ideas – Confabulator Cafe

The Evolution of an Idea: Murph’s Law

Jack Campbell, Jr. - January 27, 2014

People often ask writers where they get their ideas. There are a lot of answers to that question. I think everyone does it a bit differently. A month ago, I published the story “Murph’s Law” on this site. You can find it here. A couple of readers wrote me and asked where it came from. […]

Dreams: The Free-loading Bitches Who Won’t Help Me Write

Larry Jenkins - June 3, 2013

For whatever reason, my dreams refuse to be helpful. I know there are some authors who claim they get brilliant ideas from dreams. I don’t necessarily hate those people, but I haven’t met them in person either, so I’m not prepared to say we’d be friends. I’ve also read at least one article that recommended […]

It’s Easier to Dream

Ashley M. Hill - April 12, 2013

So, one morning I turned on PBS for the child, sat on the couch, and fell asleep. I’d love to give you a time of year or a month or anything, but this is happens so often that I could probably start every day of my life with the same line. When I startle awake, […]

Leather-Bound Beauties (I’m Talking About Journals, You Pervs)

Larry Jenkins - April 8, 2013

I recently watched a video of Stephen King talking to a group of university students. It was a question and answer type of thing, and at one point, the subject of keeping a notebook of ideas came up. If I’m remembering this correctly (and in the spirit of full disclosure, it’s completely possible I’m not), […]

A Little (Orange) Notebook

Ashley M. Hill - September 21, 2012

I’ve never been worried about running out of ideas, though I do worry about losing them. Like a lot of writers, I keep a little notebook for jotting down ideas. (And like most other things I own, I frequently lose this notebook.) Honestly, this notebook tells me more about my own state of mind when […]