Readers and beginning authors often ask, “Where do you get your story ideas?”

 

My usual answer, “From everywhere”, may not be much help for those looking for concrete answers. Thus, I’ve developed a fun way to get ideas when your muse is taking a holiday.

 

The idea is simple. Combine three story elements at random. For example, my work in progress involves an alien, an FBI agent, and a goat. Once you have these elements, let your mind go wild. Brainstorm.

 

By “brainstorm”, I mean write down at least twenty story ideas no matter how outlandish. In fact, the more outlandish, the better. Or you can brainstorm with a critique partner(s), your significant other, your best friend, your child, your mom, your sister, etc.

 

The trick is to come up with those three elements initially. But how?

 

On several small slips of paper write down a character type, situation, animal, and place. Then fold up the slips and put them in a jar or a basket. When you’re ready to plot a new story, pull out three slips of paper (without looking first, of course).

 

Brainstorm to combine those three items into your new story. It doesn’t matter if they’re all three characters, places, or elements.

 

To help get you started, here are some of my items: a one-legged pirate, a blind musician, a CEO, a cowboy, a space ship captain, a motorcycle mama, a hostile alien, a nice alien, an evil djinn, a mischievous fairy, an alligator, a pet pig, outer space, a worm hole, an earthquake, a reunion, a graduation, a wedding, fireworks, a bankruptcy, a fairy tale character, a used car salesman, a world renowned chef, a Madame, a small town sheriff, the South Pole, the Civil War, the end of the world, a talking cat, a magic carpet, shipwrecked on a deserted island, a poisonous plant, a super hero, time travel, a topless bar…

 

You get the notion. Items can be limitless.

 

If you don’t like an item, such as a topless bar, don’t include that as one of your items.

 

This is a lot of fun. Even if you don’t need a story immediately, it’s a fun exercise.

 

It could also be used to jumpstart a fizzling story. Pick one or two items to add to a work in progress to liven it up.

 

 

Ashley Ladd is the author of more than twenty-five published romance and erotic romance novels. She hails out of South Florida where she resides with her husband of 28 years, five children, two grandchildren, five cats, and two dogs. Her stories often involve paranormal elements such as talking, magical cats and travel into different worlds. To read free excerpts of her stories, reviews, and enter her contests, please visit her cyber home.