Story Foundations for the Serious Writer by Best-Selling Author DiAnn Mills

Story ideas can be like fireworks. They soar and explode in beautiful colors…then their dance fizzles to the ground and we turn our attention to the next one. But story ideas don’t have to fade away. A writer can take those wild moments of inspiration and build a credible, colorful, creative, and compelling story.

Where do story ideas come from when we’ve spent hours brainstorming and feel like giving up? Buster Moon from Sing says: “When you’ve reached rock bottom, there’s only one way to go, and that’s up!”

Here are suggestions to give your story idea bestseller (up) status.

• Pieces of a conversation…juicy tidbits that move us to explore story and character
• An article in the news that grasps our attention
• Books we’ve read—fiction or non-fiction
• Music—including lyrics
• Poetry
• Nature—with all its beauty and danger
• A movie you’d have written differently
• The behavior of family or friends
• Historic events about people and places
• Genealogy
• Personal experiences
• Dreams

          Deep within our subconscious activity lies this realm where plot problems find answers, character situations resolve, and new characters are born.

I know you have a story idea. It’s banging against your head and heart, keeping you awake at night. You’re not sure what to do with all the information, and you fear you may lose it. So, let’s turn your burning thoughts into a book project.

Ready? Are your fingers poised on your keyboard? The exercises below will take a little time but so worth the effort.

Step One

Write your story idea in one sentence. Don’t concern yourself with character names, setting, and genre.

A few examples:

1. A young mother confesses to her police officer husband she is not only addicted to drugs, but she also deals them.
2. A businessman discovers the owner of his company is smuggling assault rifles into the country.
3. A newly married couple is left behind on a wagon train when the husband is suspected of carrying a terrible disease.
4. A young woman travels west to marry a man she’s never met—only to discover he doesn’t exist.
5. A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s means a middle-aged woman must become the caretaker for her mother, with whom she already has a strained relationship.
6. A couple is wakened by thieves in their home. While the husband attempts to overpower the intruders, the wife is killed.
7. During wartime, a prince is forced to take the throne for his ailing father. Then the prince learns he’s not the real heir, but the son of the warring king.
8. The inhabitants of a planet wracked by pollution face extinction. Their only solution is to exterminate half of the population.

Take a deep breath and congratulate yourself. You’ve given your story life.

Now perfect your one-sentence storyline. Tweak it until you’re satisfied. Do you envision your protagonist(s) and antagonist(s)?

 Step Two

Take your one-sentence idea and write at least one paragraph about your story. Extend the idea to include what you know about your characters and the storyline. (Close your eyes while you write this.) Don’t worry about grammar and punctuation. Simply envision the story. When you’re finished, save and edit your paragraph(s).

Step Three

What is your story’s genre? Consider the list below and find a home for your idea.

1. Contemporary
2. Historical
3. Romance
4. Suspense/Thriller
5. Mystery
6. Western
7. Women’s Fiction
8. Speculative (includes science fiction, fantasy, allegory, etc.)
9. Young Adult

Story ideas often mix genres with romance, such as:

Contemporary Romance

Historical Romance

Romantic Suspense

By including a thread of romance, writers increase their readership. It’s been said that 80 percent of book buyers are women. Half of them buy romance. Do the math and consider adding a spark of love to your project.

Where do you find the foundation for your story ideas?

Her latest book, High Treason, will be released February 6th.

DiAnn Mills is an award-winning, bestselling author who believes her readers should expect an adventure. She combines unforgettable characters with unpredictable plots to create action-packed, suspense-filled novels. She is a founding board member of the American Christian Fiction Writers, a member of Advanced Writers and Speakers Association, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. She is co-director of The Blue Ridge Mountain Christian Writers Conference and The Mountainside Marketing Conference with social media specialist Edie Melson where she continues her passion of helping other writers be successful. She speaks to various groups and teaches writing workshops around the country.

DiAnn is very active online and would love to connect with readers on Facebook: www.facebook.com/diannmills, Twitter: https://twitter.com/diannmills or any of the social media platforms listed at www.diannmills.com.