All of the published books on the shelf have been conceived in some way as a thought in someone’s mind. It is easy to imagine that all writers sit down with their complete idea, plot, and character sketch before typing out the first draft of the book. The reality of the situation is quite messy. Almost all professional writers refer to the process of idea generation as collecting pieces through a period of weeks and even months. A stranger overheard on a bus, a half-forgotten dream, or just a lingering question may serve as the beginning of the process of idea development into a full book.
If you have ever found yourself staring at a piece of paper trying to understand where do writers get their ideas from, you are not alone. This is one of the questions which is asked by many novice and experienced writers during various conferences and writing forums. In this article, we will look at how real authors such as novelists, memoir writers, and even children’s book writers develop ideas and then implement them.
Where Great Book Ideas Really Come From
Ten different writers will provide ten different responses about where they got their inspiration, but several commonalities exist in their responses.
The transformation of personal experiences. Several authors mention that their own personal experience is turned into fiction through distortion of the details. Even if the plot is entirely detached from reality, the feeling of it remains unchanged.
Curiosity regarding some topic or subject. This is something that nonfiction authors and even those writing historical fiction have noted as the source of their work. An example could be as simple as a footnote within a history book, an evening television program/documentary, or even just a visit to Wikipedia.
“What if” question. Speculative fiction writers often say that the question of what if is the main source of inspiration and can become a starting point for a whole series of books. For example, what if it was possible to sell memories or what if there was an underwater city?
Overheard dialogue and strangers. Some bestselling authors have stated that they came up with some of the characters from conversations with strangers in cafes or other places.
None of these sources are exotic. They’re available to anyone willing to pay attention.
Turning Everyday Observations Into Story Material
But seeing something fascinating is just the first part. Authors who actually do the writing will often note a tendency of catching those snippets before they fade. It can be anything from a notebook to an app on their phone which makes voice memos or simply an ever-expanding file called “ideas”. At this stage, there’s no point in evaluating the worth of ideas; one has to prevent them from fading away.
Eventually, these snippets of ideas become interconnected. The character created six months ago finds its home in the environment described last week. The idea around which the author was spinning but could not formulate until two or three snippets were brought together.
Learning From Real Authors’ Creative Routines
Looking at how established authors structure their creative lives offers useful lessons for anyone stuck at the idea stage.
- Morning pages and free writing. Many writers have recommended that one should write a couple of uncensored pages at the beginning of each day, prior to when your inner critic wakes up. Although this activity does not yield usable text right away, it helps to clear the mind and might even generate a line or two to keep.
- Wide reading and reading outside genres. It is obvious that writers, who read within their genre, repeat what they have already seen in many ways. If a writer reads poems, articles on science and graphics across ages, he gets more unpredictable ideas since they come from combinations of materials never meeting.
- Walking and similar low-stimulating activities. Most writers note that their better ideas do not come at the desk, but appear somewhere else. They arise while walking, taking showers or going on a long drive when a mind can freely work out some associations.
- Discussion with other writers. Writers’ critique groups or partners are not used only for getting opinions about a completed piece of writing. Talking about your half-baked idea out loud makes you realize whether your idea is heavy enough to become a book or it is just a scene.
The commonality amongst all of these practices is that of being consistent. Inspiration does not come by order, but if a person writes consistently, reads consistently, observes consistently, and notes consistently, they will give themselves a greater opportunity to catch something.
From Idea to Manuscript: Staying Consistent
An idea is just a starting point. Authors who actually finish books tend to share a few practical habits that carry an idea through to a completed draft:
- Making up the outline of the premise in just one short paragraph before writing in order for the idea to remain clear despite any complications that develop in the story.
- Fixing a realistic, repeatable target word-count goal instead of setting an unrealistic inspirational sprint that is likely to run out of energy sooner than later.
- Accepting the first rough draft as imperfect because there is a general consensus among authors that the actual writing of a book begins with revising.
- Consulting the original idea notebook if there is a problem in the manuscript because the initial inspiration that sparked the story holds the key to overcoming the problem.
Getting Your Book Ready for Readers
Once a manuscript is finished and revised, a new set of questions appears: how will readers actually discover it? This is where many authors, especially those publishing independently, start looking into professional ebook marketing services. A strong idea and a well-edited manuscript can still go unnoticed in a crowded marketplace without a plan for visibility cover design that matches genre expectations, a description that sells the premise in seconds, and a launch strategy that builds early reviews.
The benefits for authors partnering with professional ebook marketing services go beyond spending on advertising, since the key advantage lies in structuring their efforts: creating a realistic schedule, receiving assistance in the identification of the appropriate genres and keywords on the retailers’ platforms, and advice on pricing policy during launch week. As far as a beginner author gets lost in the practical aspects of the writing business, professional ebook marketing services can turn it from an improvisational action to a repeatable routine, which will allow devoting time to the development of the concept of the next book instead of dealing with launch problems.
However, it should be mentioned that marketing is always more effective if started at an early stage. Those authors who start thinking about their audience and positioning even while working on a draft get a head start compared to other authors.
Special Considerations for Children’s Authors
Ideation takes on a slightly different face in the case of children’s literature, where there is a specific audience, pace, and language used. As many children’s book writers claim, their best ideas come from the very children in their life, whether it be a question asked by a niece in bed, a fear a son could not articulate, or a game developed by a classroom full of six-year-olds. These ideas tend to be the most genuine because they come from the way children truly think.
Once a children’s book idea is drafted, illustrated, and ready, the path to readers usually runs through self-publishing platforms. Publishing a children’s book on Amazon has become one of the most accessible routes for new authors in this category, since it removes the traditional gatekeeping of pitching agents and publishers for a picture book that may only be a few hundred words long. The process of publishing a children’s book on Amazon involves its own learning curve, through formatting for different trim sizes, choosing between paperback and hardcover options, and making sure illustrations render correctly across devices.
Publishers who have experience in publishing children’s books in Amazon for the first time have advised to order a proof of the book before publishing it in order to prevent any changes that might occur in terms of color and positioning of images since such unexpected changes may take place during printing.
Keeping the Idea Well From Running Dry
Another one of those age-old questions that people often ask is “what do you do if the ideas just dry up?” And while veteran writers will often tell you that an idea dry spell is always temporary and caused by burnout, there are a couple things you can do:
- Taking a step back from content that is related to writing and indulging in some other activity, for example, listening to music, enjoying food or traveling.
- Going back to old notebooks and diaries where rejected ideas will be seen in a different light altogether.
- Allowing themselves to try out an unfamiliar genre or form of writing, which always helps to break rigid modes of thought.
- Discussing their work directly with their readers by joining book clubs or engaging in social networking sites.
Final Thoughts
It is very rare that a book idea strikes a person all of a sudden like a lightening bolt from the blue. For most authors who are already established in the industry, it is something that comes out of consistent observation, accumulation, and connection of things which have been lying dormant within them for weeks and months.
Whether the end result is an epic novel, a memoir, or even a children’s book that needs to be published through Amazon, it still boils down to the same fundamental concept of staying interested, making notes and believing that the key is persistence, not inspiration. But once the book is written, giving it the same treatment in terms of marketing as was done in writing is key to success.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Where do authors usually get the idea for their stories from? They tell about how ideas are generated according to their personal experiences, interest in some topics, random conversations they have heard and “what if” statements. Ideas rarely emerge fully developed; rather they are scattered information which writers collect and somehow fit together making sense out of them.
2. Is there a way to know whether or not the idea is worth developing into a novel? Try to explain it out loud to another writer or reader to see whether or not it raises any questions for the listener. There is probably something wrong with your idea if it cannot be explained in just one or two sentences. It is not developed enough for a novel.
3. What if I run out of ideas in the middle of writing a book? Take it as a temporary burn-out rather than an obstruction. Get away from all writing-related material, review previous notes and give yourself permission to read something else. Many writers discover that a little break helps with coming up with new ideas.
4. Is it necessary for me to use professional ebook marketing services in order to be successful as an emerging writer? No, it is not necessary, but many new writers as well as independent authors often find professional ebook marketing services to be very helpful in creating a marketing plan, selecting appropriate retail categories, and gaining visibility.
5. Should I consider self-publishing my children’s book on Amazon as a first-time author? Yes, self-publishing a children’s book on Amazon is one of the easiest options for new children’s authors, because this will eliminate the long process of traditional submission. There are some requirements related to formatting and trim size that have to be considered, and ordering a physical proof before publication is highly recommended.
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