I is for Ideas

Fresh ideas It's where ever story begins.

I'm going to focus on fiction writing, since that's what I do. Before 70,000 words can bleed into a riveting story, there has to be an idea strong enough to compel the story to be written at all.

Here are some idea tips...

*High fantasy is for people who can think in an entirely different universe and stay focused and excited about it for many months at a time.

*Low fantasy/science fiction. This one is where I enjoy hovering. I find it easier to stay in the real world, but tempting to add a dose of different. Sometimes I'll pour a lot of fantasy on, as in Alvor and Wings of Light, where other times I like to keep it light. Science fiction I use literally as a tool in my story. It's never the focus, just a means.

*Contemporary novels are for writers who have a strong story and character with a driving force. Strict contemporary novels must have enough juice to keep the story interesting the whole way through. Make sure you have enough of an idea in the first place before committing your life to this genre.

For me, stories start with an idea and then grow from there. I always explore the possible characters and story development to see if there is enough there to write a whole story.

Often a writer will be working on a manuscript only to find out that the same story line just signed a contract with a major publishing house.

Is that bad? Yes and no.

It's good to have a story that the population can relate to. Your story needs to be unique enough that it carries it's own interest level without conflicting with an already established novel.

But it can be hard to get interest from publishers if your story feels too much the same as another novel that they have recently signed.

How do you know if your novel is the same enough to be comfortable but different enough to grab the attention of major publishers?

You don't.

The only answer I know is to keep writing. If one story didn't hit the mark, write another one. I know, it's discouraging. Stories take a really long time to write, but if you want to make this into a career, it's what you do.