Story starters are simple lines or paragraphs that you can use to start off a writing exercise. Just put it at the top of a piece of paper or file and go. You can use it directly as the first line of a piece, or use it as inspiration. Of course you could also get a bit more creative and use it as the last line, or incorporate it into the middle somewhere. You could re-phrase or re-write the starter if it better suits your story. But for the purposes of a quick exercise, it’s usually easiest to just use it as the first line of your writing. Today’s story starter is:

“The smell is coming from that ambulance.”

This morning I came across 50 Writing Ideas I Couldn’t Find on Another List. There are definitely some unusual suggestions there! Today, pick one at random, pick one that inspires you, or, if you need help choosing, try the following, which is one of my favorites from the list:

11. Write a review of a book that hasn’t been written.

Another article from that same blog that you could use is 5 simple ways to get out of a blog writing pickle. Coming up with ideas for writing in your blog can be very similar to looking for ideas for writers’ exercises.

Many writers advocate judicious eavesdropping on others’ conversations as a means to gain inspiration. This morning I stumbled across a blog called Eavesdrop Writer that’s all about this particular form of inspiration. Today, visit that site and pick a conversation from those related on the front page. Use it as part of a longer scene, or use it to inspire one or more characters who might have uttered those bits of dialogue.

I recently started reading & reviewing titles from J.D. Robb/Nora Roberts’s ‘in death’ series, starting with a random book in the middle, going back to the first book, and then leaping forward to the most recent release. Each book in the series has a title that fits into a certain format (Naked in Death, Memory in Death, Strangers in Death), with the variant word having something directly to do with the mystery at the heart of that particular installment in the series. This is a popular format for the titles within an extended series of books because it makes it easy for readers to know that a given book fits into the series they know and love.

Today, come up with your own base title format that could be used in this manner. It doesn’t have to be for a mystery series—it could be for any genre you prefer, or even a non-fiction series. Then brainstorm at least five different variations on the title and a quick summary of what each one would be about.