Ten Top Tips for Finding Ideas

Ten Top Tips for Finding Ideas

Having a mental block when it comes to ideas is a writer’s worst nightmare! So, here are some simple tips to kick-start your imagination.

1. Listen to music. Song lyrics and titles can be a great source of ideas. You can either listen to the song or go online and use song lyric websites, such as Song Lyrics, for inspiration. And, if you enjoy listening to music while you write, you can combine work and pleasure.

2. Travel is great for broadening the mind! And it doesn’t have to be some fancy, expensive destination either. A day out at the seaside or a trip to a local beauty spot can be just as inspiring. Sometimes a simple change from your daily routine can boost your creativity.

3. Eaves Drop. Yes, we all know that is usually considered rude to listen in on other peoples’ conversations, but things are different now. People often discuss their private business quite loudly in public, especially on mobile phones! All you need to do is listen and jot down any interesting bits of the conversation.

4. Watch TV. You may think watching TV is a waste of time, but it can be really useful. And don’t just think about programmes you watch on television. There’s a multitude of programmes and films you can watch online, on You Tube for instance. Be careful not to pinch plots and storylines but there’s nothing stopping you from taking basic ideas and giving them a new twist.

5. Read. This may seem obvious, but you’d be surprised how many budding writers don’t want to read. It doesn’t matter what you read – newspapers, novels, non-fiction books or magazines – they are all equal in their potential to supply you with inspiration.

6. Use the internet. Just type a random word into your search engine and see what it throws up, then roam from link to link – you’ll be amazed at what you find. But it’s wise to put a limit on this kind of searching or you could find yourself with no time left to write.

7. People watch. This is one of my favourite ways to pass time. People are just so interesting – look at how they are dressed, watch what they are doing, see if they are displaying any unusual body language and watch how they react to other people. Put two and two together and make five! You might not get a full plot out of it, but you could get some great descriptions for your characters.

8. Day dream. This is another of those things we’re told is a waste of time. But, allowing yourself some personal time to let your mind wander can be a great way to boost your creativity. Some of the greatest writers, including Wordsworth, were prone to day dreaming.

9. Talk to people. It can be a little daunting trying to strike up a conversation with someone you don’t know, but think about what you might find out. People are often more willing to share their innermost thoughts and feelings, especially if they think they’ll never see you again. If the thought of having random conversations on train platforms is just too much for you, why not try out online chat rooms.

10. Network. Being amongst other people, bouncing ideas around, can help enormously with creativity. You could join a writers’ group (or a reading group if the former makes you feel nervous), you could visit writers’ conferences, literary events or book yourself on a writing retreat. Even if it doesn’t bring immediate results it will, hopefully, make you feel less isolated as a writer and inspire you to continue.

And don’t forget... when you have a good idea note it down immediately or you risk losing it.