Idea constipation

[dlevanchuk]

Kind of frustrated!
I really wantt to write a short story, and have an urge to write... but no idea what to write about!

What do you do in this case?

 

[Alcove Audio]

Pick random names out of the phone book and write a short description/story of/about them.

 

[harmonica44]

Do you know at least what genre you would probably be best writing in, and why?

 

[Flicker Pictures]

This is a curious problem. You want to write a short story, but have no ideas? Or you have tons of ideas and just can't choose one?

 

[Flicker Pictures]

I ask because "idea constipation" sounds like you have a lot of ideas backed up, waiting to get out onto paper. Maybe you're suffering from "idea blight"?

 

[Cracker Funk]

I giant, theater-sized large bucket of popcorn works terrifically, to end actual constipation (don't ask me how I know). Perhaps it might also help idea constipation?

Honestly. Go watch a movie. Who knows what tangents it might take your brain on.

Me? The only solution that's ever worked has been an impending deadline. My brain doesn't seem to function without one. Maybe find a film-fest you'd like to enter?

 

[a.p]

what i did to start my writing was i picked a topic that i'm obsessed with (post-spocalypse) and just started writing about what happened to make it like that. then i accidently wrote about a group of people, so i wrote about the people, then i just expanded and now i literally have a world on paper. try it out yo.

 

[dlevanchuk]

Thank you everyone for great suggestions! I think I just need to take a day off, and let the ideas simmer.

I do have bunch of interesting settings for a film, but no interest conflicts. Get good interesting characters, but I can't really figure out what do they WANT.. and why they can't get it..

I'll just start writing different people, characters. mash em up a bit, maybe something interesting will come out..



I guess my main issue would be finding characters' "wants" that worth telling..