Serious question, a weird thing at the library in Portland totally changed how I come up with story ideas

I was at the main branch in Portland, just browsing the fiction section, when I overheard two people arguing about whether a character in a book they both read was actually a ghost. They were so into it, pointing at pages and everything. It made me think about how a simple misunderstanding between characters could drive a whole plot. Now I try to listen for real conversations to find those little conflicts. What's a normal place you've found a good writing prompt?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_dylan1mo ago

My best ideas come from grocery store checkouts, which is pretty sad when you think about it. I once saw a person buy only a single lemon, a roll of duct tape, and a birthday card. The story just writes itself from there. My notes app is full of these weird little moments I've seen in line. It's a goldmine for character motivation, or at least a solid opening scene. I should probably get out more, but the produce aisle is weirdly inspiring.

felix8241mo ago

That lemon and duct tape story is actually pretty good.

kim37315d ago

That reminds me of something I read about how writers find inspiration in the strangest places. There's this whole book called "The 5:00 a.m. Miracle" where the guy talks about getting ideas from gas station lines and waiting rooms. Makes sense though, people watching is like free story fuel. The lemon and duct tape combo is GENIUS honestly, I bet that person was either building something weird or fixing a really bad day.