Let's Celebrate the National Day on Writing!

The National Council of Teachers of English established October 20th as the National Day on Writing to transform the public's understanding of writing and the role it plays in society.

I recently read a novel entitled, "Love, Lies, and Cherry Pie" by Jackie Lau, and found some inspiring and applicable quotes about writing fiction:

"Not everyone pictures what's happening in a book as they're reading."

"That's the beauty of a novel. What we see - or don't see - in our minds, our pasts...a single novel can be such a different experience for everyone who reads it."

"Books can help people forget but also help them cope at the same time...Even if you write something dark and twisted, it can help readers escape to another world. Or it can show them that other people are experiencing the same feelings that they are, maybe under different circumstances, but similar nonetheless. It can make you feel not alone when you're lonely, or it can simply entertain you when you're bored. There are so many things that fiction can do."

With gratitude and applause to the National Council of Teachers of English, here are some strategies for coming up with ideas for writing:

* Make lists of topics that you are interested in, this could include hobbies, issues, places, etc.

* Make a list of problems that you have seen characters face in movies, TV shows, or books, and use each as a basis for your own story

* Make a list of your most memorable experiences and determine which might be the basis for a piece of writing, perhaps, featuring lessons learned

* Maintain a journal and collect thoughts and descriptions that might be used as the basis for a piece of writing

* Similar to the above, keep a journal for remembering inspiring quotes from books you read - you never know when the quotes will serve as the basis for a piece of writing (or blog post, as the above quotes did)

* Think about "small moments" of life to expand and explore rather than creating large, involved stories

* Read and re-read your favorite authors and look for places where you can pick up where they left off or think how their story could be re-told from a different character's perspective

* Take elements from an existing storyline from a book, movie, or play, and work your own real-life or past experiences in to create an entirely new story

* Make a list of your favorite movies or books and look for patterns in the storylines or look for storylines that can be combined or changed

* Read, read, read - all great authors are READERS who constantly look for ideas from other authors

So, how do you decide what to write about? What are your inspirational secrets? Chime in and share!

Image Credit: National Council of Teachers of English.