Black List writers on the craft: Story Concepts (Part 4)

“I really think that ultimately any story idea I ever come up with comes directly from an emotional experience. Your stories are already in you. You don’t have to press yourself for them to appear. They will appear if you just let them.”

Over the years, I have interviewed 50+ Black List screenwriters. Over the next four weeks, I am running a series featuring one topic per week related to the craft of writing.

This week: How do you come up with story concepts?

In this set of responses, the writers express how they find inspiration from feelings:

Nikole Beckwith: “I really think that ultimately any story idea I ever come up with comes directly from an emotional experience. It just like manifests itself in different ways… Regardless of the actual story it all comes from somewhere inside of you, so your perspective and your story will reveal itself… you have it. Your stories are already in you. You don’t have to press yourself for them to appear. They will appear if you just let them.”

Jason Mark Hellerman: “A lot of times, it’s what I’m dealing with in my personal life, but it’s what I want to talk about, but I’m too afraid to.”

Seth Lochhead: “And then there’s music. Sometimes music creates a feeling and I am compelled to capture that feeling.”

Arash Amel: “I start with a feeling. I try to listen to sort of the voice in my head that kind of goes, ‘What kind of a movie do I feel like writing now? What haven’t I done?’”

Something personal. An emotional experience. Capture the feeling. And this: “Your stories are already in you… they will appear if you just let them.”

When I read these comments, I’m reminded of this:

“Trust your feelings.”

Who knew that in addition to being a Jedi knight, Obi-Wan Kenobi was a screenwriting guru, too!

Using source material or real life as inspiration for story ideas seems pretty logical. Coming from a more emotionally grounded perspective feels more right-brain. Intuitive. Instinctual. The Heart in contrast to the Head.

There’s a clear upside to this approach. The final question I ask in assessing a potential story concept is, “What is my emotional connection to the material?” Starting from that place puts you squarely on target to answer that question.

How about you? Do you look to feelings and emotions for inspiration for your stories? Have you written stories arising from feelings? If so, please stop by comments and share with us.

For Part 1 of the series on story concepts, go here.

Part 2, here.

Part 3, here.

Tomorrow and for the rest of this week, we will learn how other Black List writers I have interviewed generate story concepts and the variety of ways they engage in that practice.