Igniting the Spark – Choosing an Exotic Topic
Write Now: From Spark to Story in 7 Weeks
Welcome, you beautiful dreamers, to Write Now: From Spark to Story in 7 Weeks, a seven-week ride wherein we -- YOU & I -- craft a 1,000-word short story from scratch, using the tools I’ve already introduced to you, forged in the crucible of 32 years chasing narrative gold.
I'm posting from my mom's bedside as she recovers from brain surgery. Needless to say, my life is a little chaotic at the moment.
But even when the world around us is chaotic, or downright devastating, we still carry paradise WITHIN us. Write Now: From Spark to Story in 7 Weeks is about claiming your creative sovereignty and spilling paradise onto the page!
Last year, I created a 5-step process for creating short stories, and I haven't really put it through its paces yet.
Now feels like a good time for a test drive.
You ready?
Let’s dive into the first step:
Step 1: Choose an EXOTIC TOPIC.
We want this to be an activity we WANT to write about -- something we're an expert on or something we WANT TO BE an expert on...
Or just something that's obsessing us at the moment. 😜
The idea is to pick an ACTIVITY that we can DESCRIBE IN DETAIL. Because we're gonna make this "Exotic Topic" central (somehow) to the plot of our story.
In my former life as a Master Control Operator for broadcast TV, I used to edit promos and trailers and such. I'd take an episode of an upcoming show we were going to air soon, find video and audio from that show that quickly gave the viewer an idea of what was coming up, add music if needed (or repurpose music from the episode), and slap on the channel's logo.
Since the Internet is video-heavy these days (TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, etc.) I figure video editing might be a topic the casual reader could get into. Either they already know how to edit, or they have a passing interest in it.
So, Step 1… ✔️
Step 2: Create a PROTAGONIST with a PROBLEM.
Since we're writing a SHORT story, we're not looking for a HUGE, in-depth problem. The problem is going to get solved in 1,000 words, or so.
And we're not creating Mary Sues or Gary Stus, we want to create someone the reader can identify with. This isn't a wish-fulfillment exercise, this is a slice of life that our reader can get lost in for a few minutes.
The key for me, when I'm creating a new character, is to remember that this character ISN'T AS WISE AS I AM, yet! So the problem they're going to solve in these next 1,000 words can be something I have already figured out! 😉
As an example, when I was a younger man, I used to get super self-conscious around attractive women who were comparable in age.
I know, I know, you're thinking, "YOU, Ray Jay?! YOU were INSECURE around the opposite sex?!" 😲 But it's true!
However, at my age... let's just say that I no longer harbor any suspicion that a woman I am physically attracted to might be physically attracted to me. 😉 I know I'm cute...but... 😝
So, because I am no longer flustered and boggled by the opposite sex (well…not as much, anyway), I can more easily create PROBLEMS for a younger male character that I also know how to SOLVE! ("Treat her like an EQUAL." "Be YOURSELF." "Ask her about what SHE's into." That sort of thing.)
But if you're not as...let's say "venerable", or "well-seasoned", as I am you can give your protagonist a problem you solved last year, or LAST WEEK.
The point is that our short story character isn't FLAWLESS. We want him/her to feel REAL.
Meet Lee Dallas
Despite his manly-man name, Lee’s a nerd who edits videos for a girl he’s crushing on, and he doesn’t know how to make her fall in love with him.
A decade ago I couldn’t write this story because I would have been in the same boat as poor Lee — “How do I make a specific girl DIG me?” But right now, I’m looking at Lee’s dilemma, and I see that Lee’s asking the wrong question…
And THAT is going to be my short story!!! 😃
So, Step 2… ✔️
Okay, Your Turn:
1. Choose an EXOTIC TOPIC.
2. Create a PROTAGONIST with a PROBLEM.
If your topic and your protagonist-with-a-problem aren't enough to spark a short story idea for you, consider using the Vague Idea to Solid Concept tool to fan the flames. 🔥
Who is my protagonist? Someone flawed, real, not a superhero version of you.
What’s the audience expecting? Genre vibes, emotional payoff, or a twist they’ll talk about.
What’s my big climax? The moment your hero faces their truth.
What’s the “Secret Takeaway”? The deeper truth your reader carries away.
For me the answers would be:
Who is my protagonist? Lee, a video editor crushing on an influencer
What’s the audience expecting? TBD
What’s my big climax? TBD
What’s the “Secret Takeaway”? Lee needs to have a dream for his own life.
I'll elaborate on that evasive fourth answer next week, and I'm not stressed that I can't answer the middle two questions just yet. I can feel it; I have something interesting here.
And whether I'm right or wrong, YOU'LL be able to judge FOR YOURSELF in 6 weeks, when I publish the short story this process is going to produce!
Play along with me, won't you? 🥳😄🤩
Share your exotic topic and protagonist in the Comments!
May you have a truly beautiful week!!!