I Have An Idea…
Where Do I Get My Story Ideas?
It’s one of the questions writers hear most often.
The honest answer? Everywhere.
Story ideas rarely arrive fully formed. More often, they begin as fragments — a place, an event, a fleeting observation of life, a descriptive phrase in a book, personal experience. Romance authors, especially, are adept at turning these small sparks into layered emotional journeys.
Nora Roberts has said ideas come to her constantly — through news articles, dreams, overheard conversations — and that the real work isn’t finding ideas, but choosing which ones to develop.
That resonates deeply with me.
Brushstrokes of Love was inspired by a road trip with my son along Victoria’s Great Ocean Road. The dramatic coastline, quiet seaside towns, and sense of creative solitude stayed with me long after I returned home. For Love and Charity grew from a newspaper article about a kidnapped nurse — the tension of danger intertwined with compassion felt like fertile emotional ground. Fijian Love Song was born from my own travels to Fiji — its warmth, music, and culture. Brin’s Open Heart began with an embarrassing moment from my own life that later became a meet-cute. And Country Haven emerged during line dancing exercise classes, where country songs started sparking story possibilities.
Novelists aren’t so different from songwriters. Taylor Swift is known for transforming personal experiences into lyrics that feel both intimate and universal. Listeners may not share her exact circumstances, but they recognise the emotion. The details are hers; the feelings belong to everyone.
Romance thrives on emotional truth. Authors may not recreate their lives on the page, but they borrow the emotional undercurrents — heartbreak, longing, embarrassment, hope — and reshape them into fiction.
The real challenge isn’t finding ideas. It’s discernment. Which concept has the depth to sustain a short story, a novella, or a sweeping saga? Which emotional thread feels richest? Which ideas are stronger together? Which idea refuses to let you go?
Ideas are everywhere. The courage lies in choosing — and trusting — the one that keeps tugging at your heart.