Sparking Ideas

by Mindy Obenhaus 

People often ask me where I find ideas for my stories. And while I wish I could say something like, "Well, there's this secret book and it has all these great ideas," I usually just shrug my shoulders and say, "Everywhere."

The truth is, we never know what will spark a story idea. It can be an event, a personal experience, genealogy research, even a place. My very first book began forming in my mind as I roamed the mountains around the small town of Ouray, Colorado. 

An integral part of any story idea is asking, "What if?" You hear/see/read something and the next thing you know, your mind has latched onto a tiny morsel of information and is already running with it. Sometimes it hits a brick wall, other times you find yourself with the makings of a really good story.

Here are a few places you can find story ideas:

• The News - Yes, these days watching the news can be torture, but occasionally there will be a nugget buried somewhere in a story that has you asking, "What if?" Human interest stories can really spark things. I saw something on a local news station not long ago that triggered an idea.
• Research - Sometimes research for one story can lead to an idea for another.
• Other books or movies - No, I'm not talking about plagiarizing, I'm saying put a spin on them. Have you ever watched a movie or read a book and thought to yourself, "What if this had happened instead?" You know, there are only so many tropes out there. The key is to flip them around and look at them from every angle and come up with a different approach and a whole new story. 
• Divine Intervention - Ever have one of those moments where a story idea just pops into your head while you're doing something mundane like washing dishes or folding laundry. No matter how crazy the idea might be, write it down, because you just never know. While you may think it's nothing that would lead to something, it could be that God's only giving you what you need at that very moment. If He formed the universe out of nothing, He can certainly get the ball rolling on a story by giving you one tiny glimpse.

The key to finding story ideas is to never discount anything. Even if you have a nugget of something and can't figure out what to do with it, don't cast it aside. Save it, because you never know when you might come across another idea to pair it with. I know this, because the story I'm currently working on is one that first blipped on my mental radar back in 2005. It's been sitting in reserve all these years and has now taken on a totally different incarnation.

Now it's your turn. Writers, where are some odd places you've come up with story ideas? Readers, what do you think when you read a story that's put a spin on a classic trope? I've got a copy of A Soldier's Homecoming, an upcoming a 2-in-1 with my 2016 release, Falling for the Hometown Hero and Renee Ryan's 2010 release, Homecoming Hero for one lucky commenter (US only, please).

Award-winning author Mindy Obenhaus is passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. She lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, two sassy pups, countless cattle, deer and the occasional coyote, mountain lion or snake. When she's not writing, she enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, cooking and watching copious amounts of the Hallmark Channel. Learn more at www.MindyObenhaus.com