10 Story Starters to Kick Off Your Next Tale”

Do you often feel like you are stuck and can’t think of any good ideas? Many people refer to this as writer’s block. There is some debate over it. Some believe it exists. Others say there’s no such thing.

Here is a blog post I found where Dawn Raffel shares her thoughts on this topic based on her experience. The Truth

Either way, if you’re stuck and just need an imagination boost, here are 10 great story starters. These are not meant to replace your current project. They are designed to help you exercise the area of your brain that stimulates idea creation.

For each suggestion, I give one possible idea you can run with. Feel free to come up with your own ideas.

1. “I didn’t plan to steal the artifact, but it was calling my name.”
   • The artifact is a diamond-studded, gold-crowned face. It bears a strong resemblance to someone you love. The person has been missing for a decade.
2. A town where everyone forgets one day of the week.
   • The day of the week is forgotten every week, creating havoc with neighboring towns.
3. A stranger hands you a key and whispers: “Don’t lose this.”
   • You hide the key in a “safe place”, then forget where you hid it.
4. Someone receives a phone call from their future self.
   • They tell them, “Don’t trust the person in red.” When they leave the house, everyone is wearing something red.
5. A character wakes up in a different location each day. It seems impossible to have reached that location from where they were the night before.
   • One night, they are in LA, and the next morning, they are in Australia. The next morning, they are in Ireland. The next morning, they are in Brazil. They have no memory of how they traveled to these places.
6. A place that exists only when people are asleep.
   • It’s been done, but you can make it fresh. Are you writing sci-fi? Make the place an alien planet. Are you writing fantasy? Make the place Middle-earth. Are you writing for children? Make the place Candy Land.
7. A hidden door in your house that wasn’t there yesterday.
   • The door opens to a special tearoom that only exists in another reality. In this tearoom, you meet famous writers. What do they teach you?
8. A letter arrives with no return location but holds life-changing news.
   • The letter warns that they know who you are. If you want to stay hidden, you have to leave your family.
9. A storm brings more than rain—it brings memories.
   • These memories are of a time you didn’t remember. Now, you have the answer to that gnawing question. This is the question that’s been eating at you for years. And now you must track down a killer.
10. A notebook where every event you write comes true.
    • Is the notebook magic? If it’s magic, where does it get its power from?

Even though I’ve given you some story starter ideas, you may still find that you are stuck. Here are some ways I’ve used to get unstuck.

1. Go for a walk. Exercise helps to free up the mind for thinking.
2. Engage in people watching. Sit at a coffee shop and listen to conversations. Learn the ebb and flow of dialogue.
3. Attend a workshop. Taking a writing class helps us be focused on writing.
4. Read a book, listen to music, watch a movie. These activities help stimulate our creative minds.

Which prompt sparks your imagination the most? Share your favorites in the comments and tell me why they sparked your imagination.