request Need writing ideas.

[LittleRawr 679]

Hello! As the topic says, I need writing ideas. I'm a generally okay writer, but I can never come up with anything good and interesting, or something that hasn't been used before.

If you have any ideas that would make a nice story, I'd really appreciate it! If I end up posting it on fimfic, I'll make sure to say that the original idea was yours. (I kinda doubt that would happen.)

 

Thanks!

[SasQ 1,355]

If you ask others for ideas, how can you end up with anything original or not used before? It will be "used before" at the very moment someone will give it to you

 

You don't have to re-invent the wheel. Look around how many great stories are just the same idea in a new "remixed" version. George Lucas took some old ancient myths, mixed with knight stories, and sent them into cosmic space, and we have "Star Wars". Peter Jackson took "Pocahontas" and revamped it into "Avatar". Disney took "Treasure Island" and sent it into space and we have "Treasure Planet", with sailing ships flying around the galaxy:

 

 

and the main hero surfing on a "solar sail" surfing desk:

 

 

They also made "Atlantis: The Lost Empire" starting from a single quote from Plato's book. Pixar Studios start from a simple theme, like "Let it be about talking toys" and we have "Toy Story". Then "Let's make something about fishes" and we have "Finding Nemo". How many original ideas are there in the premise of the story? I guess none. All original ideas are what they did with it later on, when they stuffed the story with details. A premise of "Romeo & Juliet" is as simple as "Love conquers everything, even death", and see what it turned out. Even Lauren Faust, when creating "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic", borrowed many ideas from other works, like "Lord of the Rings" or "Star Wars" or "Harry Potter", much from ancient myths etc.

 

But the point is not about what ideas has been borrowed, but what they turned out to be later, after mixing together, changing, updating, filling up with details etc. Even when you bake a great cake, you don't start "from scratch", because "from scratch" would have to mean "Step one: create the Universe" ;-J (as Carl Sagan once said). You always start from some ingredients which are already there, made by other people (or animals), and you mix them up in a creative way. That's how creativity works.

 

If you really need an idea from other people/ponies, then maybe take a look at the other thread with episode ideas? There are shitloads of them. Most of them stupid, but maybe you'll find something which will ring your bell ;-)

 

If you don't know where to start, then start from the end. Every story ultimately needs to come to an end, and you better find out the ending before even starting it, otherwise you won't know where is it going. Great writers usually advice to start writing the story as close to the end as possible. It might sound strange at first, but the key point here is "as close as possible". If it's not possible to start it "just before the end", then there's definitely a reason for it, and this way you'll find it. Then you move a step back and try it once more. You repeat this process until you find the place where you can start the story already, because there's not much to say about what was before (it's not so important for your path to the ending you've invented earlier).

 

I'd add one more advice from Ernest Hemingway about what to do when you have a writer's block:

Start from writing the first true sentence which comes to your mind. It can be anything, but it has to be true. Hemingway didn't explain why it works, but I have some explanation: You cannot build your story on a lie. The writer's block appears when there's some contradiction in your thinking, that is, when you separate yourself from the path of truth and start wandering in some bushes of false. From false you can derive everything, which leads you to many different options and you cannot decide which one is the right one. Usually it's none of them. But when you do what Hemingway advices, you reconnect with the source of creativity again, because all creation is based on truth. It starts from a seed of truth, and naturally expands, and each branch is also true, because you cannot derive lie from the truth.

 

P.S.: Nice avatar ;-) Do you have it in bigger resolution? :->

Edited July 3, 2013 by SasQ

[Super Derpy 535]

You could write a fanfiction about the rp I am in. Its where Cadence murders Shining Armor and turns The Crystal Empire into a military dictatorship. Then they attack Equestria and have a war and the whole this secret group called The Black Hoof trying to take down Cadence from within the empire. Hope you can use this!

Ugh writers block sucks doesn't it? I could not think of an idea for a new story 3 weeks ago and I had to do the same thing and get it from someone else.

[LittleRawr 679]

@@SasQ, 

Wow. Just... Wow. Thank-you. Seriously, thank-you. 

I got it from google, there might be but I'm not sure. This is the original: http://twotigermoon.deviantart.com/art/My-Little-Portal-305299294.

 

@@Super Derpy, 

Hmm... I could try that. But I think I'll try what SasQ said first, then if I can't make anything up I'll do that. Thank-you

I seem to have a permanent writer's block, I can't even write a story 'cause then the idea sounds too dumb. D:

[Silver Letter 1,830]

I seem to have the opposite problem. I’ve always had too many ideas and I’ve had to prioritize what stories to work on and which should be put into indefinite suspension. There are definitely a lot of ideas depending on what type of story you like to write.

[LittleRawr 679]

@,

Ahh, kind of lucky you. I want to start out with something simple, like a slice of life. I'm still kinda new to writing stories, so I need to practice. I don't really have a proper writing style yet. 

[Misty Rose 3,215]

I was thinking about writing a Fanfiction about what would have happened if the CMC had gotten their cutie marks after the episode The Show Stoppers. You know an alternate version of that episode, where they had performed their theme song the right way, with their role corresponding to their talent. Ex: Sweetie Belle lead singer, and Scootaloo Choreography. Hopefully this helps, I have the idea but I'm having a hard time putting it into perfect writing. Hopefully you can do better.

[LittleRawr 679]

@,

 

Hmm... I'll try that. I'm not sure if I'll finish it though, I lack the motivation to finish stuff sometimes Dx

 

Still, I think that I can think of something that will work with that. Thanks!  

[Misty Rose 3,215]

No prob! Glad to help! Hopefully my idea can be formed into a successful story. It also helps me as much as it helps you. Win-Win deal But if you choose another idea, totally fine!

[Silver Letter 1,830]

 

 

Ahh, kind of lucky you. I want to start out with something simple, like a slice of life. I'm still kinda new to writing stories, so I need to practice. I don't really have a proper writing style yet. 

 

You can write about your favorite character from the show. Also drafting your own OC with an original background could allow for interaction in short stories. If you use an OC then you can draft any number of unique concepts.

[OneTrickPony 64]

I am writing a fanfic but I'll try to give you ideas. So I had an idea that that Granny Smith had just died and AJ and Apple Bloom had to speak at her funeral and then it flashes to years later when AJ dies at like 30 and Apple Bloom and the other cutie mark crusaders go on a big adventure hope I helped NEPTUNE OUT

[LittleRawr 679]

@,

 

I read a guide that said it's best to start with a official character before moving on to a OC. But I just can't think of something without it seeming silly and over-done. 

[Silver Letter 1,830]

@,

 

I read a guide that said it's best to start with a official character before moving on to a OC. But I just can't think of something without it seeming silly and over-done. 

You can have Twilight give an original character a tour of Ponyville. Have the character adjust to Ponyville life while avoiding dangers like the Everfree Forest.

[LittleRawr 679]

@,

 

Hmmm... I guess I could try that. I have a OC who could create some interesting scenes with the Mane 6... Maybe it'll work, maybe it wont. Thanks for the idea, anyways . 

[SasQ 1,355]

It's often inspiring to take your favorite character (it may be your own OC) and ask yourself a question: Of all the worst things that could cappen to your character, what is the worst possible thing? ;-> And believe me, it won't be death. Death is quick and easy, and often not very original (excluding "Happy Tree Friends" ;-J ). What is your character's worst nightmare? Does he/she/it have any arch-enemy? What could he/she/it do to avoid it and overcome the troubles?

Also, check out this thread. There are many ideas you could probably give a shot.

Or, here are some from the top of my head:
1. A pony which is crazy and thinks that he/she is a cat. What would other ponies think about him/her? Would they accept him the way he/she is? Or will they try to change him/her?
2. One day in Ponyville, a ground cracks and opens a hole to some tunnels underground. Who might drill them and why? Are there some monsters lurking in the dark? Or maybe some treasures?
3. Rainbow Dash reads another book about Daring Do, and notices that some places described there are real. She starts following the clues and finds out that Daring Do really exists, and it's her who wrote all those books (Daring Do, that is). But from some reason she's not much a heroine anymore. Or has she ever been? Or maybe it's all just a bunch of hooey? Is it possible that Dashie's admired heroine is just all hat but no cattle? Or maybe she is just trying to hide some scary secret from her past? Can Rainbow Dash restore her back to action and could they involve in some adventure together? (Maybe you can mix it somehow with point 2.)
4. A meteorite falls down to Earth in Everfree Forrest. Mane 6 set out to find it. Twilight brings a piece of it to her library to analyze it. At night it turns out that the rock from space has a strange magical properties when the moon light shines at it. Will she be able to rescue Ponyville from its dangerous influence? (Maybe some zombie ponies? I'd like to see zombie ponies sometime ;-) ). Maybe Princess Luna, who governs the Moon, would help her somehow?
5. A strange old pony comes to town, and he advertises his magical potion which supposedly cures all diseases. Ponies are quite interested by his performance, but nopony is sick, so no one buys it. But the very next day, ponies start to get sick, with different symptoms. Now the magical cure becomes a valuable commodity. All ponies buy it, except of Twilight, which becomes suspicious. How could she convince her friends that the magical cure is a fake, and the diseases are caused by the old salespony? (This is the scenario which came to my mind when I heard the title of the last episode from Season 3 for the first time. Unfortunately it turned out to be something else.)

Edited July 3, 2013 by SasQ

[LittleRawr 679]

@@SasQ,

 

Thank-you for all the help! Are you a writer or something? You do seem to know a great deal... :33

I could mix and match the ideas from that forum with mine, I could probably come up with something.