in the story but it´s fun to get to know them and determine their goals

[Lilmonstart]

I got a mess in my notes! but that seems really useful maybe I could work on that thanks!

[NickRowler]

That is sort of what happened with my current comic I am working on. I had characters, back stories, and a setting but no plot. It was something I wanted to make into a series but I didn't know how to approach it. I ended up turning it into a slice of life.

This kind of thing happens a lot. I sort of have an idea for a video game I want to make, but it's mostly just characters.

[Lilmonstart]

Oooh I always do that before I go to bed
For some reasons I get ideas really late and try to find them sense

[Lilmonstart]

Sounds interesting I´ll try to do it
I´d like to try to find my stories fitting music and not some mix of many songs with different rhythms
although I guess classic/dramatic music works for a mad musician I have in one of my stories

[Katzalcoatl]

No worries I tend to overthink things.

It happens to me all the time.
When I get stuck on what the plot/story is going to be I usually design my characters (looks/personality). Designing them helps the story move along.

I take a shower to relax (showers bring inspiration). I search for comics/manga/manhwa/manhua/books/anime with the same genre to get inspiration.

Scumbag brain gets inspired on how to move the story along when I go to bed and try to sleep but I don't recommend it.

Play videogames with the same genre. Use childhood cartoons/fairy tales as inspiration.

Basically don't think how to move the story along but instead watch/read things with the genre, setting, and/or characters similar to the ones you thought about. While watching/reading inspiration will hit you. Trust me. It may take a while but it always happens.

[Lilmonstart]

Can confirm that with the videogames, and reading too, but somehow with videogames more
and yeah sometimes I do feel it takes forever to come up with ideas but it´s better having 1 o 2 ideas than nothing even if they´re vague

[TheLemmaLlama]

Jumping onto the 'write the ideas down and eventually you'll find use for them' train Also this:

watch/read things with the genre, setting, and/or characters similar to the ones you thought about.

Though I mostly look for comics with similar themes or similar 'oddly specific premises' like 'a scene where someone is about to do something bad but is talked down by their friends (or anyone really) but in a convincing way that doesn't feel talk-no-jutsu-ish'. Harder to find than just stuff in the same genre, but heck if it isn't good inspiration when you do find stuff