Where Do Ideas Come From?

Daydreams

The first story I started writing came from a daydream (also known as 'wishful thinking'). I was twenty-four years old, and very much feeling like I didn't want to grow up - or rather, that I didn't like what society meant by 'growing up' (i.e. becoming serious and boring). It was a difficult period in my life and I wanted to run away.

I didn't.

Instead, I devised a fictional character, John Carroll, to do it for me and The Caretaker of Imagination was born.

"Like most children, John wanted to run away... Only John was no ordinary child. In fact, he wasn't actually a child at all. He was a 42-year-old accountant."

To turn this idea into a story, I asked myself where I would go and what I would do if I did run away. What made me feel like running away in the first place?

For me, it was running away from being an adult; from boredom and seriousness. I wanted fun and adventure, and the ability to follow my curiosity. So, John and his cat Theo were running away (in his cool vintage car) in search of a fantastical adventure.

"He packed clothes, food, toothbrush, razor, and his Special Edition Hardcover of 'The Hobbit'. A wild sense of liberty rushed over him –who knew what he would do next? Eat chocolate for breakfast? Only brush his teeth in the morning? Not brush his teeth at all? This was far too much excitement for John, so he lurched to the fridge and took a swig of milk straight from the bottle to calm his nerves...

After calming his nerves and packing for the trip, John decides to use is old, forgotten car - a vintage that he stopped driving in preference for a more sensible car:

White racing stripes stood out against her glossy green finish, still blazing with the confidence of youthful ego, and he noted that the leather upholstery had retained its refined scent. He had been unwilling – unable – to part with Myrtle and as he buckled up, Theo seated regally beside him, there wasn't a happier man to be found."

My daydream was running away, but it could have been running away for a different reason. When John ran away, he was prompted by his niece commenting on how silly grown-ups are. If you ran away from home, what would your reason be? Where would you go first? How would you get there? Would you be alone, or would you take someone (or something) with you?

Your turn:

Write a paragraph or two describing the moment you decide to run away (you can either use yourself or a fictional character), packing for your escape, and leaving your house.

What's your daydream?

I've often daydreamed about running away, but there are other things I daydream about, too (including: flying, visiting another planet, a clean house, and talking to animals). What are your daydreams? There are no wrong answers! Let's turn that daydream into a story.

First, pick a protagonist (main character). Are they going to be similar to you, or different? A boy or girl? How old will they be? What is their personality and appearance like?

Secondly, which daydream will they be bringing to life? This is their goal.

A story isn't a story without an obstacle (also referred to as a 'problem' or 'complication'). Maybe something is going to stop them from reaching their goal, or maybe something is going to go wrong once they've got it (or both!). In The Caretaker of Imagination, John finds a pirate - but the problem is that he's given up on piracy:

"Ahh," said Simon, "that hit th' spot!""So you'll be a pirate again?" said John. Theo listened intently, ears pricked up and breath held back. "No," said Simon, "I'm not that person – that pirate – anymore."

And then, of course, we need a solution! In John's case, his cat comes to the rescue:

"Theo watched John slump into the chair and crumble. No matter how much he dreaded a pirate adventure, Theo wanted his human to be happy. It was time to take matters into his own paws."

Your turn:

Plan a story about one of your daydreams. Pick a character (e.g. John) , decide what is going to get in the way of their dream (his pirate friend has given up pirating) , and help your character find a way around it (chocolate cake and his cat!).