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/lit/ - Literature

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6781119 No.6781119 [Reply] [Original]

How to get an idea for a book...I have no problem with the writing i just cant seem to get the idea of the novel, what i want it to be about.. How does one become..inspired. Pic somewhat related

>> No.6781122

One time I got an idea for a short story by just straight up scrolling through my music library and looking at song titles for ideas.

>> No.6781124

when you're our of idea you go meta

>> No.6781146

>>6781119
for my short stories and novels (many of which are completed and unpublished so far) the ideas just come to me...i believe it to be a mild form of schizophrenia, i hear the characters and they tell me their stories, i just write them down

for my published stuff, since it's b/s erotica, i just pull things out of my ass

>> No.6781147
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6781147

>>6781124
what's the meta

>> No.6781149

i want /tv/ to go

>> No.6781413

>>6781119
what are you interested in? which genre?

>> No.6781422

>>6781119

The ability to come up with ideas is the thing you need to have before you even worry about getting proficient at writing.

You will never come up with anything good.

>> No.6781561

>>6781119
Read more, do more stuff in your life, eavesdrop on strangers' conversations.

>> No.6782995

>>6781413
I'll do anything from mystery thriller to wild western to slow character based (something like The Stranger)

>> No.6783117

>>6782995
If you like mystery thriller, I think there are many sources for inspirations. Just check wikipedia, reddit, or /x/ about some unsolved real-life cases and come up with your own version of the story.

One advantage is that your work is already interesting for people who are fascinated by that case.
For example, I'm interested in the JFK assassination, especially the role of the Babushka Lady. If you are writing a novel about her, you will have my attention.

>> No.6783149

>>6781119
Inspiration comes from God; give yourself to God and you will be rewarded with abundant fruits of inspiration, but do not expect to be granted motivation as well. You are still responsible for your will.

>> No.6783219

>>6783149
yes, and if you're really faithful you come up with a fantasy novel like the bible

>> No.6783229

>>6781119
Try not to think about whole plots but rather "What if" questions. That way things will be free to develop in an organic way.

Stephen King actually has some great insights on this in his book, "On Writing".

>> No.6783236

>>6783219
Control your euphoria, heretic.

>> No.6783368

>>6783236
I'm just jealous that I didn't write a bestseller like that one

>> No.6783654

>>6781119
Just take material that already exists. You don't have to be entirely original. Just take something that interests you. It's what you make out of it, that matters.

>> No.6783668
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6783668

>>6781119
Read a lot of short nonficition, listen to NPR, and pay attention to your surroundings as you go about your life.

I get all my "what if..." ideas for stories from these three things. By short nonfiction, I mean stuff like The New Yorker and The Atlantic.

>> No.6783680

think about something that really grabs you, an aspect about people or society that really pisses you off, a life experience that really affected you in some way, a hobby that you love, etc.

then think about how you can express that through a story

>> No.6783682

>>6781119
Dream. Dreams are amazing. Look up ways to induce and remember dreams and eventually you should get something good.

>> No.6783854

>>6781147
you write about a struggling writer

>> No.6783859

>>6783149
god symbolises the unconscious self

>> No.6783880

I also find pretty hard to start a story. Most of the times I just write scenarios to practice, example some weeks ago I wrote about a guy getting home after a week of work, taking a beer and drinking outside while looking at things on his neighborhood. I found that price really well wrote by my standards, so I keep trying to push in a story, but every idea was silly.

>> No.6783886

>>6781124
Don't do this shit it's lazy and everyone will know.
>>6781119
Honestly, inspiration is bullshit. It's good to get the ball rolling but it isn't necessary. Play with ideas. Find things that you like from art or writing or whatever. Keep a mental drawer of things that resonate with you and draw from that.

The truth is that most people have nothing to say. Feeling like you have to say something important comes from an unwarranted sense of self-importance. What you're going to make will be bad, you'll probably feel unsatisified with it. That's completely normal. Enjoy the process because otherwise you are going to be fucking miserable the entire way through.

>> No.6784582

OP HERE.
Thank you for your answers everyone, feeling better about finally starting to write something :)
>>6783886
This resonated with me thanks for the honesty.
>>6783682
Will do, there are always a few interesting things you can pick up from dreams
>>6783229
>>6783654
>>6783117
thank you