First, Elnora hasn't a clue. I usually look out the window for a few hours then get a scene in my head then someone in that scene starts talking in my head and then I decided "Hey, I'd better write this stuff down or I'll forget it." Then I play with that idea, eat a lot of chocolate, shop online for inspiration and maybe, just maybe come up with a plot.
But my favorite way to figure out a plot (besides the Seven Deadly Sins thing I mentioned a few weeks ago) is to read a newspaper article, then find another article to match to it. By taking these two different subjects and using some of the aspects from them, I can usually come up with a plot. For example, I have a book out in September that is about art theft. I saw an article about this in the Sunday paper. Then I wanted to set this story in New Orleans. I had an American princess in mind to be the heroine. She had been mentioned in The Diamond Secret (which was out in 2012). Then I found an article about a photojournalist and how he combined pictures with essays to write stories. I wanted to have someone such as that for my hero. So "In Pursuit of a Princess" was born in Elnora's tiny mind. And now, it will be a real book--out later this year! No cover yet, but I hope to have one to show off soon.
But I did find this picture to use as a writing prompt. Sunset on a beach? What could happen there? What could go wrong? Are we drifting at sea? What about those two tall buildings?
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Hi Lenora - great post. To this day I have no idea where my ideas come from. Usually it starts with a small germ of an idea - character or scene or set up - from seemingly nowhere. Then I'll let that story seed germinate in my brain for a time while I work on other things until it feels 'ready' to harvest. How's that for a non-answer
ReplyDeletePretty good!! It's interesting that we can take a little bit of an idea and expand it into a book. But we allow the story to develop 24/7 in our minds. That's the first part of our process. Thanks, Winnie!
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