Writing - Become a Magnet for Juicy Ideas

Writers thrive on ideas. I hope you've got more ideas than you could write in a lifetime. If you struggle to find ideas, this article will help. Over 30 years of writing, I've found that some ideas are made for you, while many other ideas are not.

Let's see how you can become a magnet for juicy ideas which are custom-made for you.

However, before we start, let's get one important, non-negotiable point out of the way: you need to decide WHY you're writing a project. Everything starts with your intention. You can combine your goals for a specific piece of writing, but you must have goals.

For example, let's say you want some ideas for a novel. What are your goals? Your goal may simply be to get published. That's an excellent goal. Or perhaps your goal's to have fun with it - it's a hobby. Also excellent.

With that out of the way, let's find some ideas.

1. Ideas are all around you - what intrigues you, and is easy for you to write?

   If you're writing a novel, almost any news story or piece of gossip can provide a spark for your novel. However, keep the old adage "write what you know" in mind. A novel is a journey, and while you could write a novel set in 16th century Spain if you have no knowledge of Spanish history and have never been to Spain, the amount of research required could kill your inspiration.

   Ideas may intrigue you, but they should be easy for you to write.

2. If you’re excited, others will be excited too

   An ideal for a writing project should excite you. If the idea doesn't excite you, it won't excite readers.

   "Exciting" ideas can be thin on the ground if you're not writing. So take this tip to heart: writing primes the idea pump not just for your current project, but also for future projects.

   You'll get more and better ideas when you write every day - you've alerted your subconscious mind, and exciting ideas will flow to you.

3. Trust yourself

   Sometimes you'll get an exciting idea, but you won't know what to do with it. Trust yourself, and start writing. The "huh?!" feeling you get is an indication that this idea is deep: it will be easy to write, because it comes from who you are.

   These ideas are sheer magic: go with the flow, and see what emerges.

4. The best ideas will stun you

   Occasionally you'll get an amazing idea which stuns you, it's that good.
   
   Just as with the "huh?!" ideas, thank your lucky stars, and write the idea down at once.

5. Look for ideas which are bigger than you are

   The best ideas force you to grow. Your 16th century Spain idea may be a great idea for you. If it is, you'll know it, and the amount of research won't faze you in the least.

   Again, trust yourself. Sometimes a big, juicy idea is just right for you, because it will develop you as a writer, whether or not you achieve the intention you have for the project.

   So there you have five tips which will help you to become a magnet for juicy ideas. Start writing!

You’re YOU, an original - use yourself and your life in your writing
You'll always be an original if you use yourself - your own life, and your experiences in your writing.

Someone once said that a writer is a person on whom nothing is lost.

Every good, bad and mediocre event which happens to you is food for your writing.

You need to realize that this is so, and be confident in yourself. This comes with practice - just use the Easy-Write Process every day.

I'm a big fan of journaling for this very reason: your journal helps you to understand yourself, and your motivations, as well as the motivations of the people around you.

Think about the last time you visited an art gallery. No matter how much you know, or don't know, about art, you recognize real art, because it arouses an emotion in you.

Therefore, to improve as a writer, you need to write what arouses emotion. Write about what you love and hate. Be aware of your emotions as you write.

Become a prolific writer: here’s how you can easily double and triple your output, and your income
Want to become a prolific writer? You can. Just write - every day, and tell yourself that you want to be prolific.

Yes, that's fundamentally ALL there is to it.

Many years ago, I decided I wanted to become prolific.

At the time, I was writing romance novels, and the doyenne of romantic fiction was the amazing Barbara Cartland.

Here's what I love about her: she sat down every afternoon, and wrote. (Actually, she dictated.) No fuss, no bother... Every afternoon. When she completed a book, she told her subconscious mind that she was starting another book tomorrow.

And tomorrow, she did.

It's all about commitment.

You can be as prolific as Barbara Cartland, or any other writer. Just commit to your writing. Take it seriously. No one can do that for you.

The benefit of committing to becoming prolific is that after a short time - a couple of months - it becomes a habit.

The key is to sit down every day, in the same place, and write. Journaling helps immensely with this, because it's low-risk. So does mind mapping.

Kickstart stalled projects: here’s a ten minute process that will put new life into your writing
Stuck on a project?

Just do a ten-minute free writing session.

Start with this phrase: "I'm resisting this project five reasons... "

It's very strange, but once you know what's causing your resistance, it stops being a problem.

Try this very simple exercise. It works.