If you ever find yourself starved of ideas for something to write about, the best thing to do is never look for the obvious. It is so easy to pop open your laptop and google things such as, “25 Amazing Writing Prompts,” or, “The Top Ten ideas for a Great Plot.” Instead of traveling down the usual road, try your pen at a different approach.
Nursing and Retirement Homes
Who would think of going to a nursing or retirement, home unless they had family there? But it is one of the best places to visit in your search to find a golden story. One would be hard-pressed to find a 100-year-old resident, but imagine if you did? They would have been born in 1921, lived through many wars, seen epic changes in industry and technology, and not to mention the demographic evolution of cultures and lifestyles. A love story in the 1920s and 30’s stands in stark contrast to a contemporary one. It would be easier to find many people born in 1930 and after, and their stories would be just as amazing for they saw many of the same changes. Residents in nursing homes love to receive visitors, and it enriches their lives to be able to talk about the past. With the advantage of cell phones, it is so easy to visit with someone, turn on the record button and just relax into conversation.
Visit the Obits
People may think you are strange if you pour over the obituary section every week, however, some obituaries are filled with many details that can be the start of a good story. I was looking at online obituaries once when I stumbled into a website called, Children Who Never Grew Up. It is all about children who, for some reason or another, passed away at a young age. These particular accounts would be good studies for non-fiction stories, or fiction if one wanted to frame a touching account around a life taken too soon. It might seem odd or cruel to suggest delving into a site such as this, but I see it in an entirely different way; Some of these children would pass into memory without ever being known about unless one were to write an accounting of their life.
What’s in Your DNA?
Genealogy is one area where I have had some unique, personal experiences. I am an avid genealogist, and someone reached out to me because she found that my Gedmatch number was a match to hers. When I compared them, it turned out that we shared the same 3rd great grandparents. As we corresponded, she began to unfold her story to me. When she was a baby, her mom changed their names and disappeared with her, so she never knew who her father was, and he searched for her for over 40 years. She found her father through DNA and they reunited. There was a lot more to her story but I would not feel right sharing it here, it is her story to tell, but situations like hers happens a lot. There are also stories wrapped up in your own ancestry. As you begin to do research it is easy to find ancestors who served in the American Revolution, and sometimes you can find their immigration information. These types of jewels can be the basis of many great stories. One of my ancestors rode with Francis Marion, aka the Swamp Fox, who the character of The Ghost was based on in the movie The Patriot. Genealogy is a vast pool of resources that can provide a backdrop for many colorful stories. Dive in and see what you can find!
Take a Few Moments
When developing characters, it can be hard to get a fix on how you want certain ones to react, articulate their thoughts, and interact with others. Sometimes the visual images in your mind do not articulate well on the page. Take some time to sit in the park, at the mall, or on a sidewalk bench and become a people watcher. Of course, some of these options, particularly the mall, are not very accessible due to Covid, but there are always places you can find to sit and observe those around you and trust me, you can form some pretty creative character outlines just from watching people interact in various situations.
Make a Plan and Run With it!
No matter what genre you are writing in, you must have some kind of framework to build on for a storyline. Let your passion guide you while seeking out unique people, places, and things that can enhance the vision of what you want to translate onto a page. Ready, set, go!