How To Come Up With Story Ideas + Examples!

[@HannahLeeKidder]

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[@johnhorchler667]

Cool do you have any updates on stuff like this if so let me know where i can find them.❤

[@peachtokkii863]

I get my ideas from the made up scenarios I make in my head at 3am lmaoooo

[@roi7082]

Same but when i start writing about it, its sound incomplete

[@chelseadanico877]

Me too, I dream up most of my story ideas for my book series every night.

[@me-mo1vh]

Ikr lmao

[@willows_stories6749]

SAME but I always forget them 😅😅

[@triptistudio6795]

@@roi7082 and same goes for me😐

[@TimbrrWolfe]

"1) Go outside, observe the world around you" I always knew my habit of people watching would have a use someday =P

[@darklighted]

Hol up

[@aaelr.740]

"People watching" 🤣🤣

[@2fsycho]

I actually decided to write my first flash fiction collection entirely based on my fears, childhood nightmares, and actual hallucinations I'd suffer before I got treatment. I'm excited to put it through the beta reading process. My alpha reader has highly praised it.

[@kxmuna]

Whats the book name and when do you plan on realising it??

[@2fsycho]

@@kxmuna I Thrust My Fist Against the Post, written by me and illustrated by Sarah Heath! Release date, aiming for October or November of this year or next depending on when I can afford formatting.

[@dyingrat9]

It seems really interesting!!

[@AllanRochez]

Nice idea

[@cesruhf2605]

Nightmare fuel is legit fuel for your story writing

[@fairyiyn]

I love writing but I get unmotivated because I can never think of a plot that gets me hooked on the story, or intrigued by the characters. if *anyone* has even the slightest plot idea, general advice or character ideas I'd appreciate it so so much! If I'm given an idea I will make sure to twist it and add things and I would never copy anything directly if you didn't want me to. thanks again!

[@carneliancorax]

I get story ideas from essentially everywhere, but one of my favourite sources is history. Because history is bonkers. Need a convoluted assassination? History’s got tonnes! Need Victorian lesbians? Here ya go! Bizarre character quirks? So many historical figures with those!

[@mariejakobsen556]

Ugh wish it was me! I struggle so bad with plots and story ideas

[@helenahildegarda5739]

After two years I have to agree with this. I got mostly inspired to write while listening to my high school history teacher

[@themusespeakstome4467]

Observation is a great way. Watching people and making up stories about them. I also find that using more than one prompt, where the prompts potentially conflict with each other can stretch the imagination and lead us to unexpected places.

[@williamperry5090]

I agree!!!

[@TomIowa1]

According to KZbin this video has been up for a year until I just found it today. I haven't even watched over 3 minutes of it yet and am astounded at the content you are giving. I am truly inspired, I've stopped it several times to write notes and record audio notes to myself for when I get my own newsletter and email campaigns going. THANK YOU.

[@TomIowa1]

Also when I finished this video I ordered your 2 books from Amazon. Will binge read them on arrival.

[@Iwasonceanonionwithnolayers]

Easiest. I'm flabbergasted that YT actually notified me WHEN you uploaded, instead of 20 hours later

[@HannahLeeKidder]

hell yeah. What part of the process would you say you struggle with the most? hahaha our guy youtube finally pulling through

[@Iwasonceanonionwithnolayers]

@@HannahLeeKidder Shaping the story to what I want it to be. Getting the feeling I have to be transferable when someone else reads it.

[@SwedishTourist]

@@Iwasonceanonionwithnolayers same :)

[@christianvchacon]

That line at the end of Home where the hose sinks or something. So good.

[@codykeller1635]

a fun fact, my current WIP the MC came from Hannah's home work on her skill share class of " showing and not telling" and i just read a werewolf story(at the time) that made me feel so many things and i loved it and wanted to write something that good. then i got an idea thought " oh this random dude can fit into that." and now bam i have a whole ass book im working on

[@HannahLeeKidder]

yesssss I love that!

[@writingbricks2997]

I love this. I needed this. This makes me feel less weird about how i come up with my story ideas too. Thank you so much for this 💗💖 i just recently picked up a book called story origins trying to convince myself im not crazy. Didnt work. Lol

[@HannahLeeKidder]

Hahaha they come from anywhere!

[@TimbrrWolfe]

"Write your own fanfiction" just gave me a different perspective on a scene idea I had (and wrote out, mostly) but that I couldn't tie into the existing story idea I had. Guess I'll look into seeing if I can't flesh it out into a short story of its own (or if not, tweak it as a flash fiction).

[@HannahLeeKidder]

lmaooo every time I get close to suggesting that people self-insert, I think about u

[@TimbrrWolfe]

@@HannahLeeKidder Hahahaha, yeah I could stand to step away from myself with story characters. Maybe restrain myself into cameo roles or something =P It's actually extra funny because I recently had youtube recommend two of your videos that I don't think I'd seen (somehow) and one of the tips in one was "Don't self-insert" 😂

[@HannahLeeKidder]

@@TimbrrWolfe lmaoooooo I think it's okay To An Extent but some writers it's just like "okay this is your personal wish fulfillment and I feel like I'm spying on u jerking off, so i'm gonna go--"

[@digvi6225]

i love the idea of separating ideas by imagery/dialogue/story bc all my ideas are just on random post-it notes scattered across my desk. Also i write a lot of relationship-heavy stuff and music lyrics are good sources of inspo

[@HannahLeeKidder]

yeah! I use Google Keep so I can grab them on any device

[@Lea-hl8md]

Be leery I heard somewhere that google is going to use AI soon, to still from people’s docs on there.

[@br0lent]

I finished the first draft of my first novel a couple of days ago, and the story idea was me just literally thinking of words til one stuck with me. Handprints was the one that did it. Based it off that

[@freyablack4979]

You just reminded me how much I loved Home I'm going to go listen to it again.

[@christianvchacon]

Oh! I should mention this here too. Something I heard that is a good way to get story ideas is to combine two separate things!

[@sanawriteswords]

this has to be one of your best videos (that I've seen so far). I want to work on short stories this year as it's something I struggle with the most. Awesome video!

[@gulsher964]

This my first time that i am being impressed by someone. And according u r ghe only one who is giving genuinely good advice instead of trying to get views

[@carsonallen4719]

No way! I was a CNA and Med Aide for 8 years. Talk about cool story ideas. I took care of one old man that used to wake up every morning screaming fire in the hole, because he still thought he was in world war II. His daughter published a poem about him, I think. She said he was such a good man that after the war when he came home he would chop all of his wood, do all of his chores, and then go over to the widows house next door and do all her chores too. Lots of great stories like that from working in Old folks homes

[@HannahLeeKidder]

Right?? I had one client who would wake up from every nap confused and start talking to me about where he thought he was and it was SO interesting to hear him talk about memories that vividly.

[@banettenighmare8645]

Those pigtails are so cute!! 🥰

[@HannahLeeKidder]

oh thank u!

[@angelikaking1560]

Honestly this video is starting to inspire me to make a really bizarre story but based off all the weird dreams I’ve had! Although I’m also an artist so this would probably be a series of graphic novels. Lately I’ve been struggling a lot with inspiration and finding a story I can really commit to, but honestly I think I just have to get in there and get going! :)

[@angelikaking1560]

Although it would probably be dreams combined with weird surreal events that have just happened to me in person bc I’ve always been a huge daydreamer and often struggle with that feeling of what’s real and what’s not (kinda maladaptive daydreaming and dissociating type beat) idk something very colorful, emotional, and distorted is what I have in mind :3

[@TimbrrWolfe]

"Read other short stories" One of the books I'm waiting to pick up at my library is one of the Goosebumps short story collections. Partially because I've been feeling nostalgic about it, partially because I wanna see how I feel about them now that I'm older, and now partially to pick them apart for inspiration and such Also I've been considering dipping my toes into new genres and horror (albeit for kids) is definitely a new genre. But yeah I've got a few short story collections on my tbr so I'll have to bump some of them up the queue

[@HannahLeeKidder]

nobody's doing it like RL Stine. there was an annual book event in my town and I had a free ticket to the one he attended, but I was out of the country and i'm still So Sad

[@TimbrrWolfe]

@@HannahLeeKidder I'm also rereading the main Goosebumps series (we'll see if I dig into 2000 and such after that, I don't have nearly as much nostalgia for them). So far I've only reread Welcome to Dead House but it's....interesting, is the word I'll use haha Very much a book for kids still, which like [IDon'tKnowWhatIExpected.jpg] Very unfortunate that you couldn't see him at that event though =[

[@tsukimiiix]

idk if anybody has told you this before but your nose is gorgeous

[@xiolared123]

Daaaaaaaaaaang, you are a treasure trove of creativity :))))))))))) Those story ideas were brilliant!!

[@christianvchacon]

I'm with Kandice. I think that would be so cool to have a short story fleshed out into a novella or novel!

[@sarahgaither3626]

I feel like this happens a lot in scifi. There's a few short stories that became award-winning novels later on. It's a cool idea because sometimes a short story is so good you want more.

[@nesiahrampersad9790]

I'm so amazed you have written 2 books, I have tons of idea's but I as my interest changes my story changes.

[@adamjscholte583]

I am writing a novel ATM, and the storyline came to me when I was choking as I drank some water, lol But usually ideas come to me from random places. Totally loves your vids

[@micevalenti]

That’s interesting!

[@adamjscholte583]

@@micevalenti Hey thanks for the feedback. If you like I could send you some of my W.I.P

[@meghana1113]

That is so good!!

[@adamjscholte583]

@@tudorftbl I have chosen to go ahead with a fantasy series and would love to publish it next year. The first novel is going through editing now

[@Fromtheforgottengardens]

One thing I would like to add to first tip, is put the character you have in your mind , and see the world from that characters point of view. Like if character is grumy old man , when you get in metro or public transport, how will old man see other people and his thoughts. And then start putting the thoughts in a notepad.

[@HannahLeeKidder]

that sounds like a fun exercise!

[@christianvchacon]

I've said this before somewhere, but I think it would be cool to write a short story or a flash that is a sequel to a previous short story or flash fiction. I've never seen that before and think it would be neat!

[@sarahgaither3626]

My favorite thing I've ever written came from a painting I saw on Deviantart of two girls standing at the edge of an apocalyptic event. I focused on the younger girl's perspective and their last words to eachother. But it was couldn't-sleep-middle-of-the-night-random-browsing and inspo hit me like brick.

[@Thunder-00]

Here’s the strategy I use: (I call it the ‘House Strategy’, you’ll see why) So first, come up with the main characters, plot, conflict, and setting. Nothing too detailed, just get the basic picture of what you want. This will be the ‘structure of your house’, basically the foundation of your story, since you will be building off of it. The second step is very similar to the first, but know you will be going into detail. For example, if before you came up with a city as a setting, what year is it? What season? What kinds of stores or buildings are in the town? Etc. then go into detail with the rest of your ‘structure points’. These are the walls, floors, and ceilings of your ‘house’. Thirdly, you want to think of the main events and everything that will go in between the main events. And then last, you can start writing. Along the way add all the little details that you didn’t discuss before, fill in all the blanks, etc. This would be your ‘furniture’. Now congratulations! You have a story :) Hope this helps~

[@jhilmilgil4512]

The main issue is that I don't have any clear picture of so many things that'll be required for the build of the story... It's like I have a tiny part/scenario of the story and kinda know the beginning and end of the story and that's that. I don't understand that how to build it up further

[@lecomingbegend497]

​@@jhilmilgil4512😅 I've been in that boat before... you just take what you know and work from that. Take what works and be willing to fail, failure is the most important aspect of success.

[@TimbrrWolfe]

I got story ideas out the yin yang though I've never really had any that stuck out as a short story idea, nor tried to see if I could fit any into that form factor. I"ll have to start doing some thinking in that direction. 🤔

[@TheSillyFoX06]

These tips really help, even though they weren’t exactly what I’m looking for. I’m trying to look for a good plot for two of my characters in the story come across the bad guy again, but I don’t know how… if you could make a video like that, I would really appreciate it and it would be really helpful to me. Great tips by the way, they’re really inspiring :D

[@ArtichokeHunter]

I feel like I used to get ideas this way and just be able to write them, but now I get the little premisey ideas but I can't get from that to what the story actually is.

[@HannahLeeKidder]

Same! The best solution I've found is focusing on the character in that premise, developing them, then building the story around them

[@mgarcia4859]

Thank you so much I know that I'm one year late but this video and many others have helped my granddaughter greatly, she really wants to become a writer when she grows up and she's been having trouble coming up with ideas for her books. Thank you again

[@HannahLeeKidder]

That's wonderful! Thanks for sharing, and tell your granddaughter she's awesome 🥰

[@sophiya...]

GGGGGGGGGIIIIIIIIIIIIRRRRRRRRRRRRLLLLLLLLLL coming up with ideas is soooo hard that one time when I woke up I was trying to coming up with an ideas but fell asleep after 10mins, just to remind you I just woke up. But it's all worth it if I come up with a great story

[@RanaChefInternational_786]

You are very beautiful and well tutorial step by step informative video keep up good work thanks for sharing my dear friend 😂❤

[@JoelleAGodfrey]

4:07 Question: Can you create a video on how to revise/ edit your short stories? How to see weaknesses, etc?

[@ffstopP]

Practical & helpful, Hannah. Thanks.

[@Alexindiegamedev]

I get my ideas from a mix of my ptsd & past trauma & from cartoons i liked as a kid

[@KandiWethers]

I can come up with ideas like it's nothing. It's actually a problem.

[@HannahLeeKidder]

if you ever want to produce content to build a platform, prompt lists could be an easy one 👀

[@randomhooman5930]

Woah.... And I have a problem, I can't find any ideas no matter what!!

[@hrb9679]

For me it's hard to have ideas for short stories that don't really want to grow into novel series. XD I'm getting better at it tho ^_^

[@bangpik2617]

Hii I love writing stories and this is my stories title 1. The full moon (4 seasons) 2. Black magic 3. Angela and angel 4. In his neck 5. Mystery gang (not done)

[@kat_kami]

But like Mother Gothel has such strong crow vibes. Right now actually, I was for a moment convinced she had one but then remembered that was Maleficent. Also I dig the hair, it makes you look even younger, it will flip people outtt 😊

[@HannahLeeKidder]

Okay right?? I couldn't find a version where she's connected to a crow. Vibes only, it seems. I think it's funny that people think I'm younger than I am and their response is just rabid anger. Like what do actual child creators go through? Lmao it's so weird

[@kat_kami]

@@HannahLeeKidder I mean even the Witch from Brave had a crow but Gothel just had the aura... Exactly, if people have a problem with kids on the internet, they should go protest some of the horrible family channels that exist.

[@eviemayyy]

I don’t find it hard to think of story ideas but the only part that I struggle with is trying to make the plot last and how to make things more exciting

[@lillianinspace]

I write novels, but these tips can help me a lot. Thanks for the video!

[@rojzangana4474]

These twists you write in your stories are really funny

[@jefftheamericanguineapigca407]

Which is hardest? Coming up with ideas? Well, I'm here, so currently I have writer's block--which is a myth, by the way. I call "writer's block" "writer's blank." How do you fill that blank? Start writing. Write ANYTHING. By writing, you at least learn what you DON'T want to write about and by process of elimination will end up where you need to be. You keep writing until you stumble upon your "next thing." You also look at videos, read books, take walks, talk to people, hug your dog, live life. Live life. Writer's blank is hardest, because we want to know what we're excited about before we start writing. We forget to write. ("A writer writes, always." --- Billy Crystal, THROW MOMMA FROM THE TRAIN) We stare at a blank page and feel bad about ourselves because we're not Steinbeck and our inspirations are more like clouds than chestnuts. What about research? Research is hardest because we don't know which information will be relevant, so we cull all of it from various sources and end up with a mountain of cool trash. It hurts to leave some of it on the cutting room floor. We might try to include too much. Outlining is the most fun. You get to take the story wherever you want through exposition without having to stylize it with actual scenes, which means you might take the plot too many places and write yourself into a corner. Therefore, outlining is the hardest. The actual writing might take the longest, but it is the easiest leg of the jounrey if you've prepared for the project and can visualize the story. Then, it flows. Of course, if you don't quite know your story, you will struggle, flounder. Then, it's the hardest. Editing and revision is fun. You don't have to create coherent words. You simply edit, cut, paste, recast sentences, and so on. You get to be a judge. But it's the hardest, too, because you might edit yourself out of the natural flow and lose your voice. In my case, I create new typos as I fix old ones. Hannah, every aspect of writing is the hardest. It's also the easiest.

[@EmmaBennetAuthor]

I don’t write short stories because of struggling to come up with that many ideas lol. Subscribed.x

[@kaigorodaki]

Thanks a lot for this, really helpful 👏

[@christianvchacon]

Two methods that I have heard about that would fall under life experiences are to journal and interview family members. :)

[@HannahLeeKidder]

yeah, those are great!

[@christianvchacon]

@@HannahLeeKidder So are all of these!

[@TimbrrWolfe]

I do write down my story ideas but I could probably stand to be more granular about it. i.e. like you were talking about in your first tip, writing down even just a line or two of dialogue. I think I used to do that but got a little worse about it over time. On the note of jotting down dialogue, I was walking home from the library a while ago, and thought up a scene of some banter between werewolves and vampires (including at least one dick joke) but I didn't write it down before I forgot it so it's just lost to the aether now (or whatever recess of my brain it's stuck in, maybe. Hopefully it'll come back one day.)

[@doeroy1656]

I am currently writing a sample story about life's various struggles and motivational aspects. How to come up with more ideas?

[@williamperry5090]

This was a very helpful video!!! I have severe writer's block!

[@karlywynn3443]

I want to write a story on my fears and mental struggles and all but put them into a character that’s similar to me. But how do I write about them? Like what kind of plot works with that?

[@thando6491]

I need a little help I have about 8 story ideas that I came up with but I can't seem to write any of them, I have character outlines and a few scenes I would like to add and I tried outlining all eight but none of them seem right and I don't know what to do(I know this might be sound a little stupid)

[@mugdhamunagavalasa2105]

Thank you !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@FrenchwithBasu]

Cool and such smart presentation and very helpful! Found your channel today... Subscribed! 😃

[@SwedishTourist]

My most exciting idea comes from a very vivid dream that I just LOVE, but it would be a sci-fi including time travelling and I reeeeeally don’t want to write about time travelling. Need to figure out how to write around that. Also I don’t know what the characters’ challenges and goals are. Which is kind of the core of a story, so I need to figure that out, too. No biggie. 😫😂

[@Stolasupremecy]

I feel like I always come up with them when I don't have the ability to write things down like when I'm about to fall asleep and going to forget everything when I wake up or in gym class

[@idksienna5997]

Hannah: go outside! write down what you like! The weather: naw i think ima passs-

[@TimbrrWolfe]

Shoutout to the beta reader (or whoever) that thought that "Goddamn" was too vulgar and shouldn't be in the story when that was the whole point of it's creation

[@deellaboe437]

I will have a whole scene in my head, Then when it's time to write BLANK!!!

[@ilavalolipop]

Somehow good ideas only come to me as I’m falling asleep or just waking up. The trick is jotting down the bullet points in my ipad quickly enough before I completely lose it. I can brainstorm while I’m awake, but I’m a chronic over-thinker, so it’s much more exhausting.

[@52G52G]

Ha, I found you, now I'm going to subscribe and click the bell (which should make a bell noise) so I can exploit your content and make my stories better! *lightning *evil laughter

[@emilyy.maeexx]

I think its a lot harder, I am 10 and love to write but I have no ideas. This helped a bit! Thank you Hannah.

[@HannahLeeKidder]

When I was your age, I loved writing new stories for my favorite books! Like fanfiction. ^_^ It's a great way to practice. Thanks for watching, Emily!

[@mariamahmed2021]

I make a very disorganized ideas list, and that's been working so...

[@KandiWethers]

Please make Margrove a novella. I will gladly scar myself over and over to read it.

[@HannahLeeKidder]

for u, of course

[@KandiWethers]

🥺

[@francesnordan2915]

The title is the easiest. Sometimes I hear one word titles in my head. Example, INK. It's about tattoos

[@astrawwberri]

I really want to come up a historic sci fi fantasy (I’m inspired by Iron Widow)

[@Aesthetism1848]

i'm a 10 y.o girl i really like to write stories i liked it ever since i could remember rn im writhting 2 stories i want it to be long as a novel both are fantasy and i'm using inspiration by harrypotter, i hope i can complete both stories this year

[@HannahLeeKidder]

Good luck! 💜💜

[@Aesthetism1848]

@@HannahLeeKidder Tysm❤️❤️

[@yobi512]

“Story ideas that don’t suck” 💀

[@TimbrrWolfe]

Oh maybe /that's/ why I like white rabbit so much. Lonely vampires. Very relatable to me, who is a little lonely, and maybe a vampire? 🤫

[@HannahLeeKidder]

an extra layer to timber's super villain past

[@TimbrrWolfe]

@@HannahLeeKidder The Lore deepens

[@Maehrlin]

The Mother story sounds more like the movie maleficent, or at least the scenes in which Aurora grows up.

[@varinadickerson1786]

It’s the hardest for me

[@peachtokkii863]

I have a question for u guys 😌 So I've never wrote a story before, and I wanted to write one but idk if this is a good idea So my idea is a group of friends that have home problems (Being abused/Alcoholic Parents/Mental health issues etc) run away together. I don't have that much info on it yet sorry lmao Could some ppl please tell me if you would read that? Please be honest tyyy

[@carminamusic6148]

I would read it. Research about different mental illnesses and trauma responses before you write about it to make it more realistic.

[@peachtokkii863]

@@carminamusic6148 cool thanks for the tip :))

[@arrey5220]

Yes, I would surely love to read it. Btw have you started writing your story yet?

[@peachtokkii863]

@@arrey5220 yes I did start! I wrote the first few chapters but it was on my phone and I lost it when my phone broke so I have to start again :((

[@arrey5220]

@@peachtokkii863 oh, so sad 😩 But if you do get time to write again, please tell me the name of your story.

[@saudadepie7893]

I hate reading. I love writing :)

[@B2M2948]

For me the problem is I think in too wide a scope, get overwhelmed by my own ideas n burn out in my own brains stratosphere. Definitely need to build up my ability to white short stories.

[@Eyeofdust]

I think I already have the 2nd one down pat... too much since I don't interview anybody I just take my life as a blue print for any character I come up with or when I come up with an evil character I add my bad side to them or something I really hate about people

[@christianvchacon]

I did not picture her as a potential serial killer in Warm. I am definitely one of those people who saw it as nobler.

[@alphalamda545]

Easiest to come up with story ideas

[@HannahLeeKidder]

#blessed

[@CsMsLady80]

I Wrote A Story That's Almost Like If There Was A Movie Called The Bad Day!

[@gravesilk322]

Most of my ideas are my dreams mixed with random daydreams I have

[@swaggykitten8856]

I'm a writer too. When i was 3, I only thought about my family members to write stories. Now, I'm a writer that reads goosebumps books and writes horror books not those happy books I made at age 3.. So yeah Lol..

[@judethegermandude]

it's the hardest part

[@micevalenti]

I get mine from songs and my dreams. 🤣

[@SwedishTourist]

Me too

[@ur-storys1640]

I get ideas from tiktok my channel and my friends and strangers 😳 If you guys have any ideas for a story comment on this comment

[@hagamarusan8450]

That's like the hardest thing to do ... Coming up with ideas is sickening

[@kytinia1728]

My problem is, I have so many ideas that I don't know how to sort them 😂

[@AllanRochez]

Shawty a lil baddie

[@saragarofano6471]

"I lack empathy so quirky lolz" like girl no

[@HannahLeeKidder]

Rly trying to remember what I said in this video........

[@kellyfrederick5654]

It is hard to find a good idea. I lisine to other people storys are

[@seanandersen9207]

5 ppl think coming up with the story is the hardest part of writing the story

[@totaltoys5594]

Hardest part

[@ClareH78]

Hardest

[@AFMR0420]

This video has 666 likes, should I like it?

[@shanebobey9435]

I clicked because you're just so cute.

[@onclebob2178]

If someone needs to search for ideas, he shouldn’t’ try to be a writer. A writer has so many ideas he doesn’t know which one to pick

[@hannahconteh7111]

Hannah thanks for your teachings. But you go too fast

[@HannahLeeKidder]

There's a speed controller on KZbin. You can put it on .5

[@TheTWISTEONES667]

Coming up with ideas is the worst.