10 Ways Fiction Writers Generate Ideas 小说作家产生想法的 10 种方式

And How Celebrated Authors Use Them
以及著名作家如何使用它们

It’s a question that’s easy to ask, but hard to answer: where do fiction writers get their ideas? Creativity is difficult to quantify or categorize.
这是一个容易问,但很难回答的问题:小说作家从哪里得到他们的想法?创造力很难量化或分类。
Few authors can find the right words to explain how their story came into being — what sparked the initial idea, what was its evolution?
很少有作者能找到合适的词来解释他们的故事是如何形成的——是什么激发了最初的想法,它的演变是什么?

The most revered source of ideas is the Muse. This is where ideas pop like corn kernels in the author's mind. No overthinking or forcing the ideas in any particular direction — just glorious, effortless birth of award-winning ideas.
最受尊敬的思想来源是缪斯女神。这就是想法像玉米粒一样在作者脑海中弹出的地方。不要过度思考或将想法强加于任何特定方向——只是光荣、毫不费力地诞生屡获殊荣的想法。

I call this idea-popcorn and it’s often attributed to the feminine muse. She’s as old as Ancient Greece. Wrapped in mysticism and superstition, the Muse is highly independent, and to the chagrin of every creative, we cannot summon her at will.
我称之为创意爆米花,它通常归因于女性缪斯。她和古希腊一样古老。在神秘主义和迷信的包裹下,缪斯女神是高度独立的,令每个创作者懊恼的是,我们不能随意召唤她。

When the Muse eludes you, stay calm, there are places to find inspiration. Here are some author favorites:
当缪斯女神躲避你时,保持冷静,有一些地方可以找到灵感。以下是一些作者的最爱:

1. Conversation谈话

Find inspiration in conversations with friends, reading magazines or websites, and watching movies. Veteran novelist, Warren Adler said,
在与朋友的对话、阅读杂志或网站以及看电影中寻找灵感。资深小说家沃伦·阿德勒(Warren Adler)说:

“I’m always writing a story in my head and never pass up the chance to listen in on a good conversation (even bad ones). The idea for The War of the Roses came to me at a dinner party in Washington.” 1
“我总是在脑海中写一个故事,从不错过倾听好谈话的机会(即使是糟糕的谈话)。《玫瑰战争》的想法是在华盛顿的一次晚宴上想到的。1

The key here is to listen and to be open to the ideas, don’t filter them before they blossom.
这里的关键是倾听并对想法持开放态度,不要在它们开花之前过滤它们。

2. Imitation2. 模仿

Many authors, including Hunter S. Thompson, Jack London, and Benjamin Franklin, mimicked authors they admired to improve their craft and generate ideas.2
许多作家,包括亨特·汤普森、杰克·伦敦和本杰明·富兰克林,模仿他们钦佩的作家,以提高他们的手艺并产生想法。

Use your character from your favorite author as the basis for your main character by creating its opposite, its relative, or its friend. Or take a piece of classic writing and rewrite it mimicking the author’s tone and style and characterization.
使用你最喜欢的作者的角色作为你主角的基础,通过创建它的对立面、亲戚或朋友。或者拿一篇经典的作品,模仿作者的语气、风格和人物特征重写。
Or copy it as is to ingrain the rhythm and flow of a masterwork into your writing muscle.
或者按原样复制它,将杰作的节奏和流动融入您的写作肌肉中。

3. Connection3. 连接

Ideas can spark when something familiar comes up unexpectedly such as seeing a person who resembles your dead father across the street and you wonder if he’s alive, or what you might be today if he lived, or what if it was your long-lost father?
当一些熟悉的事情意外出现时,想法就会引发,比如在街对面看到一个和你死去的父亲很像的人,你想知道他是否还活着,或者如果他还活着,你今天会是什么样子,或者如果是你失散多年的父亲会怎样?

“The role of the imagination is to create new meanings and to discover connections that, even if obvious, seem to escape detection. Imagination begins with intuition, not intellect.” — Paul Rand, author of: From Lascaux to Brooklyn, a seminal work on basic principles of design, creativity, and timeless visual communication.3
“想象力的作用是创造新的含义,并发现联系,即使这些联系很明显,似乎也能逃脱检测。想象力始于直觉,而不是智力“——保罗·兰德(Paul Rand),《从拉斯科到布鲁克林》(From Lascaux to Brooklyn)一书的作者,这是一部关于设计、创造力和永恒视觉传达基本原则的开创性著作。

4. Self-reflection4. 自我反省

Some authors have a talent for depicting real-life situations and feelings because they’ve experienced them firsthand. For example, author Cormac McCarthy knows what it’s like to shoot a buffalo because he hunted in his youth.4
一些作者有描绘现实生活中的情况和感受的天赋,因为他们亲身经历过。例如,作家科马克·麦卡锡(Cormac McCarthy)知道射杀水牛是什么感觉,因为他年轻时打猎。

5. Collaboration5. 协作

It’s not uncommon for novelists to get together with other authors and talk about their ideas; this is often how the best stories come into being — multiple people mulling over ideas together until they come up with something even better than the original.
小说家与其他作家聚在一起谈论他们的想法并不少见;这通常是最好的故事的产生方式——多个人一起思考想法,直到他们想出比原版更好的东西。
Some successful novelists, including James Patterson, collaborate regularly.5
一些成功的小说家,包括詹姆斯·帕特森,经常合作。

6. Adaptation6. 适应

Some books are nothing more than adaptations of other works, whether they’re short stories or movies. Think Fifty Shades of Grey. It was a fanfiction adaptation of the Twilight series.6
有些书只不过是改编自其他作品,无论是短篇小说还是电影。想想《五十度灰》。这是对《暮光之城》系列的同人小说改编。

7. Incubation7. 孵化

Ever had a dream or nightmare? Your subconscious incubates bits and pieces of your life, your experiences, your memories into new (and sometimes weird) innovative ideas — listen to it.
曾经做过梦或噩梦吗?你的潜意识将你生活的点点滴滴、你的经历、你的记忆孵化成新的(有时是奇怪的)创新想法——倾听它。

A dream inspired Stephen King’s The Shining when he and his family were the only guests at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado. King said,
一个梦想启发了斯蒂芬金的闪灵,当时他和他的家人是科罗拉多州埃斯蒂斯公园斯坦利酒店的唯一客人。金说,

“That night I dreamed of my three-year-old son running through the corridors, looking back over his shoulder, eyes wide, screaming. He was being chased by a fire-hose. I woke up with a tremendous jerk, sweating all over, within an inch of falling out of bed.” 7
“那天晚上,我梦见我三岁的儿子跑过走廊,回头看着他的肩膀,睁大眼睛,尖叫着。他被消防水带追赶。我醒来时抽搐着,浑身大汗淋漓,离从床上摔下来不到一英寸。

8. Motion8. 运动

Intentional motion like cleaning the house, walking outside, exercising, or anything that doesn’t require your intellect, frees your subconscious to cultivate your embryonic thought and give birth to the next Great American Novel.
有意识的动作,如打扫房子、在外面散步、锻炼或任何不需要你智力的事情,可以解放你的潜意识来培养你的胚胎思维,并诞生下一部伟大的美国小说。

Dr. Bonnie Smith Whitehouse, in the preface to her book A Foot and Lighthearted, says,
邦妮·史密斯·怀特豪斯(Bonnie Smith Whitehouse)博士在她的书《一只脚和轻松的心》(A Foot and Lighthearted)的序言中说:

“Most of all, walking has nurtured my creativity as I struggle to give tangible form to abstract ideas.” 8
“最重要的是,步行培养了我的创造力,因为我努力为抽象的想法赋予有形的形式。”

9. Mutation9. 突变

Scientists and writers alike create ideas by combining two common themes and turning them on their heads.
科学家和作家都通过结合两个共同的主题并将它们颠倒过来来创造想法。

Think transformer, where Autobots morph into people or animals.
想想变形金刚,汽车人会变成人或动物。

An example for writers: What if the good guys lost? What would be different? What if the protagonist was a villain?
作家的例子:如果好人输了怎么办?会有什么不同?如果主角是反派呢?

Reality has limitations, but as a writer, you can exploit these limitations in your work of fiction.
现实是有局限性的,但作为一个作家,你可以在你的小说作品中利用这些局限性。

10. Combination10. 组合

Think Labradoodle, Schnoodle, or Cockapoo — enough said.
想想Labradoodle,Schnoodle或Cockapoo - 说得够多了。

Consider the words of David Kord Murray, author of Borrowing Brilliance, in an interview with Vern Burkhardt,
想想《借用辉煌》(Borrowing Brilliance)一书的作者大卫·科德·默里(David Kord Murray)在接受Vern Burkhardt采访时所说的话:

“People are made out of other people just as ideas are made out of other ideas. This is why ideas give birth to one another and why I can say that brilliance is borrowed and always has been. After all, that’s why an idea is called a conception in the first place.” 9
“人们是由其他人组成的,就像想法是由其他想法组成的一样。这就是为什么思想会相互诞生,这就是为什么我可以说辉煌是借来的,而且一直都是。毕竟,这就是为什么一个想法首先被称为概念。

Idea generation is an important tool in your writing kit. So, the next time you reach a point where the words don’t flow, or the plot is stuck, try one of the methods above and find out which one works best for you.
创意生成是写作工具包中的重要工具。因此,下次您到达单词不流畅或情节卡住的地步时,请尝试上述方法之一,找出最适合您的方法。

Best of luck to you on your writing journey. Please share your way of generating new ideas and your successes if you try any of these techniques. I appreciate hearing from my readers. Thank you for taking the time to read and for allowing me to share my work.
祝您在写作之旅中好运。如果您尝试任何这些技术,请分享您产生新想法的方式和您的成功。我感谢我的读者来信。感谢您抽出宝贵时间阅读并允许我分享我的作品。

Please take advantage of the free list of Scrivener Resources or A Guide to Reading Fiction to Enhance Your Writing brought to you by Tools for Writers.
请利用免费列表 书记员资源 or 阅读小说指南,以增强您的写作能力 由作家工具带给您。

References引用

1 “Eavesdropping for Story Ideas and Other Tips from a Veteran Novelist.” Accessed July 10, 2021. https://alanrinzler.com/2014/10/eavesdropping-for-story-ideas-and-other-tips-from-a-veteran-novelist/.
1 “窃听一位资深小说家的故事创意和其他技巧。”2021 年 7 月 10 日访问。 https://alanrinzler.com/2014/10/eavesdropping-for-story-ideas-and-other-tips-from-a-veteran-novelist/ .

2 Krumpak, Karen. “Writing Exercise: 3 Reasons to Write Imitations of Your Favorite Authors.” Writer’s Digest. Accessed July 10, 2021. https://www.writersdigest.com/there-are-no-rules/writing-exercise-3-reasons-to-write-imitations-of-your-favorite-authors.
2 克鲁姆帕克,凯伦。“写作练习:模仿你最喜欢的作家的 3 个理由。”作家文摘。2021 年 7 月 10 日访问。 https://www.writersdigest.com/there-are-no-rules/writing-exercise-3-reasons-to-write-imitations-of-your-favorite-authors .

3 Popova, Maria. “Paul Rand on The Role of the Imagination.” Brain Pickings (blog), February 8, 2012. https://www.brainpickings.org/2012/02/08/paul-rand-on-the-role-of-the-imagination/.
3 波波娃,玛丽亚。“保罗·兰德谈想象力的作用。Brain Pickings(博客),2012年2月8日。 https://www.brainpickings.org/2012/02/08/paul-rand-on-the-role-of-the-imagination/ .

4 The Guardian. “Cormac McCarthy: America’s Great Poetic Visionary,” December 20, 2009. http://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2009/dec/20/observer-profile-cormac-mccarthy.
4 卫报。“科马克·麦卡锡:美国伟大的诗意梦想家”,2009年12月20日。 http://www.theguardian.com/theobserver/2009/dec/20/observer-profile-cormac-mccarthy .

5 Heller, Karen. “James Patterson Mostly Doesn’t Write His Books. And His New Readers Mostly Don’t Read — Yet.” Washington Post, June 6, 2016, sec. Style. https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/james-patterson-doesnt-write-his-books-and-his-newest-readers-dont-read/2016/06/06/88e7d3c0-28c2-11e6-ae4a-3cdd5fe74204_story.html.
5 海勒,凯伦。“詹姆斯·帕特森(James Patterson)大多不写他的书。他的新读者大多还不读书。华盛顿邮报,2016年6月6日,秒风格。 https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/james-patterson-doesnt-write-his-books-and-his-newest-readers-dont-read/2016/06/06/88e7d3c0-28c2-11e6-ae4a-3cdd5fe74204_story.html .

6 “‘Fifty Shades of Grey’ Started Out As ‘Twilight’ Fan Fiction.” Accessed July 10, 2021. https://www.businessinsider.com/fifty-shades-of-grey-started-out-as-twilight-fan-fiction-2015-2.
6 “《五十度灰》最初是《暮光之城》的同人小说。”2021 年 7 月 10 日访问。 https://www.businessinsider.com/fifty-shades-of-grey-started-out-as-twilight-fan-fiction-2015-2 .

7 “The Shining | Book, Summary, Facts, & Remakes | Britannica.” Accessed July 10, 2021. https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Shining-novel-by-King.
7 《闪灵 |书籍、摘要、事实和翻拍 |《大英百科全书》。2021 年 7 月 10 日访问。 https://www.britannica.com/topic/The-Shining-novel-by-King .

8 A foot and Lighthearted: A Journal for Mindful Walking (9780525574811): Smith Whitehouse, Bonnie: Books.” Accessed July 10, 2021.
8 一只脚和轻松的:正念行走的日记(9780525574811):史密斯怀特豪斯,邦妮:书籍。2021 年 7 月 10 日访问。

9 “Search and Combine Ideas — Interviews with Corporate Innovation Leaders.” Accessed July 10, 2021. https://www.ideaconnection.com/interviews/00223-Search-and-Combine-Ideas.html.
9 “搜索和组合想法 - 与企业创新领导者的访谈。”2021 年 7 月 10 日访问。 https://www.ideaconnection.com/interviews/00223-Search-and-Combine-Ideas.html .