Finding story ideas can be tough sometimes.

Sure, just about everyone has their million dollar novel

idea, but shaping that idea into a true story and adding the detail to keep readers engaged can be
daunting. Here are 7 sources for story ideas that you can use.

1. Overhearing/Eavesdropping

This sounds a lot worse than it actually is. Listen to everyday conversations that people are having.

2. Visual Observation

Pay attention to what’s going on around you. The world is full of stories that you can see unfolding in
real time.

3. Anecdotes/Gossip

These are stories that we hear from other people but we can make them our own with a little tweaking.
No, it’s not stealing…it’s generating story ideas!

4. News

Fact is stranger than fiction. Grab a newspaper (those still exist, right?) and thumb through some
headlines. There are tons of ideas in there.

5. Dreams

Yep, dreams. Keep a pen and paper by your bed at all times. You’d be amazed at how many weird and
fun stories come from dreams.

6. Memories

Memories are a great way to build a world around a story.

7. Research

Whether you’re writing fiction or non-fiction, researching people, places and things in history can
conjure up all kinds of story ideas.

Stories are central to human cognition and communication. We engage with others through stories, and
storytelling is a lot more than just a recitation of facts and events. As human beings, we are
automatically drawn to stories because we see ourselves reflected in them. We inevitably interpret the
meaning in stories and understand ourselves better. But we now live in the fast-paced information age,
where information, concepts, and ideas continuously bombard us from every direction.