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"I can think of so many story ideas, but I'm not sure any of them would be interesting to anyone else. People tell me what their story is about and I'm thinking, why would anyone find that interesting, because I don't."
– An Aliventures reader
Ideas are tricky! An idea that might hook one reader instantly could leave another reader thinking it sounds boring, pointless, or even ridiculous.
So I completely understand how the writer quoted
above feels. (The quote was taken from this year's Aliventures survey.) Some ideas don't resonate with me as a reader and it's easy to think ... well, if I feel that way about someone else's idea, will anyone like my idea?
When it comes to novels, you'll sometimes hear ideas being described as "high-concept". That means they have an easily marketable premise, often based on a
"what if" scenario.
❓ "What if two people shared a flat ... and a bed ... but never met?" (Beth O'Leary's The Flatshare)
❓ "What if children were forced to fight to the death in a dystopian twist on a reality TV show?" (The Hunger Games)
If you have a high-concept story idea, great!
But what if your story idea is a bit trickier to sum up? Or what if your characters are more important than the idea behind your story?
You might still have
a great novel (or short story) waiting to be written.
For instance, I loved Stephanie Butland's Lost for Words primarily for its characters (especially Loveday and Archie). If I had to sum up the idea behind it, then it might go something like, "A troubled young woman working in a bookshop receives mysterious deliveries of books from her past." That idea itself might not sound
especially engaging to me ... but the way the books connect Loveday's past and present, and the way the characters and world are drawn, makes it a wonderful read.
Will Your Idea Interest Readers?
If you're concerned about your idea grabbing the attention of readers,
a good place to start is with whether it interests you enough.
Is this an idea you want to write about for months (or even years) to come? Even if you're working on a short story rather than a novel, you'll need to commit a chunk of time to writing and editing the story.
Some writers are keen to share their ideas early on, wanting to get feedback. I'd proceed with caution here. You could have an idea that people love ... but it might be a really tricky one to write well, or there might not be enough in it to sustain a whole story.
Conversely, you might have an idea that people aren't engaging with ... but your characters, plot, or
beautiful writing style could carry the story.
I think for readers to be interested, it's not just about the core idea behind your story, but also about:
- Your characters. Do they seem real? Do they have something they truly want or need that they're pursuing?
- The story structure. Is it well-paced? Do significant things happen at the right points in the plot? Are we drawn forward by unanswered questions?
If you have a lot of different story ideas, that can be a mixed blessing, as it may make it hard to feel that there's any one idea that grabs you more than the rest.
If you can, narrow down your ideas to the ones you care most about. Which stories would you want to read?
Then, once you're deciding whether or not to commit to an idea, flesh it out into a rough outline. Does it excite you? Does it have enough scope for the length of story you want to tell? If not, try a different idea instead.
Happy writing,
Ali
P.S. If you missed last week's blog post, you can find it here:
What Are Supporting Characters? (Mentors, Best Friends, Love Interests, and More)
