Where Did That Idea Come From?

I am very pleased to host today Lillie Ammann’s answers to a question all authors have to answer sooner or later: “Where did that idea come from?”

In Lillie’s case, the question refers to her latest novel: Dream or Destiny.

I had the pleasure to read and review her novel while it was still under the scrutiny of an editor.

I don’t know what changed, if something, but as it was a few months ago… the novel had it all: excitement, adventure, good prose – in short: an excellent read, which I highly recommend.

Without further delay, here’s what Lillie would answer when you ask: Where did that idea come from?

People wonder where writers get their ideas. “Where did that idea come from?” they ask. Often the question reflects more than simple curiosity. Folks would like to come up creative ideas of their own—for their blog, their job, or their business … or just to impress their friends.

In Dream or Destiny, my newly released romantic mystery novel, Marilee Anderson’s dream of a murder comes true. I’m often asked, “Where did that idea come from?” Although it’s been far more than ten years, I recall exactly where I got the idea. My husband and I watched a documentary on TV about a woman who had psychic dreams about murders. She had used her dreams on many occasions to help law enforcement solve crimes, including a cold murder case in which the body had never been found. Based on her dream, the woman led officers to a shallow grave in an isolated area high on a mountain. The body and crime scene provided enough evidence to convict the killer. The subject of psychic dreams fascinated me, and I wondered what would happen if someone dreamed of the actual murder. That idea formed the premise of Dream or Destiny.

However, another element of the story appeared for no apparent reason. As I wrote the book, a theme of domestic violence emerged. Through the years, my awareness of domestic violence has grown. There was no specific trigger to include this theme in the story; it was a natural evolution of my interest in the subject.

If you would like to come up with great ideas of your own, follow these seven tips:

• Develop a broad range of interests. Try a new hobby, nurture an interest in geography or geology, or investigate a business or career. More topics of interest mean more sources of ideas.
• Continue to learn. Read, take classes, explore online. As you are introduced to new ideas and new information, you’re more likely to come up with new ideas of your own.
• Observe the world around you. Watch people, news, and nature. As you pay attention to things you’ve never noticed before, you’ll generate ideas you’ve never had before.
• Ask “What if …?” When I had a stroke, I had to depend on my husband to care for me. I wondered “What if this happened to someone who didn’t have a partner willing and able to provide care?” A possible answer to that question became my first novel, Stroke of Luck.
• Sleep on it. Most of us have experienced waking up in the middle of the night with a brilliant idea. Sometimes it’s still brilliant in the morning; sometimes it’s not. But thinking about the problem (whether it’s an issue at work, a plot for a novel, or the topic of a blog post) before bedtime activates your subconscious mind to try to find a solution. Keep a notepad by your bed to jot down those middle-of-the-night ideas.
• Give yourself time to be creative. Don’t expect to be creative on demand. Your next great idea may come when you least expect it—perhaps in the shower days after you first thought about writing a story or solving a problem.
• Save ideas even when you don’t immediately see a way to use them. My next novel will be based on an idea I had years ago. I wasn’t ready to develop the idea at the time, but I am now. You can record ideas in a journal (either on paper or on your computer). Or you can keep an idea box or file where you store handwritten or typed notes, newspaper clippings, intriguing photos—anything at all that you may want to use later. We tend to think we’ll remember the ideas that seem so brilliant when we get them, but unless we make a conscious effort to retain them, they tend to disappear out of our memory. Never let an idea slip away—save it for a time when you can fully develop it. At the very least, you’ll feel more confident if you have a file or journal filled with ideas.

Where do you get your ideas? How do you remember or save them? I’ll be back during the day to respond to comments or answer questions.

I’m visiting eWritings as part of my three-week blog book tour for Dream or Destiny. eWritings is a special stop for me because Mig was one of my first readers for the novel. You can read reviews, including a quote from Mig, or a free excerpt as well as a tour schedule on my Web site. I’ll be back here on Friday, November 7, talking about Getting Published with a Little Help from My Friends.

Lillie Ammann is a freelance writer and editor specializing in working with self-publishing authors. Dream or Destiny is her second novel.

Lillie, who blogs at A Writer’s Words, An Editor’s Eye, lives in San Antonio, Texas with her husband Jack.