Inspiration/Concepts

[amazon_of_exeter]

Ok, just a little post wondering how other people come up with ideas for stories/arcs etc... I seem to be a little bit random, and depending on my mood at the time, then odd collections of words or objects/people that I see, start to get incorporated into a statement, which then gets expanded into a story...or the beginning of one. I am trying to be good and focus on writing one thing at a time, at least until I run out of inspiration at a given moment and need to focus on something else...

So basically I don't follow any set plot planning - one day i might try, but for now, I use whatever random concepts come to mind (very random at times....pink ferret in an egg...??)

Comments

[noctuary]

I start with one kernel of idea. Sometimes it's a theme, sometimes it's a particular scene or snapshot, sometimes it's a line of dialogue. I let it percolate for a while - maybe a couple of weeks - and eventually it builds up on itself. I take notes for a week or two (generally few of which end up contributing to the eventual novel) and then it develops itself once I start writing it.

This is generally how I do stuff for NaNo - I only start casting around for ideas a week or two before November, knowing that something will jump into my brain in time.

[amazon_of_exeter]

That does sound a similar process to the one I have, although I don't currently make notes on what leaps to mind...just develop the story a bit, see where it's going and then forget about it the next day...probably for the best at the moment to stop me being grasshopper like and leaping between stories - the concepts of each story seem to differ too muc to be able to combine them together!!

How do you find NaNo - it seems that it would be a very intense experience? Does it actually encourage you to write more than you would normally or just an excuse to sit down and concentrate on writing?