An agent once told a screenwriter friend of mine not to start writing a script until he had generated a dozen story ideas. The agent didn’t want to see a completed script until he had a chance to review my friend’s basics. “Some ideas are movie material,” he said. “Some are too small, too old-fashioned, too weird, or just plain boring. Only when you can come up with a dozen story ideas in an hour can you compete with Hollywood screenwriters.”
That agent’s message hit our writing group like a bucket of cold fish guts. Most of us had a “big” idea that we were trying to turn into a complete story, while protecting it from idea thieves we thought were lurking. The idea of ​​generating a dozen story ideas, only to discard most of them, seemed like not only a lot of work but also wasteful.
However, what I learned from that agent is that ideas are like grapes. With the right nutrition, they will grow, often in groups, and pruning one batch simply makes room for the next.
Can you express your idea in 25 words or less?
A story concept presents in one line who the hero is, what the hero wants, and the conflict to get it. This concept is also known as log line. Here’s one you may recognize:
An archaeologist wants to find the Ark of the Covenant, but he must beat the Nazis.
That, of course, is a possible log line for Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark from screenwriter Lawrence Kasdan and director George Lucas. You can find other examples every week in the movie section of your newspaper (although they won’t always be complete). See if you can identify the following concepts from popular novels and movies:
- A sports agent loses all but one client and wants to take him to the top, but his client is rude and obnoxious.
- A simple but popular university professor wants to win the heart of a colleague, but he lacks self-esteem.
- A woman wants to save her son from a killer robot from the future, but the robot is unstoppable.
- A prosecutor wants to prove that he did not murder his lover, but all the clues point directly to him.
- A storm chaser wants to record a tornado, but it’s dangerous and has never been done before.
Did you guess them all? 1. jerry mcguire (Cameron Crowe) 2. The mirror has two faces (Richard LaGravenese) 3. Terminator II: Judgment Day (James Cameron) 4. presumed innocent (Scott Turow) 5. Twister (Michael Crighton, Anne-Marie Martin)
Time It: a dozen story concepts in an hour
Start by brainstorming answers to the following:
- What occupations have you had? What is your place in the family? In which cities and countries have you lived or visited?
- What skills/talents do you have? In what areas are you totally inept?
- That you love? what do you hate What do you fear? What do you want?
Name some characters and project their goals
Choose any of the “people” described in your brainstorming notes and give that person a burning wish, preferably a wish that is contrary to the character’s personality, position in life, or abilities. Here are several from my own brainstorming session:
- A chaste but impatient young woman wants to experience sex.
- A young writing teacher wants to win the heart of an older student.
- A city dweller longs to live in the country.
- A failed mechanic wants to drive an MG known for breakdowns.
- An apprehensive horror movie fan wants to hold a session.
Then comes the conflict
Without conflict, you have no history.
- A chaste but impatient young woman wants to experience sex, however, her boyfriend wants to remain celibate until marriage.
- A young writing teacher wants to win the heart of an older student. but the student worries about what his family would think.
- A city dweller longs to live in the country, but his country neighbors are crazy and possibly dangerous.
Your turn
Reducing your story to a one-sentence concept can crystallize it for you (and the reader) and guide you to stay on track. Try it. State in an award:
- Who is your hero / what does he do:
- What your hero wants:
- And the conflict to get it:
Make it a daily game
Whether you start with the plot or the characters, this structural start can propel your creativity to high performance. You’ll get story ideas spinning at you from all directions.
After brainstorming from what you already know, consider unfamiliar people, places, and situations that pique your interest. In a single hour, you can generate a dozen story concepts, maybe a great idea that turns into a great story. And you’ll never have to look at a blank page.
