Where to Find Ideas (Part 3)

Often events that happen in the workplace or while you are doing volunteer work provide excellent fodder for stories. One student of mine wrote about her work at a local rescue mission. Another worked at a preschool, and another volunteered her time at a home for unwed mothers. All of these experiences provided excellent material for stories.

Also, be sure to keep a journal when you travel. You never know what interesting situation you might encounter. Readers love to go on adventures to cities and countries where they will never travel. They can live vicariously through your exciting adventures, benefiting from the lessons you learned along the way if you make your story realistic.

Some of the incidents in your life will make excellent personal experience stories. Others might give you ideas for fictional stories. Fiction comes to life when it is based on a true story.