Viewpoint What helps you make ideas?

[Perkaholic]

Personally, if I’m going to brainstorm a plot or idea for a roleplay, I listen to music. It helps me get into the zone and depending on the genre, it helps me think about the characters I’d be using. Sometimes though, a movie or show will influence me and get my brain gears working. Do you guys have any other ways to get your mind going when it comes to roleplay ideas?

 

[CheshireMitsu]

i mainly tend to start something based on an anime ive wtched, then it goe chotic in a bit in its own direction, so then i just spend a bunch of time organizing the world and everything........ then when the world is finsihed, i never actually make a story laugh in distance

 

[AnnJam]

Same as you fiction, comics, shows, headcanons and the such inspire me. Music keeps me motivated and in the right mood once I get an idea.

But I'm also a broken record that makes the same shit over and over again . . . and tends to stick to what I know and enjoy!

 

[CheshireMitsu]

lol so i guess for storywriting were kinda the same but different!

 

[Idea]

Media in general informs a lot of my ideas, though I have a personal rule that if I'm really hyped for some kind of roleplay idea I'll wait at least three weeks, especially if there's a fandom. Hype is something that comes and goes, and it can die pretty quickly, so to start something based on hype or a simple immediate craving is a recipe for disaster as you're putting yourself in the position where your interest may easily fizzle out soon. At the three week mark though, I feel like if I'm still really interested in doing an idea, it'll probably last, even if only with the right partner for it.

If I'm actively trying to generate ideas though, one common method is to just go through my anime/manga list. Music sometimes helps too, but the plot can get too specific an image in my mind. Either way, I often distill the essence of how an idea appealed to me, and try to create a plot that maximizes how much I can make it feature, or at least makes that aspect stand out. In cases where it's a more niche idea or more centered on one character, I try to adapt the idea to be potentially better received.

 

[unscientific]

I start typing. My hands put down the garbled words in my mind or I write a starter or I just start worldbuilding.

 

[Yet]

Real-life experience. Typically sadness.

You don't have to have too much to be inspired. Even the monotony of days starting and ending have some alteration somewhere. If you look.

 

[AngelTakio]

The RP I’m currently in with a friend was loosely based on a dream I had! I used it as a jumping off point for a long story about fairy tales and legends.

 

[oooo]

I read and listen to music. Reading books that are basically stockpiled with characters and unique concepts, like the Discworld series for example, helps me refuel my creative juices. In reality, you can mostly steal and adapt ideas, especially if you read more obscure things. Reading through tvtropes or wikipedia is also a great way to discover ideas that are new to you.