3 Quick and Easy Ways to Generate Story Ideas

by Shery Ma Belle Arrieta-Russ (mailto:shery@writesparks.com)
 
 
There are many ways you can generate ideas you can use for your stories, articles

and other creative pieces. Start with the three ways given below:
 
 
1. Put Your 5 Senses to Work
 
A simple but effective way to generate fresh ideas from a single concept, idea or

object is to describe or illustrate it using the 5 senses -- sight, smell, touch,

taste, sound.
 
For you to do: Generate 5 specific images or concrete examples (one example for

each sense) for the following:
 
- vindication (what's the smell of vindication? how does it taste? how does it

sound? what does it look like? how does it feel?)
- hesitation
- celebration
 
 
2. Take Advantage of Your Conflicts
 
Conflict is a part of life. It's also a source of creativity. You only need to

look at yourself and examine your experiences to come up with ideas based on

conflicts.
 
For you to do: What's stopping you from doing something? Who is in the way of you

getting what you want? What's stopping you from taking a career leap? Brainstorm

for conflicts in your life and come up with at least 15 in your list.
 
 
3. It's OK to Call People Names
 
Generate nicknames or terms that capture the lifestyles, attitudes or

characteristics of certain groups of people.
 
For example, the nicknames I came up for the kind of people I encountered on the

bus when I used to commute to work and back were: space-hog, slumper, fidgeter and

refined. The terms described how the people on the bus behaved as they sat.

[They were useful because I was able to avoid the space-hogs and the fidgeters when

choosing a seat. Sitting beside a slumper was all right, since most slumpers kept

their slumps within their space ;o)]
 
For you to do: Generate nicknames or terms for the following groups of people:
 
- cashiers
- waiters
- teachers
- employees
- actors
 
 
Begin using these 3 simple ways of generating ideas today. Before long, you'll be

churning out one idea after another with ease. That's creativity at work!
 
 
Copyright 2004 Shery Ma Belle Arrieta-Russ

Shery is the creator of WriteSparks! - a software that generates over 10 *million*

Story Sparkers for Writers. Download WriteSparks! Lite for fr*e -

http://writesparks.com

World of Ink Interview with author Judy Snider and Illustrator Cady B. Driver

Judy Snider , Joan’s sister lives in Virginia Beach, Virginia with her husband, Gil, and two silly cats. She is the author of the CWA award-winning children’s picture book, Goldy’s Baby Socks , and on a team of authors of The Scared Purse . The Writing Mama Interview with author Judy Snider VS: What do you do to help balance your writing life with your family life? Judy: It is easier now that my kids are in their 20’s and out of the home. I get up very early, and some of the best writing I do is in a sunny place with a glass of water or coffee and my silly cats nearby. When my oldest was a baby, I took a write-away-course, and would write when he took his naps. Some of my best writing was at a table while I waited in those days for them at parties, video arcades, etc. I work out of my home on projects, so working with my sister on our latest book, and the phone usually did Cady Driver, our illustrator. VS: How long have you been writing? Judy: I wrote my...

Stories That Awaken the Soul: A Journey with Evan McDermott

What if the stories we tell — and the ones we choose to listen to — could change not just our perspective, but our very path in life? In a world where noise often drowns out meaning, returning to the simplicity and depth of authentic storytelling can reconnect us with what truly matters. This week on Language of the Soul , we sit down with Evan McDermott, poet, tarot reader, and host of the Fifth Dimension podcast, for a conversation that feels like sitting by the fire and remembering what it means to be human. Evan’s life and work remind us that the ancient practice of weaving narrative — through myth, poetry, or spiritual exploration — is more than art. It’s a vital act of self-remembering, of reclaiming our agency in a world that often tries to define us by labels, roles, or distractions. Our discussion with Evan touches on many layers: from the dualities of love and tyranny, to how compassion becomes a compass when the outer world feels divided or uncertain. We reflect on how st...

What is Your Writing Priority?

Every New Year, people sit down and write out their resolutions on the things they want to happen over the next year. The lists can be long or short, it doesn’t matter. We all have done it, but how often do you complete the goals listed? Rarely in my case; so I spent all of January doing more than just writing my New Year Resolutions, I spent time thinking about what I really wanted to see happen in 2015 and then took it a step further by listing ways to make those things happen. I also looked long and hard at the things I have been working on and doing. I evaluated each of them and the ones that weren’t taking me where I wanted to be I dropped off my list of things to work on in the New Year. Once I was happy with the list I had, I began looking at my time and seeing if there was enough time in my week and daily to work on each item. In some cases…I didn’t. I was right back to reworking my list and making sure I was putting goals in the right priority. A few things at ...

VS Grenier ~ Award-Winning Author, Speaker & Podcaster

Search This Blog