This first appeared in Lit Hub’s Craft of Writing newsletter—sign up here. Cultivating a writer’s mind frame means looking at the world a certain way—that is, as a source of material. Everything you see is a potential writing prompt.
Everything you experience should make you ask, “What if…” Most fiction writing starts by asking “what if.” For that matter, that’s how most scientific advancements begin too. You need curiosity. Einstein said, “I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.” I am fortunate enough to know a lot of successful artists, writers, creators, scientists, and entrepreneurs and so I often look for the one trait the best of the best all share: Curiosity.
Even better, childlike curiosity. What if is the question of a curious child. It’s also one of the key ways we come up with and develop ideas. But true innovators keep asking “What if?” “Where do you get your ideas?” Sometimes, it’s a simple “what-if.” Let me give you a quick example of how a “what-if” led to an idea for a novel. So one day, when I was at my neighbor’s house, I overheard their teenage kids talking about drinking and driving. This was in the pre-Uber days.
I adored these teenagers. They were utterly fantastic kids. I felt obligated to do something, so when I knew their parents were out of earshot, I quietly pulled the teenagers aside and whispered, “Promise me”—this would end up being the title of the book—“you won’t do that.
Promise me you’ll never get in a car with someone who has been drinking. I don’t care what time it is. I don’t care how far away you are or how drunk or stoned or high or whatever you are.
Call me and I will come pick you up. I won’t tell your parents. Just please, don’t get in a car with someone who’s been drinking.” Perhaps some of you have done something similar.
Extract — continue reading at the source.
