How did you get the idea for your book? I have received this question many times since writing my novel. In mid-2019, I began writing and over three years later, I can finally say with confidence that it is ready for the publication process. I won’t be revealing any significant plot points or saying any spoilers. The time will come for all that in due time. To be quite honest, I had zero intentions in writing a book originally. It wasn’t a childhood dream of mine, and I wasn’t an avid reader growing up. However, one day at work my head was in the clouds. Suddenly, I came up with a conflict as every story needs. Then I came up with the cast, still I didn’t think it be more than a mental image. Finally, I found an exposition, rising action, climax, and even a subplot. I knew I couldn’t keep this to myself. When I got home, I ran to my computer and wrote my characters and a summary of my story. The idea of my book came from inspirations of my life and even some of the character traits are from people I’ve known in adolescence. What also helps is the setting is in the real world, so there was no pressure in coming up with a whole new world and creatures in the realm. Unfortunately, I can’t pinpoint to one area of how I came up with the idea for my book as there are numerous factors. It’s more complicated than saying “I saw that and boom you have a book.” I try not to force or rush my manuscript. The reason it took me a while to get my book ready. I wanted it to be the best possible.
Let the idea come to you!
I hate to sound like a broken record, but there isn’t a specific way to come up with the idea of your novel. There are dozens of different book genres. Fantasy, Romance, Horror, History, or even an autobiography just to list a few. I found what helps me is taking breaks from writing for days or even weeks on end or getting away from the computer screen altogether. Some of my best ideas for my book, I conjured up while half asleep and I wrote them down on a piece of paper to type in the following morning. A valuable asset is reading. Many authors gain inspiration from a book that they’ve read, especially if it’s in the same genre as the book you’re writing. Reading benefits you as a writer. Also, you get an idea of book structure, expand your vocabulary, and it’s a wonderful pastime to have. Gain inspiration but do not plagiarize, don’t copy a book and call it your own. It can cause a lawsuit and it’s not ethical to take credit for something you didn’t do. An idea that I used was using experiences in my own life and dramatizing them slightly to make it more compelling to the reader. There are a plethora of ways to get your idea. It doesn’t have to be “out there” or an impossible challenge. How did you get your idea for your book? Should you publish one, that will always be a question people will ask you. Hopefully, unlike myself, you can provide a more direct answer.