As a writer, I am asked over and over again, "Where do you get the ideas for your stories?"
And I usually reply, "From everywhere."
But I realize that this isn't very helpful to the writer who is struggling to come up with ideas. So over the years while leading various writing groups, both on-line and off-line, I have developed what I call Story Germs. I may set the scene and ask you to provide the characters or the reverse. Or I may describe a situation and ask you to write what happens next.
So here, to get you started writing, I will post a new story germ every week or so. How you allow them to grow and take shape is up to you.
Story Germ #32
A CD envelop arrives in the mail. Your character pops the CD into her discman and it begins to play a song that still after all the years can send her mind and heart winging back to a certain time and place. When the song is over... she hears that familiar voice, telling her that he'll be coming to town on such and such a date, would she meet him?
What is the song? And more importantly... will she meet him? Why or why not?
Remember to play around with these. Try the unexpected. And start looking for your own Story Germs. Keep index cards handy and write them down. You may not have time to work on them at that very moment but they will be there when you need inspiration.
For previously posted writing exercises, please check out the Story Germ Archives.