Where Do You Get Your Ideas?

by Adam Huddleston

I would venture to guess that every famous author of fiction has at one point or another been asked the standard question: “Where do you get your ideas?” It’s a query often brought forth from novice writers looking for any bit of advice they can get.

As is typical with authors, the answers are quite varied. Some look back to life experiences for their inspiration. Others might take a previously published work and add their own personal twist on it.

One of the major impetuses for my writing is the dialogue I hear in everyday life. For example: One of my kids once asked if they could play on my phone. My wife responded that they couldn’t because, “Dad’s battery is dead.” That’s when the muse slapped me upside the head. What if, in the future, the male gender was extinct and all men were androids? And what might happen if one of these android’s batteries were running down, causing his spouse to need to reorder another husband, and this caused the artificially intelligent being to feel first sadness, then anger?

Yep.

That’s the kind of stuff that goes through my mind.

My advice for a struggling writer would be to search for ideas everywhere. Internet queries, favorite songs, even that awkward first kiss from a junior high classmate are fair game. If you look hard enough, eventually that muse will start swinging.

Just don’t duck.

Happy writing!