Brandon, Howard, Mary, and Dan offer useful answers to that age-old question: “Where do you get your ideas?”
Write down five different story ideas in 150 words or less. Generate these ideas from these five sources:
- From an interview or conversation you’ve had
- From research you’ve done (reading science news, military history, etc)
- From observation (go for a walk!)
- From a piece of media (watch a movie)
- From a piece of music (with or without lyrics)
This exercise might not generate the very best ideas you’ve ever had, but it will definitely flex your idea muscles in new ways.
Lock In, by John Scalzi, narrated by Amber Benson OR Wil Wheaton (there are two versions of this audiobook.)