What sort of story should you tell?

Perhaps the greatest fear most authors experience in a writing is coming up with a good subject the audience will read. the audience is fickle and vague about what topics are acceptable. readers want to be surprised by the authors ingenuity. Unfortunately, an author never knows whether their audience will judge their work as "brilliantly original" or "totally unintelligible." The trick is to do something new or unexpected in conjunction with something tried and true.

pick a genera

read lots of books in your chosen genera. assuming you are writing genera fiction, notice what elements people come to the genera to enjoy. in a mystery there will be a crime, well developed characters and a riddle to be solved. in a western there will be the western setting and action. Instead of writing about "things never written about before," try to make a new contribution to one of the many ongoing conversations in the genera. publishers tend to favor works that fit with their existing line of publications. Think of your work as either extending existing work or taking it in a new direction. after you get the hang of it then push the envelope.

If you intend to publish fiction, it's a good idea to first familiarize yourself with the work of successful fiction writers and consider what it is about their work that appeals to publishers. There is no shame in following the same roads that led to their success. This isn't the same as "copying" or "ripping off" an author; there is a difference between duplicating techniques and duplicating content.

the easiest way to find a topic to write about is to see what other writers are writing about and join their "conversation."

Discovering Ideas

Before writing, you should explore your ideas and let your mind think without restraint. Remember, the ideas may pop up to your mind anytime and anywhere. Always prepare to record the new inspiration; for example, writing down on a napkin when you are eating, recording yourself on a tape recorder, or taking a picture of what you see that inspires you. The biggest mistake a novice writer can make is to rely solely on "inspiration." You cannot write about something or even have an informed opinion about it until you know something about the subject. do your research.

writers block