Creative Techniques for Finding Short Story Ideas
Updated: Jul 21
Writing short stories can be as exhausting as it is enjoyable. This is particularly the case when we’re not sure what to write about. We may find ourselves unsure of how to approach the story or which direction to take it in. However, once we’ve decided on a topic, the hardest part is over. When inspiration strikes, the rest becomes easier to develop. This is why the real challenge more often than not lies in figuring out what to write about. So, I’d like to explain how I come up with some of my story ideas and share the methods I’ve discovered while reflecting on this topic.
I’ll go through it point by point, providing small examples to illustrate each one.
1. Reward – Cost
I’m not sure if this is an established trope. I simply named it this way to make it memorable. In this thought experiment, imagine a system that provides a benefit. However, introduce an additional cost that complicates matters and balances the system out. This makes the story feel more realistic and natural. After all, major gains often give rise to new problems.
For example, suppose you’re writing a story in which time travel is possible. However, the time traveller cannot choose when or where they travel; they must find themselves in a random era. Imagine a world where people no longer eat food. This situation might be comforting for some. But where would they get the necessary calories and vitamins? This would demand alternatives. This topic is sure to intrigue readers and make them think. Another unconventional topic could be the idea of storing people's dreams and using them to generate energy. But what about those who cannot dream? While some people naturally possess this “rewards”, others are deprived of it. What consequences might this difference bring about?
2. Occupations
I’ll approach this from two angles. First, think of an occupation that has either disappeared or lost its purpose over time. You can look these up, I’m sure you’ll discover some fascinating things! Now, try to adapt them to the present day. Before alarm clocks existed, for instance, there were people who knocked on windows to wake others up, and people who wrote letters on behalf of those who couldn’t read or write. This might sound rather unusual today. How would the existence of such professions, or similar ones, affect the present day?
Now, let's move on to the second idea. Let's twist professions. Let's give an existing profession a task that it wouldn't normally perform. For example, imagine a detective who tracks down people’s lost memories. Or a psychologist who treats robots suffering from depression. We could even have a solicitor who specialises in sleepwalking-related crimes and accidents. This exercise has the potential to highlight fascinating topics that might not spring to mind at first.
3. Rule(s)
This time, you know what you want to write about, but you’re finding it hard to decide on the structure. Set yourself one or more rules. The more rules you set, the more varied your story can be, but the more challenging it will also be. Make your choice accordingly.
Stick strictly to your chosen rule or principle. Let everything unfold within its framework. As I said, establishing more than one rule allows you to create cause-and-effect relationships between them. As the writer, you and your characters must adhere to these rules. However, stories often begin where the rules are tested or pushed to their limits, leading to unexpected outcomes.
Yes, we’re heading in the opposite direction. Calibrate this test carefully. Even if you don’t want to overturn the rules entirely, you can still bend and twist them. Look for a loophole. Question yourself. Ask yourself whether there is a flaw in your logic or whether you have missed something. Creating at least two characters can be helpful for this. One character can then question the rigidity of the rules, while the other can provide insights within that context.
Imagine you have created a world in which people cannot deliberately kill one another. How would accidental deaths be assessed in that case? How would someone seeking revenge try to circumvent this rule? First establish the system, then look for the cracks.
4. Object
Think of an object and how it could be used for something other than its intended purpose. It's quite simple. For example, keep the clocks, but make sure they don't tell the time. Instead, let them symbolise how much time your pet has left. This change would add an emotional dimension to the story, giving new meaning to every minute.
Now, let's tweak this idea slightly. This time, let the object retain its primary function, but change how it is used. Imagine a castle with a hundred rooms and only one door, for instance. Movement between rooms is only possible through that door. Wherever a person wishes to go, the door opens onto that room. How would privacy work in such a situation? How would space and time function? Could a room be locked? If the door broke, how would someone leave the room they were in?
As another example, let’s consider a fork. Suppose it altered the taste of the food being eaten. What significance would cooking then have? Would the variety of ingredients matter? If every dish tasted the same, would there be any difference between poor-quality and high-quality ingredients?
5. Proverbs and idioms
Children often struggle to understand idioms because they think in a more direct and concrete way. However, idioms are figurative, describing situations that differ greatly from the literal meanings of their constituent words.
Proverbs, on the other hand, usually convey a judgement or piece of advice. “Time is money” and “a drop in the ocean” are two examples that spring to mind. The question is clear: what sort of story would result from incorporating these phrases?
There is even a film where time really is money. Let's apply the same logic to the latter proverb. Imagine a world suffering from water scarcity where every drop matters. What if everyone was paid in drops? The idea that someone with a bucket of water would be considered wealthy is intriguing. The ways in which people might evolve in response to this scarcity, and the different solutions they might seek out, could be fascinating. So too does the notion of an alternative emerging to replace water.
Wouldn't it be interesting if everyone's lifespan was determined by the length of their coat? In such a world, weavers would hold immense power, determining people's lifespans. Now, let's take the expression “being a talebearer” literally. Imagine that you could only speak as many words as your bag could hold. Some questions would have no answer. Some questions wouldn't even exist.
6. The Exception
Identify a common trait that all the characters in your story possess or are subject to. Decide whether this trait is perceived as positive or negative. Remember that being the exception is not necessarily an advantage. Portray your main character as lacking this trait (or, conversely, as possessing it). Let them take on the role of the exception. Consider what kind of story could be written in this scenario.
For example, what if everyone in the world was immortal, yet only one person aged? Would people pity them? Would they revere them? Would they worship them? Or would they be repulsed by them?
Now, imagine a world where everyone can see the future but quickly forgets the past. Now imagine someone who cannot see the future. In contrast, let him be able to remember the past in its entirety. He would be the only person to record the history of civilisation. Would the fact that they cannot foresee whether he will be able to complete his historical account drive him to paranoia?
7. A different perspective on history
This is another idea that I find fascinating. In fact, I had planned to create a series based on this approach. Think of significant moments in history. Perhaps an event that captivates you, or one that you found particularly intriguing while conducting research. Now, think of the main characters involved.
For example, imagine that someone is working on an invention. Instead of focusing on the inventor, however, focus on his assistant. Follow the development of the invention through his eyes, and describe the inventor’s personality and transformation from an outsider's perspective. Describe the inventor’s emotional state as an outside observer would perceive it. Convey what even the inventor himself cannot see. Imagine a battlefield. Don't be the general; be a prisoner of war instead. Observe the opposing side from the inside.
This need not be limited to real history. You could narrate the turning points of a fictional world through the eyes of a witness rather than someone at the centre of an event. For instance, you could play the role of the judge presiding over the trial of the first cloned person, determining who legally qualifies as the “original person” as they accuse one another.
8. Classical paintings
Finally, we come to the method that inspired me to write this piece. It is quite different from the other methods mentioned. In our literary group, we hold a monthly event based on this method.
We select a painting and then write stories inspired by it. It's rather like visiting a museum and standing in front of a work of art to reflect on it. The emotions that a piece of artwork evokes in you are unique to you. You may find inspiration when looking at it. Try writing a story based on the associations it brings to mind. In my opinion, it's great fun!
The best thing about this exercise is that you're actually looking at a real work of art. In other words, you have a finished visual in front of you. Depending on the associations it evokes in you, this visual already carries a story within it. You may grasp this at first glance. Sometimes, however, the opposite happens and you have to look at it for a long time. Redraw the painting in your imagination. Alternatively, leave the painting as it is and let its colours and elements speak for themselves. Become its “background writer”. Create a story so that it looks as though the painting has been drawn over afterwards. I think that’s a wonderful feeling.
In this example, the painting has a theme, subject and form, as well as elements that help to tell the story. Your task is to let the associations of the painting carry you away. As you research the painting, you can also incorporate historical or symbolic details into your narrative. This approach is both creative and educational.
You can apply the same method to other art forms, such as music, sculpture, architecture or craftsmanship.
The process of writing a story starts in the mind. Although thought experiments can be enjoyable, putting them down on paper can be challenging. This is why it is important to train your mind to generate ideas, just as you would exercise a muscle to keep it strong. Whenever ideas come to you, write them down. Don’t worry if they seem clichéd. Then, elaborate on them as much as you like. If you wish, write between one hundred and two hundred words to help you visualise the direction of the story. Forgetting the feeling a thought gives you the moment it first arises can be extremely frustrating. Your mind is the source of new ideas. We cannot know when new ideas will come. However, by opening our minds to exercises like this one, we can speed up their emergence.
Comments