Tip Series 1: Your First Story---Ideas for Your First Story

Hello, adventurers one-and-all!

This is going to be the first of a tutorial series on writing your own story. The series will be leaning more towards stories in written form, such as in novels or short stories, but the same concepts can be applied to other mediums as well. So grab your backpacks, swords, laser rifles, and anything else you need for your story, 'cause we're setting sail!

Okay, so to get started... Well, where do you start? That's honestly one of the hardest questions to answer for most people when they go to write their first story. Before you can actually start writing that first line you need an idea. But where does that idea come from? How can we become inspired? The conceptual stage can often be one of the more difficult pieces of the writing process, but with some tips on where to look and what to do, that throw-your-fist-in-the-air-best-idea-ever might just come to you!

The creative planning process is different for everyone, so first you'll need to decide on what it is that really drives you to write a story. Is it a certain world you envision? Or is it a specific character that's been floating around in your head since elementary school? Maybe you already have a scene playing in your head like a movie and you really want to form something around that. Do you want it to revolve around a certain idea such as becoming undead or discovering a new planet? Sometimes it helps people to simply understand what kind of genre they are striving for. Are you going for a high fantasy, Tolkien-esque world, with dragons, talking trees, and evil sorcerers? Perhaps you'd like to write a sci-fi tale but focus on military aspects. Maybe it's a steampunk or historical fiction. Whatever the case may be, find that one thing that really gets you excited!

Once you have some sort of idea in your head, you want to help it grow. Like giving a seed water and sunlight, so too will you feed your own initial story concept with inspiration from other sources. It helps to look through the internet for pictures related to your idea. Looking up landscapes, cityscapes, character artistry, and other scenarios can really help you dive deeper into the world of your story. Listening to music that helps you get into the "mood" of your story can give you a huge inspirational boost as well. For example, I'll listen to a lot of folk, celtic, appalachian, and accordion music to really put me in the world of my steampunk-pirate story. If you have some time on your hands, definitely look into reading some books of your desired genres. Do some research and pull out the novels that have been renowned as classics and great new material. Sci-fi writers can get some great ideas from the likes of Jules Verne and Isaac Asimov. You can always get something out of a good read! Similarly, watch movies with ideas likened to your own story. Want to write a fantasy? You won't find anything better than Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy. Have an idea for a spy book? Of course a marathon of 007 could help. Working on a story with a gritty, superhero approach? The first two films in Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy would really lend a helping hand. Also, if anybody knows me, they know I'm a huge advocate for storytelling in video games. Think about your favorite games and contemplate on what makes them so great. Are there certain mechanics that help to portray a mood? Is there an atmosphere that is truly unique to that game that you'd love to implement into your own story? Be adventurous! Again, everybody is different and responds differently to separate ideas and mediums, but keep an open mind and you might find that genius idea in an unlikely place!

Okay, you're definitely inspired. Now what? Start writing of course! Wait, wait, wait... Don't write the actual story yet--write down some notes! Jot down your ideas and concepts in a very loose format. This isn't meant to be a full, comprehensive list of how the story will be, but rather a general list of the things you want to include in it. Get down some character names and concepts, and/or a very brief outline of the plot. Even write down the kind of mood you want the story to encompass. Is it meant to be a dark, serious tale, or a lighthearted grand journey? From this list, you'll be able to expand upon your ideas as you see fit, and the story will be easier to keep track of as you flesh it all out. Even better, just in case you forget what all those ideas were, you have a copy on-hand to jump right back into.

This should be enough to get you at the very least thinking about that story you want to tell. Get out there and look for those inspirations and ideas! Happy hunting!