I’ve always found that my best story ideas come from asking questions. As I gardened today I wondered what would it be like to be alone in the world, except your garden. How would that happen? Was she always alone or did she become that way? What would push her out of the garden? What happens next?
A natural curiosity for the world creates an environment where these questions are always on our mind, and inspiration always stays within arms reach. Questioning the world around you doesn’t just help you come up with ideas, it also helps you build depth in your characters and conflict. So much of an enjoying reading experience is lead by the burning questions that keep the reader turning the page. It’s no wonder that it also feeds the inspiration of the author.
Nothing has helped me learn this as much as raising two boys. From the moment they could talk my world became a never ending river of “why” and “what” questions. As much as I answered their questions, I often found myself asking them what they thought the answer would be. It was so fun to see their little minds swirl to find an answer, and they were usually the most charming and original thoughts I’d ever heard.
That was where I learned that you can find a whole new world if your brave enough to not only ask, “what if”, but if you have the courage to answer. And the way you turn it into a story? Just ask yourself “what happens next?”.
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