The Magic Story Box

a guest post by author, Lynne Lumsden Green

One of the questions that plagues writers is ‘Where do you get your ideas from?’ Well, listen closely, for I am about to reveal the secret and give you the keys to the magic box. Most of my inspiration comes from … research and hard work.

Indeed. Stop rolling your eyes. Writers don’t have special brains that are open to messages sent from the Muses. What writers do is keep an open mind and read everything! And I do mean everything: the newspapers (your library or local coffee shop will have them), online articles, anthologies, biographies, novels, poetry, and textbooks.

This doesn’t have to be expensive. Your Aunty Janet is cleaning out her bookshelves? Ask if you can have her discards. Go to second-hand bookshops and buy up big. Join the library. At a pinch, watch television. Watch movies. Feed your subconscious with stories.

There is an old computer saying; Garbage in, garbage out. What it boils down to is that you can’t expect to get ideas in a mind with no input. Anyone who tells you that they can write a book without reading a book is deluded. How do they know what a three-act structure is compared to Freytag’s pyramid, if they haven’t read a book? How can they know what has already been done in their chosen genre? Do they even know what a genre is? The only way to get a feel for writing is by reading. It is also how you will get inspired with ideas.

So, say, while you are reading you come across a concept that captures your imagination. Write it down! Don’t think that it is so wonderful you will never forget it. Your brain will drop that shiny ball as soon as a something else catches its attention. I recommend carry a notebook and pen(s) everywhere. Over the course of a day, you might come across several of these pretty baubles.

The next time you sit down to write, read though your notebooks. You might see that two or more of your notes fit together like puzzle pieces. Just because you can see those links, don’t assume that everyone else can too. This is when the lighting is striking! Scribble down what you are thinking.

Look at that you have written. Does it make sense? Does it intrigue you? If it does, you have hit a seam of gold and go for it; write that story while it is still white hot in your brain.

However, most of the time, what you have is just the seed of a story. Don’t feel discouraged! You are already ahead of the game, with a starting point. You have the key, now it is up to you to turn it and open the magic box to a fully realised story. And like most things in real life, this means a bit of effort and persistence. Play with the idea. Have fun with it. No one ever has to see what you’ve put down.

Either way, you now have a first draft, and you’ve let the magic happen. There is now a story in the world that wasn’t there before you set it down. It will be rough and need some work to polish it, but you still have made something new under the sun. Revell in your god-like powers!

In summary, to tap into the magic story box you need to

• Read;
• Take notes;
• Sit down and write.

You would be amazed at how many people forget about that third step. But you won’t, because you are a writer and have the keys to the magic story box.

A big thank you to Lynne for her wonderful article! You can learn more about Lynne or reach out to her at the below links.

Blog : https://cogpunksteamscribe.wordpress.com/

Facebook page: Steampunk Sunday, Brisbane Australia 

She can also be contacted via https://springfieldwritersau.weebly.com