"I don't have any ideas" stops more writers than anything else. But ideas surround you by the hundreds; the problem isn't scarcity — it's that you walk past them without noticing. Generating ideas is a trainable skill. Here's how.
Where ideas hide
- "What if?": take an ordinary situation and flip it — what if a man woke and no one remembered him?
- A passing headline: one news line hides ten stories behind it.
- The question "why?": you saw a stranger crying at a station — why? Invent the answer.
- Your own memory: the truest stories grow from a scar, a joy, or a regret you lived.
From spark to plot
An idea alone isn't a story. Turn it into one with two questions: who is the character that will live this idea, and what do they want that they can't have? Give the idea a character and a desire, and it starts to walk.
The golden rule: there are no bad ideas — only ideas you haven't asked the right questions yet.
Keep an idea notebook
Ideas arrive at the worst times and flee fast. Carry a notebook (or a note on your phone) and capture every spark without judging it. In a month you'll own a mine to draw from whenever you sit to write.
Turn your idea into a published story
When an idea ripens, don't let it sleep in a drawer. Read how to write a short story, then publish it on Nass for real readers. Download Nass and start from your first spark.
FAQ
How do I come up with short story ideas?
Look to “what if?” questions, passing headlines, strangers' moments, and your own memories. Ideas are abundant; train yourself to notice them and capture each spark in an idea notebook right away.
How do I turn an idea into a story?
Give the idea a character with a clear desire and an obstacle. The tension between what they want and what blocks them generates the events and turns an abstract idea into a plot that moves.
Where can I publish my stories?
Nass lets you publish your stories for free and reach real readers with their direct comments, on iOS and Android.