Opposites
One of the most common questions asked of writers is where their ideas come from, and the answer is usually pretty consistent. Generally, writers DON’T KNOW where they get their ideas. Every now and then an author will tell you they overheard a conversation that sparked an idea, or maybe they saw something weird happen at a supermarket that prompted them to write their first novel, but many of the ideas for stories just seem to come from nowhere. They coalesce from the darkest corners of a writer’s twisted mind and find their way onto paper. But what if nothing is “coalescing” for you? What if you sit there, staring at an empty page for hours and not a single good idea emerges from the dusty cobwebs in the proverbial corner of your mind? Is there a solution? OF COURSE there is! One of the best ways to come up with ideas is just to START WRITING! Today’s exercise is premised upon a concept upon which many great stories are based. And the concept is this–many good stories are made up of two ideas that really don’t seem like they should go together. Take Indiana Jones, for example. You take an archaeologist/professor and pit him against the Nazis! What a ridiculous idea, right? Well, apparently it wasn’t TOO ridiculous, because they made three great movies out of it . . . although, to my recollection, the second one had very little to do with Nazis.
***
Think of two people who are polar opposites of one another. They can be real people, or you can pull them right out of your head. (But be careful when using real people. If you plan to publish your story, you could get sued for slander . . . or is it libel? I can’t remember!) Anyways, try to think of two people who are so incredibly different that it would be weird to see them in a room together. Like maybe Genghis Khan and a punk skater kid.
Once you have your characters, write a short biography about each character. What is he/she passionate about? What does he/she detest more than anything?
Then use these biographies and put your characters in a car. Where are they going? What brought them together? How do their passions and hatreds set them at odds with one another?
Write a short story idea based on this exercise. Will the two characters find a way to live in peace with each other? Or will they drive each other insane? More importantly, whether or not they learn to accept each other, what do they LEARN in the process of their interaction.
ENJOY!!