The Two Most Powerful Words in the World

Here we are again. I’m just as surprised as you are. After the last trainwreck of a post, I about threw in the towel and decided to scrap the entire endeavor. I still am not thrilled about having a blog. But I’m no quitter, as I pointed out in the last post, and I figure I have to try out a new experience at least a couple of times to truly feel out whether or not I can grow to love it. So, here we go again.

I’ve been pondering what this next attempt should be about and I’ve decided to go in the direction of stereotype. I figure as an author I should try to do the unexpected and, since the generally accepted rule is to avoid stereotypes in all shapes and sizes like the plague, I figure that pursuing a stereotypical path may actually end up to be rather unexpected. So without further ado, the topic of the post: where I get my inspiration.

Put simply I usually come upon story ideas either when I’m on a walkabout (these vary in length) and while having conversations with friends or family. In both of those situations, one question has been vital. It consists of two words: what if. While hiking through the woods, if I come across a hollow tree that looks like a door or a waterfall that cascades a particular way or even a game trail that wanders off into the underbrush, I let my mind wander through all the ‘what ifs’. What if someone or something lives on the other side of that mysterious door? What if the waterfall is actually a staircase in disguise? What if the tiny trail will transform into a shimmering path if the right words are spoken? When in conversation with my friends or family and the topic strays to theoretical physics or ethical dilemmas or just the right turn of phrase is offered, I return to my favorite question. What if time travel was the future’s big tourist industry? What if humans could regrow limbs as easily as some animals do? What if men were only kept around as breeding stock?

If I could give any advice to an aspiring writer, I would say to add that two word question to your toolbox. Ask what if and then, and this is important, don’t put any limits on the answers. Limits come later; limits come when you’re trying to refine the idea.

When finding story ideas or exploring them to the fullest, there's no limit to how many times a person can ask it.

What if… What if… What if…

I have practiced asking that question so much it has become a reflex, a knee jerk reaction, and because of that stories just pop out at me. Which is a good thing especially since I want to discover and share stories for the rest of my life. It is really the only thing I can see myself doing.