Susan Schreyer
Ideas for stories come from so many different sources -- fans, news stories, bits of history, a comment made in passing, the subplot from an earlier story I've completed ... the list goes on and on. When one catches my interest, I'll play the "what if" game and see how my characters respond.
Because I write mysteries, I'll often start with a crime. I may not know who the victim is or even why, but it's something I let my imagination play with. I'm one of those writers who is happy to discuss the "what ifs" with critique partners, and I often find something they mention will send me off on a track that I hadn't anticipated. It's fun, it's play and it's a great way to exercise one's imagination. I work out the details when I outline, so not knowing how I get characters from point A to point G won't bother me.
Because I write mysteries, I'll often start with a crime. I may not know who the victim is or even why, but it's something I let my imagination play with. I'm one of those writers who is happy to discuss the "what ifs" with critique partners, and I often find something they mention will send me off on a track that I hadn't anticipated. It's fun, it's play and it's a great way to exercise one's imagination. I work out the details when I outline, so not knowing how I get characters from point A to point G won't bother me.
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