Michelle Griep

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I'm Dreaming Of A...

Nope, not a white Christmas. Actually, I'm kind of glad it hasn't snowed. Less shoveling. No idiots spinning out on the road from driving too fast. And I can still wear cutesie shoes instead of Sorrel boots.

What I'm talking about is that I had a snippet of a dream just before waking up this morning. Not a full-fledged scenario. More like an emotional image that left behind an oily residue...which sounds yucky and somewhat creepy, I grant you, but oh what fodder for a manuscript!

Did you know that's how the Twilight series began? It all started when Stephanie Meyers awoke from a particularly vivid imprint of a dream.

Pretty much anything can be used as an impetus to propel your story forward. Some ideas other than dreams are:
- song lyrics
- kids books
- sermons
- bits of eavesdropped conversations (I know, naughty, but it works)
- e-mail or Facebook nuggets
- obituaries (sad but true...don't tell me they don't make you wonder)

And those are just a few. So go ahead, extend your writer antennas. You never know where your next fantastic plot idea might come from.