So you’re all ready to sit down and write a short story. You have your caffeine infused cup of java to keep you alert. You’ve suitably cracked your knuckles and given your fingers a thorough stretch for maximum flexibility. You’ve even strategically placed a six-inch high turkey and cheese hoagie with a side of potato chips on a plate within easy reach. Are you forgetting anything? Think hard . . . you want to make sure you’re well prepared.
Okay. So what is your short story going to be about?
That bemused look on your face tells me you haven’t a clue. Now don’t panic. This is definitely fixable. You’re not exactly suffering from writer’s block, but rather a lack of idea as to what to write about.
Here are a few ideas to get you started on a story. These may seem a bit quirky, but when you keep an open mind and think outside of the proverbial box, you may find that they work for you.
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Pick up the phonebook! If you come across an interesting name or occupation, that could be just the spark you need for a story idea.
It’s a familial thing - listen. How many times have you heard your Uncle Randy or Grandma Bertha talk about the good old days? Your relatives have great stories to tell; all you have to do is listen. You can adapt one of these tall tales to suit your short story.
Pick up the newspaper. Scanning the local or national news can provide a wealth of real-life accounts that can be translated to a short story.
Think about the people you pass every day—the woman driving on the interstate while applying her makeup, the elderly woman getting her daily exercise walking in the mall, the unkempt gentleman soliciting spare change in front of the grocery store. Imagine yourself in that person’s shoes, and start writing away.
Open your nostrils wide. Ever notice how our sense of smell can transport us back in time? The aroma of fresh baked brownies reminds me of the pathetically ugly brownies I used to try so diligently to bake as a child. If your olfactory senses hone you in on a specific point in time from your past, write about that.
Flip through old photographs. This is another way to travel through time. That picture of your family vacation at the beach, or the cracked and faded photo of you as a first grader sporting cat glasses can generate ideas.
Have a favorite pet? If you want to get really surreal, write about the day-to-day existence from your pet’s point of view.
If you’re still at a loss for what to write about, try some of the many electronic story generators found on the web. Seventh Sanctum (a site of generators to randomly produce concepts, characters, and descriptions for stories), and The Javascript Source (type in your name and gender and have one of over a billion stories generated about you and your adventures) are just a couple.
Well, I warned you these ideas were a bit on the quirky side of life, But I hope they help!
I was at my favorite Japanese Yakitori restaurant having dinner solo recently —a ritual that I have come to partake in quite often as of late—and reading one of the local news rags, when a younger couple walked in and sat at the table directly in front of me. I had a clear view of the young woman with her ample bosom that seemed far too large for her small frame, short stylish haircut, and dimpled chin. The young man who sat across from her was suitably lanky, somewhat unkempt, and spoke rather loudly—almost boastful—about his troubled childhood and the fact that his mother was on her third husband. It was almost as if he wanted everyone in the tiny restaurant to hear him.
They made a somewhat oddball couple, and it was obvious that it was their first date as the young man was desperately trying to make a lasting impression on her. She cooed, smiled, and laughed in all the right places, but her behavior spurred my inquisitive thought process. Considering that he appeared to be the veritable mountain man and she was the consummate city woman, was she merely pretending to be engrossed in his less-than-witty banter? Was he a last-minute date replacement, merely a vehicle for her to fill her rumbling belly with tasty morsels of yakitori chicken and a delectable morsel of sushi?
And what does all of this have to do with motivating you to write? Well, right there, nestled among those queries that a nosey person such as myself are dying to know, is a story. There is no need for me to know how their courtship ends. As a writer, I call pull the rabbit out of my own hat and have their lives play out on my computer screen. Will they fall madly in love, have twelve kids, and reside in the quiet confines of the suburbs while she plays host as a Dunwoody soccer mom? Or perhaps she will tire of his arrogance, smile politely when he asks if she had a good time, and vow silently never to see him again. The possibilities are endless.
Countless stories are played out around us each and every day. We just have to be in tune to our surroundings. What you may believe to be relatively mundane can be magically transformed into fanciful and engaging prose. You never know…the perfect story could be unfolding at the table right next to you.
When I was a little girl growing up in Seat Pleasant, Maryland, time seemed to drag on at the most annoyingly slow pace. I wanted to be BIG; the clock wouldn't tick fast enough for me. I wanted my breasts to sprout. At that time, it just wasn't happening. This very well may have been a blessing, however, as a nine year old child with 36C breasts would look a bit ridiculous. Time passed. I grew up and grew out. And now, despite my sometimes silent but more often than not vocal protestations, time just will not let up and give me a breather. Before I knew it months passed. Then years. And decades, for crying out loud.
It has been four months since my last motivational post. Who knew time could fly by so quickly? In those four months, I've experienced a great deal. "An Affair to Remember: Bellissimo Italia" was published. Big yeah for me.
I realized one of my greatest dreams: I had the unique opportunity to visit Africa. My destination was Cairo, Egypt, and it was a tremendous experience. From the temple of Karnak, to the Valley of the Kings (where, might I add, I displayed a bit of the destructive side that I thought I left in my childhood: I accidentally broke the sign outside of King Tut's tomb!), to actually sitting on the great pyramid, to riding a big, smelly camel named Clarence -- it was a lifelong goal accomplished. And therein lies the fodder for my next writing project. I will take my time in writing of my recollections of Egypt. I want this effort to paint a vivid picture of antiquity through my eyes.
My writing is changing and evolving. I have found it difficult to write strictly from my imagination. This, however, will not deter me from creating. For the time being, I have decided to focus instead on writing about the variety of encounters that I experience throughout my days, as I have done with Italy and am currently doing with Cairo. And perhaps soon, a short story will develop based on my recent trip to Memphis. Aaah, what a colorful city that was.
Life can be our greatest teacher and our most vibrant narrator. So for now, I will graciously allow my life to be the storyteller that gives birth to experiences. At least then I am assured that the well of ideas will never run dry.
