Coming up with ideas can be hard. Coming up with an unique idea is even harder. I remember spending hours at my desk trying to think of an idea that made somewhat sense and is interesting. I came up with some ideas on how to come up with an idea without having an actual story.

These are some of my tips!

Tip #1: Create a Character

You might be thinking, coming up with a character without even a story? That’s absurd! It can be extremely helpful in some cases.

Give your character a personality, a backstory, beliefs, motivations and a voice. What do they believe they need (their lie)? What does your main character actually need (their need)? Then think to yourself. How could you prevent this from happening? What will stand in their way? Who will support them?

Think of it like a math equation.

Your main character’s goal + motivation + conflict + lie + need = a dynamic story

Tip #2: People Watching

How does it work? By the way it sounds.

Watch people.

Where they are going.

Why they do what they do.

Watch their mannerisms and quirks.

People can provide as an idea generator. People can provide both laughter and mystery. There are so many lives we don’t know about, yet we can connect with on a personal level sometimes.

For example, you’re in the car and you see someone speeding. What if they’re late for an interview? What if there’s a women who’s about to give birth? What made them act this way? This can provide for an interesting story.

Watch people.

Tip #3: Research Topics You’re Interested In

Recently I’ve been interested in royalty and governments. Through watching tv and movies and reading books, I realized how corrupt governments can become. It was extremely interesting seeing all the different viewpoints and ideologies of different characters.

This lead to some story ideas and possible plot lines.

The more you’re passionate about a topic, the better.

Tip #4: Look at photographs and paintings.

They say a picture can tell a thousand words. That’s true in many cases. Look at art and various photos and think about what the artist or photographer was trying to express. Make inferences and just think about it.

Tip #5: What If…

This tip works a lot. It happens a lot in movies and books.

What if a radioactive spider bit a human? Spiderman

What if scientists were able to bring back dinosaurs into modern times? Jurassic Park

What if a group of boys and one girl were trapped in a maze? Maze Runner.

You can come up with a lot of ideas and work from there.

Remember Them:

What do you do once you have an idea?

Write them down. Anywhere.

There were times when I would wake up in the middle of the night and write a story idea on my phone. There would be no way I’d remember it in the morning.

Write them on a phone, laptop or tablet. I recommend keeping a journal and writing all your ideas done.

Good or bad? Doesn’t matter. Write them. You can get rid of the one you don’t like. You can also try to improve them in the future too.

Don’t allow that brilliant spark of inspiration to disappear. Work on that idea slowly, and soon you’ll be writing a story!