Get ready to write! 

One of the great things about being in Houston is that story ideas hit me. All. The. Time.


Almost everything I see can make a good short story or novel. When I was working and finishing After The Smoke, some of the most difficult scenes were finished or outlined on the couch in my childhood home. I don’t think I would have been able to finish the novel unless I was on that couch and felt the muse vibes running through my fingers.

So this trip wasn’t any different. Within 24 hours, I heard three news stories that I thought would be great stories and/or novels. If you still don’t know what you’re going to write about for NaNoWriMo you are more than welcomed to use these ideas or versions of these ideas.  Consider it my gift to you. 

What am I writing about for NaNoWriMo? As I said on my Twitter and Google+ account, I’ll share when I have the idea a bit more solidified in my head. Yes, I know the clock is ticking. 

Man Walks Into His Own Funeral

When I heard this story on Spanish television, I was instantly intrigued. In Brazil, a man was shocked when he went home and found his family in mourning … because of his death. WHAT?! Have you seen the pictures of the man and his dead doppelgänger? It is shocking! Even I had to say I would have done the same thing. 
The news started the wheels turning on a possible story. This one is way too juicy to pass up! 


Woman Sets Herself On Fire

This one didn’t come from my trip to Houston but rather from Louisiana. If you haven’t heard, a woman in Louisiana set herself on fire and then blamed the KKK for it. 

When this story broke, everyone believed her but it wasn’t until her finger prints were found on the lighter fluid and lighter she used that people too a step back. Whoa! 

Who sets themselves on fire? Why? How? That’s for you, the writer to figure out. 


Cannibal Cop

This story stopped me in my tracks. 

A plot by a NY cop was foiled. What did he plan to do? Rape, torture, and eat women. That’s right, I said eat.

The former officer is in court this week. And according to the story by the Guardian, the FBI discovered several pieces of correspondence, including text and emails, between him and other people detailing the plans to kill and eat these women. 

There’s a story there–fiction and nonfiction–that needs to be told. 


How’s that for story ideas? Are the creative juices flowing? I suggest you get to plotting. NaNoWriMo approaches. 

Note: Wanting to take your time in writing your novel? Join me for Creating Awesome Characters, a workshop for writers at 10 a.m.Nov. 17 right here.  I’ll be using Google Hangouts to teach the world on creating characters. It’ll cost you nothing. Just show up!