aPdad-15: What if?

A Paragraph a Day: What if?

THE easiest way I know how to come up with an idea for a story is by asking a very simple question: What if?

I learned this story creating device from Stephen King, and if it's good enough for "The Man" it's good enough for me.

I'VE used it on many of of the novels I've written and went back to the ones I didn't use it to find the 'what if'. All stories can be trimmed down to this question. Harry Potter: What if a child was a wizard? Cat in the Hat: What if a talking cat wore a hat? Anita Blake: What it vampires openly existed in the world? Twilight: What if vampires sparkled in the sun? (joke-joke)

YESTERDAY, I thought of a new 'what if' I wanted to share. Most people ask, "what super power would you have if you could have one?" I ask, "what if everyone had superpowers?" Asking 'what if' is just the starting point. I'd follow up my question by asking more questions. What would it be like if millions of people had the ability to fly? Would there be mandatory training and licensing for them? Would there be special cameras and security for those who can turn invisible? Would the world be more productive or destructive? And, finally, in a world full of superheros, would a person ask themselves what superpower they WOULDN'T want to have?

ASK questions, create better story lines. Ask 'what if' if ever your'e creatively stumped. Be successful.