When You Have Nothing

There is no better source of story than you: what you like; what you don't like; and what you know. Since story is driven by emotion start with that. What makes you happy, mad, sad, glad, frustrated, surprised, or hopeful? What is the one thing you would change about the world if you could? If you could plan the perfect day, what would it be? What is your biggest wish? What is your biggest secret? What is something you've always wanted to do but haven't? What is the one thing you always wanted to do, but your body type wouldn't allow you to be good at? Be your own character.

Look at the assumptions in your life. Why are things the way they are? Turn them over. Look at them from another viewpoint. Monsters have hidden under children's beds and in children's closets for decades, maybe centuries. Everyone knows they are there to scare young children. But no one until Pixar, with Monsters, Inc. asked why? What's in it for the monsters? It's their job. But what is the payoff for doing this? Ah . . . it is their source of power. Brilliant.

Observation is one of a storyteller's greatest tools. The world is full of people in conflict--from the simple choice of paper or plastic, to climbing Mt. Everest. And people do the craziest things for the silliest reasons. The human race is full of emotions, logic, faults, quirks, and fallacies, which all make great fodder for stories. They have great movements, expressions, walks, and weight shifts. Something as simple as an interesting walk can reveal a character and launch a story.

When we are in negotiation, we are emotionally involved and rarely have the opportunity to observe the reactions and emotions of ourselves and other people. At the grocery store, when the cashier asks if you want paper or plastic, reply, "both." Then proceed to be very specific about which items you want in paper and which you want in plastic. Watch how they react. See if they will do it. Be careful not to push too far. You are doing a study, not getting into trouble.

The newspaper is full of stories. That's what a paper is--current stories. Search it for something small and unique. Look at the photographs. Imagine how those people arrived at that very moment in time. What came before, what comes after?

Look at lots of art. What attracts you? Why? Is it color, composition, light, subject matter? Cezanne told story through light. Brancusi created flight out of stone. Each piece of art tells a story. If you lay that story over time, what is it?

What if elephants cold breathe under the water? What if pigs could fly? What if Danny Devito took a growth potion? What if's and unusual combinations sometimes result in unique ideas for story.

"There's no use trying," said Alice. "One can't believe impossible things."

"I dare say you haven't much practice," said the Queen. "When I was your age, I always did it for half-an-hour a day. Why, sometimes I've believed as many as six impossible things before beakfast." --Lewis Carroll, Through the Looking Glass and Alice in Wonderland.

Getting ideas takes practice. Can you get six ideas today?