By Beaver
- Pull any four novels off your shelves.
- Flip through the first book randomly. Write down the first name you see. This will be your main character‘s name. Repeat at least one more time (so you have a minimum of two characters) but as many times as you like. (Remember you’ll have to incorporate them into your story, though, so don’t get too carried away.)
- Open the second book randomly. The first place name or description you see (e.g. London, bedroom, mountains) will be your primary setting.
- Flip through the third book randomly. Write down the first five events you see. These will form the backbone of your plot.
- Open the fourth book randomly. Base the theme of your story on the first emotion you see (envy, fear, guilt, grief, happiness, jealousy, love, pride, shame, trust, etc.).
- Make the story your own by using your own style to combine these elements.
