Developing Ideas
how does one come up with a story idea? how do you develop that into a full story? this seems to be my problem. or at least, one of them. I have some ideas, good one. (well, they seem good to me). but thats all I really have: ideas.
I had a dream a long time ago and only one part really stuck: I, or maybe it was me as a woman, was at some place, like a reststop, and it was at night and empty. a phone rang. I answered it and an ominous voice on the other end just says, "Im coming."
pretty lynchian if you ask me.
so, how could I develop that one small scene into a full story? where does it begin? who is this person answering? who is on the other end? or what is on the other end? what happens next? how does it end?
Don't think to hard, that's the advice I give people when they want to write something and get angry or sad or something, some sort of strong emotion. One of my fav Chuck lines is "Art doesnt come from happiness" or something like that and I find it rings true... Also drugs can help. Worst case scenario make the story a big LSD trip or a dream this opens up infinite options.
Edit:Symbolism is always great as well.
[QUOTE=ElStevo;1000462] Worst case scenario make the story a big LSD trip or a dream this opens up infinite options.
[/QUOTE]
There's a couple of good reasons that infinite door is worst case:
1) How do you externalize conflict if everything takes place in one character's mind? Readers usually need to feel friction between real characters they can believe in.
2) How do you avoid the worst ever cop-out ending? [I]And then he woke up.[/I]
Or some close variant like: [I]And then we came down from the acid, and we were all muddy and exhausted and a little puked on, but I still went to all my classes before I crashed out that day.[/I] That's maybe a little more satisfying than "And then he woke up," but it still feels inconsequential.
So include a dream sequence or hallucinatory elements at your own risk, but I'd recommend you don't make the fantasmagoria the very core of the story. Find a real human conflict that can be externalized into a believable world. Even if the elements begin in your dream.
Questions like: Who is the person answering? and Who is on the other end?
Those are questions every writer must answer for him or herself. As Craig Clevenger would say: "That's the job."
VP - Workshop Dog
[QUOTE=ElStevo;1000462]Don't think to hard, that's the advice I give people when they want to write something and get angry or sad or something, some sort of strong emotion. One of my fav Chuck lines is "Art doesnt come from happiness" or something like that and I find it rings true... Also drugs can help. Worst case scenario make the story a big LSD trip or a dream this opens up infinite options.
Edit:Symbolism is always great as well.[/QUOTE]
Are you saying to take drugs to come up with good story ideas? Or did I misunderstand this post?
If you did say that - this is the worst advice I've ever seen. My writing has become so much better since I've become clean.
[QUOTE=bearchaser;1000452]where does it begin? who is this person answering? who is on the other end? or what is on the other end? what happens next? how does it end?[/QUOTE]
My smart-ass writing teacher from grad school would say:
Answer those questions and you'll have a nice story!
Find a job that takes little to no physical or mental strain and simply daydream about the idea you cant get out of your head. Thats what I've done for a few stories. Sadly i have none of these stories really written down to any extent but i have like 3 full books up in my head by thinking nonstop about them.
also, Im thinking of using this premise for my cult-novel-project story.