There are those great moments where a plot will unveil itself to you when you're looking for a bus ticket, or a character will hop into your head whilst you're browsing at the supermarket. Hopefully, you've got your notebook to hand, and within a couple minutes there's a brief sketch of an idea that makes you want to run home and explore it further.
But those moments don't always come, and for some, they rarely make an appearance. That's completely normal - and please don't suddenly decide that you are obviously not destined to be a writer. Sometimes, ideas just need that little bit of encouragement.
So here's the tip, and exercise in one:
Observe.
We create world with people in. We tell stories of everyday life. We explore relationships. We investigate careers. We study how far a person can emotionally go.
And all that is right outside your front door. In every single minute, there's a new story to be told - and you just need to find it.
So, to start you off. Pick a colour.
Just one.
And now take a twenty minute walk.
When you return, write down every single thing you saw whilst walking that was that colour. Right in detail. Was there a blue lollipop in that little girl's hand? Where did she get it? Did she drop it? Were her parents threatening to take it away? Was the blue anorak on that crippled Grannie at the bus-stop needed in the heat? Why was she wearing it? Was it baggy enough to hide things under? Are we now writing about a shop-lifting Grannie in a blue anaorak?
See where you go... and post below!
Good Luck! :)
