Comments on: Out of ideas? http://pcwrede.com/blog/out-of-ideas/ Patricia C. Wrede talks about writing Thu, 23 May 2013 05:55:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4 By: John Richard Albers http://pcwrede.com/blog/out-of-ideas/comment-page-1/#comment-17827 John Richard Albers Wed, 19 Sep 2012 04:14:19 +0000 http://pcwrede.com/blog/?p=1527#comment-17827 One of my favorite short stories came from #3. Mary Poppins playing on one channel, the Grim Reaper on another. Together? MAGIC. One of my favorite short stories came from #3. Mary Poppins playing on one channel, the Grim Reaper on another. Together? MAGIC.

]]> By: A.Beth http://pcwrede.com/blog/out-of-ideas/comment-page-1/#comment-7076 A.Beth Sun, 15 Apr 2012 19:54:41 +0000 http://pcwrede.com/blog/?p=1527#comment-7076 Don't forget thyroid issues for Lack Of Brain... Meanwhile... <I>Sherlock Holmes instead of Romeo in “Romeo and Juliet”</I>? Please tell me someone has written this! PLEASE! Don’t forget thyroid issues for Lack Of Brain…

Meanwhile… Sherlock Holmes instead of Romeo in “Romeo and Juliet”? Please tell me someone has written this! PLEASE!

]]> By: Martha Ramirez http://pcwrede.com/blog/out-of-ideas/comment-page-1/#comment-7024 Martha Ramirez Sat, 14 Apr 2012 07:31:26 +0000 http://pcwrede.com/blog/?p=1527#comment-7024 Awesome post!! Thank you! Awesome post!! Thank you!

]]> By: Esther http://pcwrede.com/blog/out-of-ideas/comment-page-1/#comment-6899 Esther Thu, 12 Apr 2012 18:38:11 +0000 http://pcwrede.com/blog/?p=1527#comment-6899 One reason for "no ideas" can be health issues. Its very hard to be creative when you are hungry/tired/sick/stressed. Skipping meals is usally an obvious reason for slow brains but a vitiam deficienty can be easily overlooked. Dito for long-term sleep deprevation, stress and chronic pain. One reason for “no ideas” can be health issues. Its very hard to be creative when you are hungry/tired/sick/stressed. Skipping meals is usally an obvious reason for slow brains but a vitiam deficienty can be easily overlooked.

Dito for long-term sleep deprevation, stress and chronic pain.

]]> By: Dan Goodman http://pcwrede.com/blog/out-of-ideas/comment-page-1/#comment-6832 Dan Goodman Thu, 12 Apr 2012 04:49:48 +0000 http://pcwrede.com/blog/?p=1527#comment-6832 A few suggestions: 1) What would really happen? Take a story you don't find quite believable, and figure out what would make it more plausible. 2) Take a standard plot, and figure out what happens beyond the ending. Snow White decides she wants to live with the seven dwarves, Jack marries the Giant's wife, etc. 3) What's really going on? I have the impression people do this fairly often in fan fiction; but it can also work in original fiction, if you're careful to file off the serial numbers. Note: I have the problem of TOO MANY ideas. A few suggestions: 1) What would really happen? Take a story you don’t find quite believable, and figure out what would make it more plausible. 2) Take a standard plot, and figure out what happens beyond the ending. Snow White decides she wants to live with the seven dwarves, Jack marries the Giant’s wife, etc. 3) What’s really going on? I have the impression people do this fairly often in fan fiction; but it can also work in original fiction, if you’re careful to file off the serial numbers.

Note: I have the problem of TOO MANY ideas.

]]> By: Jaenii (J.M. Ney-Grimm) http://pcwrede.com/blog/out-of-ideas/comment-page-1/#comment-6827 Jaenii (J.M. Ney-Grimm) Thu, 12 Apr 2012 00:34:13 +0000 http://pcwrede.com/blog/?p=1527#comment-6827 Great post! Very helpful to see the categories of difficulties laid out so clearly. I used to try to think up plots, and that never worked for me. I need to muse on characters and places; those are the elements that stir my imagination. I just keep noodling on people and their friends and relatives and where they live/travel, and pretty soon I've got a plot along with a few sub-plots. If I go directly for the plot, my brain freezes! Great post! Very helpful to see the categories of difficulties laid out so clearly. I used to try to think up plots, and that never worked for me. I need to muse on characters and places; those are the elements that stir my imagination. I just keep noodling on people and their friends and relatives and where they live/travel, and pretty soon I’ve got a plot along with a few sub-plots. If I go directly for the plot, my brain freezes!

]]> By: Shannon http://pcwrede.com/blog/out-of-ideas/comment-page-1/#comment-6821 Shannon Wed, 11 Apr 2012 23:31:29 +0000 http://pcwrede.com/blog/?p=1527#comment-6821 Ooooo, oooo! (You can picture me jumping up and down with my hand in the air, a la Hermione Granger.) My writing group does Short Story in a Week a couple of times a year: the moderator provides two lists of five words each, and you have to write a story using all five words from one list (or both lists, if you're so moved). I thought I would hate it, the first time I played, and I loved it. It's not for everyone, but it always helps knock me out of my "I don't have any ideas!" rut. Ooooo, oooo! (You can picture me jumping up and down with my hand in the air, a la Hermione Granger.)

My writing group does Short Story in a Week a couple of times a year: the moderator provides two lists of five words each, and you have to write a story using all five words from one list (or both lists, if you’re so moved). I thought I would hate it, the first time I played, and I loved it. It’s not for everyone, but it always helps knock me out of my “I don’t have any ideas!” rut.

]]> By: Chicory http://pcwrede.com/blog/out-of-ideas/comment-page-1/#comment-6788 Chicory Wed, 11 Apr 2012 16:08:14 +0000 http://pcwrede.com/blog/?p=1527#comment-6788 I'm still snickering at the thought of a concert violinist defeating a fiendish senior citizen with a banana. :) I’m still snickering at the thought of a concert violinist defeating a fiendish senior citizen with a banana. :)

]]> By: Tiana Smith http://pcwrede.com/blog/out-of-ideas/comment-page-1/#comment-6785 Tiana Smith Wed, 11 Apr 2012 15:25:17 +0000 http://pcwrede.com/blog/?p=1527#comment-6785 A romance about space monkeys? That'd be ... interesting. LOL. I don't think I'll ever run out of ideas. In fact, new ones keep popping up even though I'm working on something else and I have to shut them out otherwise I'll never finish! A romance about space monkeys? That’d be … interesting. LOL. I don’t think I’ll ever run out of ideas. In fact, new ones keep popping up even though I’m working on something else and I have to shut them out otherwise I’ll never finish!

]]> By: Molten Notebook http://pcwrede.com/blog/out-of-ideas/comment-page-1/#comment-6781 Molten Notebook Wed, 11 Apr 2012 14:46:09 +0000 http://pcwrede.com/blog/?p=1527#comment-6781 Ah, now I understand the purpose of writing exercises like three-random-things. I enjoy the silliness, but I don't seem to emerge with viable ideas. Using the exercises to relax and let other ideas develop makes sense. The bit about people who are used to getting whole stories at once also hit home for me. Thanks for the clear, helpful, and (for me) timely post! Incidentally, Sherlock Holmes in "Romeo and Juliet" would be awesome. Ah, now I understand the purpose of writing exercises like three-random-things. I enjoy the silliness, but I don’t seem to emerge with viable ideas. Using the exercises to relax and let other ideas develop makes sense.

The bit about people who are used to getting whole stories at once also hit home for me. Thanks for the clear, helpful, and (for me) timely post!

Incidentally, Sherlock Holmes in “Romeo and Juliet” would be awesome.

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