As you venture through Story Institute looking for story topics, poem ideas, or writing tips, use these guidelines to help with your journey. This post was written for a younger writer who was looking for a complete storyline and character development. We have changed it for a general audience with the hope that others can benefit from the thoughts.

1) Look for ideas, write with a purpose – The topics on Story Institute can not stand alone for a great story. However, the components are there for each writer to add that in. The author decides each step, each character each answer. The questions about what happens next are for those that may not know how to write a story in general. The deeper meaning will come from the writer.

So, you think that you have that perfect topic for your short story or novel…you think that you have a good idea of what your storyline will be. You’ve written down some character names…You’ve chosen your location, your setting, and such…You’ve even started writing the first chapter…As you near the middle of the seventh page, you pause and look at the rest of the blank page…Wait a minute, what happened there?

If you were throwing a party, where would you hold it? Would it be at your house? In the living room? Or, backyard? Would your party be at the small, family restaurant down the street? Or, would you host it at the convention center? Oh, what were you saying, you are more of a party-goer, rather than a party-thrower…well, that will not make a difference…you still need a place to go and enjoy the celebration.

Whether you share short stories, knit novels, or compose poetry, you are constantly in search of a subject. Where do you find your inspiration? Where do you search for the sanity that is the focus of your piece? The challenge usually is finding something, someone, or some essence worthy enough to place on paper so that the goodness spills out over the page and into the minds and sometimes hearts of your readers. Here are a few quick suggestions for subjects…

You know what your day looks like. You know when you have time to write. You also know when you don’t have time to write. There are really two challenges though…Finding the time when you are not asleep and finding your particular muse somewhere along the way. They are both elusive creatures. Neither seem to be on your side. Neither want to cooperate with each other. You may be inspired, but you don’t have the time. You may have the time, but are not inspired. Here are a few quick tips on bringing these writing necessities together…