One question that I’m often asked by my readers and those who want to be authors is “How do you know what to write about?” My answer is to use several techniques like the following: keeping a writer’s notebook, brainstorming, using and sharing my personal writing interests, engaging with the world around me, relaxing, and considering my audience’s needs, and interests, or thinking of a story that needs to be told.
Some authors, me included, often dream about whatever is thought about before going to sleep. Therefore, I wake at three or four in the morning with a great answer to my writing questions on my mind, but the answer must be written down immediately or it won’t be remembered. Your writer’s notebook might come in handy here, but often I use an ipad.
So sometimes, I hide my ipad under the cover like a kid reading way into the night or playing a video game after they are supposed to be asleep. At this time, I’m too sleepy or lazy to get up to write, but I still have this great idea or answer that I don’t want to lose by getting up and becoming fully awake. Writing while half asleep works for me because I’m often able to go back to sleep and not be sleepy the next day.
First, let’s get back to writing while awake and talking about keeping a notebook and brainstorming. A writer’s notebook is an invaluable tool to jot notes, lists, and ideas pertaining to writing. Your brainstorming lists may be kept in this writer’s/author’s notebook to use now and later. This method of brainstorming requires you to start with a central idea and write one sentence about that idea.
For my historical fiction sequel to Deep South Gold titled Deep South Jazz, I am exploring what happened to Charlie after he replaced the Confederate gold in the tunnel under the Berea church in French Camp, Mississippi, to ensure the ghosts would leave his mother Jane alone. In the sequel, set in 1921 in the deep South, Marie Laveau has died, and Charlie along with his mother Jane have returned to Kilmichael, Mississippi. I began by compiling a list of words and themes related to life in 1921 in the deep South.
Next, if you are planning to write fiction, make a list of possible characters and pick the theme that goes with each character. At this point, since I am a visual person, I find photos that match my characters so that I will have them in my mind whenever I try to figure out what they are doing next. This is often like a mood board.
Then I think of different plots that fit the setting and time that I want. I list these ideas. Nothing is left out. Eventually, a story idea will congeal. Now is the time for free writing. This is adding anything else that comes to mind or any questions that you may have. Nothing is omitted here. Quantity is more important than quality. More is better.
No ideas are too wild at this point. Also, you might want to ask others for ideas about your topic. Personally, since some of my books are historical fiction, I began to research in reference and documented books and online for what happened during these years and place. What problems were people experiencing and living through at this era.
I research online and request books from interlibrary loans that fit my story’s topic and time. Often after reading these books, I add to my storyline and idea or mood board.
People who may have lived in this time also can be helpful with the history of the time if they are still alive and if they have heard stories about what happened from their friends and relatives. What conflict or central problem do they know stories about this time and place?
Lastly, use the “what if” method with each character you listed above. At this point, if any specific dialogue or even a quote that could be helpful to give you a feel for the time comes to you through your research, write it down. Strive for quantity not quality.
For me brainstorming is the most fun. Learning what happened and meeting my characters to me is the most interesting part of writing and as some other authors have said, sometimes giving life to these characters or just starting writing about these characters and where they go from there is totally up to them.
Next, we will talk about exploring my personal interests. Several methods of using this technique of finding things to write about include the following: listing, looping, clustering, and freewriting. I would also like to add that this process can be extremely useful to authors when researching in books and online. Making lists of interesting things not only for myself but for things that my characters might have found interesting helps to flesh them out.
As far as interacting with the world around you, Sarah Burson, author of upcoming debut novel, Sebastian Clyde, The Intricacies of a Fox, says, “As far as coming up with book ideas, I’m inspired by what I read, watch, and see out in the world. While my ideas are pretty good, it’s God that blows my mind with plots and characters that I never thought I could write. God is naturally creative. The best ideas come from Him.” Sebastian Clyde is a homicide detective and Baptist pastor who is distraught over the recent death of his late partner. He takes on the most famous cold case in Mississippi. When the celebrity actor and screenwriter Conrad Fox was found stabbed to death in his home three years ago, the world was ecstatic putting Hearth, Mississippi, on the map. Along with his new partner, Fabian Kamath, Sebastian quickly realized that this case is no privilege at all.
As Sebastian navigates his relationship with God, he sees things in this case that show him more of his Creator. The further he and his partner go, Sebastian begins to see that secrets are buried deep in Hearth. The Fox family, while elegant, holds secrets that none of them are willing to tell. The mystery becomes more twisted when another body is found and Conrad’s past comes to life.
Now, we will talk about nonfiction writing and how to come up with things to write about. As a high school teacher, I advised my students to use the “See inside the Book” feature on Amazon or other book sellers to find topics for their research papers. The same method can be used in writing articles and nonfiction books.
When I wrote The Cheapskate’s Guide to Home Decorating, I researched about a hundred books. I looked at their table of contents for interesting topics and ideas. If you have the book, use the index to find relevant words to list, loop, and cluster.
The easiest way to get an idea to write about is to relax. You could take a walk, take a shower, or take a nap. Somehow relaxing the brain is how ideas in your brain are released.
Thinking about your target audience at this point helps with nonfiction writing and knowing what to write about. If you want people to buy your books, you must solve a problem for them that they currently have. Find the intersection between what interests you and what they need and the question they need answered.
At this point, check out your competition online on book sites like Amazon. Check out the table of contents of the books that rank highly on Amazon to get your ideas of what to write about.
People want to be entertained, informed, taught, or inspired. They want their problems solved. Researching in books and online helps you flesh out your problem of what to write about. Using every available idea will make you a more profitable author.