Strategies for generating story concepts for your novel writing endeavor

*Ready to breathe life into that story idea swirling in your head? It's time to drop the half-baked plans and get jotting!

Struggling to put pen to paper? Maybe you ain't got enough golden ideas in front of you. Write 'em down and let's get movin'.

Discover Your Next Story Idea - The One That Makes You Say, "Hell Yeah!"

Tired of lame story ideas? This free Google Docs workbook is just what the doctor ordered. It'll help you craft a concept that speaks to your soul and gets you hyped to start spinning yarns, now (not later). Unsubscribe whenever you'd like. For more deets, peruse our Privacy Policy.

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So, I finally finished my book last spring, but I couldn't leave my ol' manuscript in peace. Instead, I started scheming my next novel. If I can't help myself plan my novel, then who in the world can I rely on? This post's all about how to brainstorm your next novel – whether you're rockin' my brainstorming printables or not.

Wanna know more about crafting your writing process? Check out this post: All vibes and no plot? Do this.

Feel the Vibes

Got a feel for how your story should play out, but struggle to put it into words? Trust me, that's probably not a problem. Use your eyes, ears, and imagination instead! My printables offer spaces for your story's soundtrack to keep you in the groove while you figure out the rest. Fill 'em with things that evoke the atmosphere you want (is it dark and gritty, like a film noir, or whimsical and magical, like a fairy tale?)

Creating a moodboard (yeah, you know what it is) can help you visually represent your story's vibes. Piece together pictures and text snippets that capture your story's essence. You can DIY tape collages or, if you'd rather not, use digital tools like Pinterest or collage apps!

Think about how you want your readers to feel when they dive into your story: scared, cozy, inspired? Write it down, or, better yet, show it with pictures. Get creative and start building your world!

Making a playlist for your story even before you killer plot is in place can help you tap into that special place of yours. Play those tunes when you start actually writing and, hey presto, you're instantly in the zone!

If all you've got right now is a bunch of vibes and you ain't got a clue where to go next, check out this post to see how to proceed.

Setting Supremacy

Feeling stuck when it comes to crafting your setting? Here are some tips to help you brainstorm:

Environment and nature can be just as important as your characters or plot. Think about sensory details (yeah, sight, smell, sound, taste, even touch), notable past events, and anything else that'd make your setting unique.
What's livin' in this setting, and who thrives there? What makes it dangerous or taboo? Use these factors to generate new ideas for conflicts and plots!

Check out these posts if you want to write some seasons into your setting or just want to find a way to describe 'em wicked good: Writing seasons for your story setting and How to describe places the best way.

Character Central

I sometimes get ideas for characters in my head, but it's more accurate to say I have ideas for how the characters relate to the world and to other characters. When writing my novel, What Birds Are Made Of, I had a solid idea of how my main character felt about a minor character before I even had the actual plot figured out.

Truth be told, physical traits like hair color ain't that important. What matters more is their personality, desires, and feelings about the world and others. This post explains more: Ultimate Character Workbook.

Plotland

You might think that plot is crucial, but that's just not true. See, what your story is really about is your character wanting something and fighting tooth and nail to get it. Everything else is just the dressin' on the side.

Conflict matters, but what is conflict if not "someone ain't gettin' what they want outta a situation"? Obstacles and complications are the essence of your story, as they're what your characters face when they go after that thing they want (or think they want).

So, don't sweat the simple plot events. The best plot idea might just pop up somewhere you ain't thinkin' about!

If you have ideas for beginnings or endings, jot 'em down even if you ain't got a clue about the middle (okay, okay, the whole shebang). When you start to gather more ideas, they'll help you build a tale from the ground up, like puttin'ta puzzle together.

Dialogue Deliciousness

Think you gotta wait on your plot to start figurin' out yer dialogue? Nah, that ain't necessarily so. If your head's jammin' with little lines your characters might spew, get 'em down on paper. Later, when you've got a better handle on yer story, you can work 'em into your scenes to make 'em feel real, ya know?

Get Scene Stuck

Ever had a visual of your characters in some scene doin' somethin' interesting, but you ain't got the context yet? Sometimes that happens, but it's still worth writin' 'em down. Describe the scene with as many details as you can, then make a list of everything that exists within it. Might just give you a story idea!

Post-Brainstormin'

Got a whole bunch of ideas writen down? Now's the time to put 'em together and see where they take you. Combine things that go together, things that are seen less often. Or do both! Just put characters, settings, and plot events together in a way that makes you go, "Hey, that's a good idea!"

Remember, cause and effect are what hold any story together. As you put plots events one after the other, think about what they might lead to.

Generate Eternal Story Ideas

Stumped for what to write about? I got just the solution for ya. Your Best Story Idea uses your own brain to generate story ideas. Never fear runnin' out of inspiration again! I'm proud as punch of this workbook, so I'm gonna give it to you for free.

Find your next story idea - the one you actually want to write

Tired of story ideas that just don't ring your bell? This workbook's gonna help you cook up a concept that suits your style and gets you itchin' to start writing right now. Unsubscribe anytime. Need more info? Look at our Privacy Policy.

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There you go! Your brainstorming playbook's now in your inbox, waiting to spark your creativity.

Our website is a blog about fiction, written by a published author and a creative writing instructor. You can find more writing tips and inspiration in the blog, and check out the best author tools at Writer Lifestyle on Etsy.

With the free Google Docs workbook at hand, start crafting a concept that stirs your soul and gets you excited to spin tales. Subscribe and unsubscribe whenever you'd like, and explore more details in the Privacy Policy.
Dive into this post to discover how to brainstorm your next novel, whether you use my brainstorming printables or not.
Struggling to put your story's vibes into words? Use your eyes, ears, and imagination to help you visualize the atmosphere you want, and create a moodboard to represent your story's essence.
If you're stuck on crafting your setting, think about sensory details, notable past events, and anything else that makes your setting unique. Consider what dwells in your setting and what makes it dangerous or taboo for fresh ideas on conflicts and plots.
Creating a character doesn't have to revolve around physical traits. Focus on their personality, desires, and feelings about the world and others, as those aspects will make your characters come to life. For more insights, check out the Ultimate Character Workbook.