Have you ever stared at a blank page, waiting for inspiration to strike, only to find yourself two hours later in front of the same blank page? Have you ever wondered where authors get their creative inspiration? Wondering how to get book ideas? Fear not, dear happy writer! In this post, we’re diving into the many sources of creative inspiration so you will never run out of ideas and have a long and happy writing career.
This post is all about how to get book ideas. I will share with you some of the best places where I get my writing inspiration, as well as other sources of creative inspiration that authors have been using for crafting their stories. I hope some of these ideas will inspire you and will ignite your own creativity to help you turn your next big idea into a bestselling novel.
If you prefer the video version, check out the YouTube video below for fun tips on how to get book ideas.
Book ideas from observing the world
The world can be a great source of inspiration for your novel. By becoming a keen observer of the people you meet and the places you visit, and taking a minute to reflect on the events you’ve experienced in your life, you’re practically set for life. Ideas will come flooding into your brain. You just have to pay attention.
Characters based on real-world people
Think about that annoying colleague of yours who belittles you on every occasion, or the selfless friend who is always there for everyone, no matter what. How about that adventurous friend of yours who travels all over the world and is fearlessly experiencing all the world has to offer? Could they be a source of inspiration for your characters? Of course they can!
If you’re thinking that you can’t describe a character exactly like the irritating guy from your office because they would know you’re talking about them, you’re right. And it would probably make your work environment a bit uncomfortable… But you can still use them as a source of inspiration for your character. You don’t have to give them the exact same traits. They can be similar ones. Just make sure you don’t use their name. That would make it pretty obvious…
You know what I like about creating fictional characters? I’m in charge of what happens to them. So, both the good guys and the bad guys get the ending they truly deserve. At least in the fictional world… This is one of the reasons I love Stephen King’s books so much—people always get what they deserve in the end.
Settings based on real-world places
You can get inspiration for your settings from something as small as the coffee shop you regularly visit or as grand as the Grand Canyon or as remote as the Island of Rapa Nui. Take a good look at the places you visit, observe the little details, take notes and use them as the basis of your settings. Do you like the floral motifs used to decorate your favorite cafe? Use that and add your own spin to it. If you like it, your readers will probably like it, too.
Have you ever taken a trip to one of our world’s most breathtaking natural wonders? If you did, it’s very likely you will remember even the smallest details many years later. Don’t let these incredible memories fade away. Capture them into words, and give others the chance to enjoy those locations through your beautifully crafted prose. Let your stories bring those places to life!
Using Google Maps for Your Writing Research
Are you worried because you haven’t traveled anywhere outside your hometown? Do not worry, dear happy writer, I’ve got you covered. Or, more accurately, Google Maps has you covered.
The level of detail you can uncover with Google Maps of any location is absolutely incredible. You can explore remote areas and take virtual road trips, all from the comfort of your home. Does it match the experience of being there in person? No, but it’s still a fantastic tool for research and can take you exactly where your story needs to go. Not to mention it’s a lot cheaper than going there in person!
A few years ago, I went on my dream trip to the island of Rapa Nui (Easter Island). I had dreamt of visiting the island and seeing the famous moai statues ever since I was a child. It was the best holiday of my life, and the island, with all of its fascinating history and culture, became the inspiration for my first novel.
Book ideas from history and mythology
History and myths are treasure troves of ideas. Many famous novels are based on historical events. Some examples include Gone with the Wind (Margaret Mitchell), Pompeii (Robert Harris), I was Anastasia (Ariel Lawhon), and The Accidental Empress (Allison Pataki), each bringing historical events and characters to life from a fresh perspective—proof that history is a goldmine for storytelling!
You don’t enjoy reading history, but prefer myths and legends instead? No problem! There are lots of interesting fantasy novels rooted in myths and legends.
How about retelling your favorite myth from a different perspective? Give it a spin to fit your own view of the events, or how you wished it had happened.
Reimagine the popular myths and legends the way you’ve always wished they had happened. You could tweak the personalities of your main characters or place them in a completely different setting. You can even magically transport them to the modern world and see how they react in such an unfamiliar environment. Or maybe they’ve been living in the modern world all along, and you’re retelling the legend with a fresh, contemporary twist.
The possibilities are endless—transform these timeless tales and share your own version with the world!
Playful “what if” questions
What if your puppy turned into a superhero who fought villains at night? What if every time you got out of the metro at a stop, you entered an alternate universe? What if you woke up one day and everyone around you was replaced by a robot that looked exactly like them?
This is such a fun game to play! There are countless “what if” scenarios that you can come up with. All of them could be the plot of your next best-selling novel. And it’s guaranteed to never run out of ideas. Just keep imagining “what if” and make it fun. Try to make the scenarios as ridiculous and strange as possible. Experiment with the craziest ideas and see which one sparks the most excitement for you. You’ve probably just found the topic of your next novel.
I think that Neil Gaiman is a brilliant author who excels at this game. I love the worlds and characters he creates in his stories by imagining “what if” and letting that weird scenario play out. What if a shooting star turned out to be a girl, like in Stardust? What if an angel and a demon became friends, like in Good Omens? What if a family of ghosts adopts a boy, like in The Graveyard Book? See! Isn’t this fun to play?
Do you want even more fun “WHAT IF” ideas? I’ve created a free document packed with playful characters and exciting scenarios to spark your imagination! You can even mix and match some of them to make the “WHAT IF” game even more fun. Download it using this link and let your imagination lead the way!
Now it’s your turn. Let me know in the comments the most fun “what if” you came up with. And then start writing the story.
How to get book ideas from past experiences
Your life is way more interesting than you think. We sometimes think we live boring lives, but if we take a closer look at the events of our lives, there’s plenty of material there to write a few books.
I’m not saying you’re going to write a Harry Potter book based on your school years. But who knows, maybe you do live in a secret wizarding world and went to a school for wizards. How cool would that be?!
Even the rest of us, muggles as we are, we can also find inspiration from our own experiences.
Think of the happiest day of your life. What led to achieving that happiness? Can you take the lessons you learned along the way, add some fictional elements, and transform your own journey into a hero’s journey? After all, you are the hero of your epic story.
By analyzing the highs and lows of your life, sprinkling in a little imagination and a few “what ifs”, you can transform it into a fascinating story of friendship, survival, romance, or even comedy. It all depends on the perspective from which you chose to view and tell your story. Your life isn’t just a series of events—it’s a goldmine of inspiration waiting for you to share all that beauty with the world!
Book inspiration from other stories
“There is no such thing as a new idea. It is impossible. We simply take a lot of old ideas and put them into a sort of mental kaleidoscope. We give them a turn and they make new and curious combinations.” — Mark Twain
You have this idea about a boy who discovers he’s a wizard, and it’s so exciting! You want to tell his story as he gets acquainted with this new world, the friendships he forms, and all the lessons he learns along the way. But then you do a bit of research and realize the story has already been told, and it’s one of the best-selling books of all time. So what do you do then? Give up because someone already wrote that story? NO!
The story hasn’t been told from your perspective, using your views on life and your added imagination. Your upcoming wizard doesn’t have to play quidditch, take potions classes, or fight Voldemort. Your own wizarding world is bursting with possibilities—countless adventures to embark on, lessons to master, and enemies to fight. Explore all the options, unleash your imagination and craft a fantasy story of your own.
Just because an idea for the book is similar to another book, movie, or TV show, it doesn’t mean the story will be the same. Of course, you shouldn’t copy the idea and write something that is almost identical to the original one. That’s plagiarism, and it’s a big NO-NO! Instead, craft a story that’s uniquely yours—infuse it with your own twist, create a world brimming with wonder, and bring characters to life that you’re excited to share with your readers.
Be authentic. Be yourself and bring your own ideas, quirks, and worldviews into your story. Make it a story worth telling!
Book ideas based on your dreams
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I have hilarious dreams at night. In fact, they’re so funny that I sometimes wake up in the middle of the night, laughing out loud because of the ridiculous dreams I just had! So if I ever want to add comedy to my books, I have plenty of ideas to use.
It doesn’t have to be funny dreams, though. It can be any dream you’ve had that you stuck with you. In dreams, we find ourselves visiting new worlds, doing things we normally wouldn’t have the courage to do in real life, and interacting with fascinating people (and even animals).
Have you ever woken up in the middle of the night thinking, “This dream would be a good idea for my next novel.” But by the time you wake up in the morning, you just can’t remember what it was? Keeping a notepad and a pen on your nightstand might solve this issue. When you have a dream that’s worth remembering, take your notepad and quickly write down the main idea. You’ll be so happy when you wake up in the morning and find there, right next to you, the idea for your next brilliant novel.
This post was all about how to get book ideas and spark your creative inspiration. If you enjoyed it, you might also enjoy this post:
Writing Inspiration from Nature: How to Get Book Ideas from Nature
Now it’s your turn. Let me know in the comments where you get your book ideas.
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