I don’t know about you, but as a writer, there’s never a time when I’m more insecure than at the very beginning of a new project. It’s daunting, making something out of nothing. Ideas are little fragile things that seem like they will break with the slightest pressure. But pressure forges diamonds, and the same can be said for story ideas.
It can be difficult to know when an idea in its roughest, barest form will turn into something sparkly and special, but there are some indicators you can look for if you’re unsure whether to pursue an idea. Here are seven signs you might just have a gem of an idea in your hands.
The Idea is Sticky
While “sticky” may seem like an odd descriptive adjective to use, an idea’s stickiness is actually one of the surefire ways to know if your idea is worth sticking with—pun 100% intended.
If a story idea is sticky, you won’t be able to shake it. The idea will follow you around, nagging at your brain while you run errands cook dinner, and try to do whatever you do to earn a living.
Sticky ideas demand attention. There’s something about them that won’t go away, no matter how often you try to stop thinking about them.
There Is Nothing Else Like It
Like most things in life, story ideas require a little research. Before you sink any significant time into developing a project, you must know if it already exists.
You may think it’s a fantastic idea to do an updated telling of Groundhog Day without realizing that Palm Springs is available to stream on Hulu. And let’s not forget about the year moviegoers got not one, but two different (but essentially identical) takes on a friends-with-benefits relationship.
A few Google searches should suffice to tell you whether there’s a movie or TV show in the world that’s too similar to your story idea. And if there’s nothing else like it? If you’re left wondering how in the heck no one has already made your genius idea a reality? Congrats, now it’s time to get to work.
‘Palm Springs’ (2020)
Remember: KISS
The KISS principle may be used more frequently in the business and engineering industries, but it also applies to story ideas.
Writers have a tendency to be so close to their work that when it comes time to pitch their stories, they get bogged down in detailed descriptions, specifics of the plot, and just overall unnecessary information. Often, the best stories can be explained in just a sentence or two.
You’ll know your idea has some weight to it if you can distill the basics of the story down to a single sentence—fine, two if you must.
Read More: 3 Simple Screenwriting Solutions to 3 Complicated Screenplay Problems
Answer the 5 Ws
A good way to test an idea’s viability—and, likewise, a decent place to start story development—is to try to answer the 5 Ws: Who? What? When? Where? Why?
These basic questions point to core elements of storytelling — an active protagonist, a strong goal, and story stakes.
If there’s any you can’t adequately answer, crucial elements are missing in your story, and more development is needed. But if you can identify the 5 Ws easily, the story idea is in good shape.
‘Top Gun: Maverick’ (2022)
You’ve Got the Strange Attractor
Academy Award-nominated screenwriter Terry Rossio (Shrek, Aladdin, Pirates of the Caribbean) believes that spec scripts must have what he coined “the strange attractor” to grab the attention of Hollywood execs.
Rossio says the concept must be unique original (strange) and compelling to audiences (attractive). “A good attractor must do just that – intrigue people, appeal to people,” writes Rossio. “The best ones explore a bit of the human condition that is specific, universal, and (if possible) has never been done before.”
The strange attractor may seem a bit elusive, a bit hard to define, and in many ways it is, but it’s also the exact ingredient that means your script will gain traction in Hollywood.
Read More: Elevator Pitching: How To Grab Someone’s Attention in 30 Seconds or Less
Others Are Intrigued
It’s terrifying to share ideas with other people when they’re in their infancy. A writer’s gut instinct will be to protect the baby’s idea from the world and keep it safe in their brain, not letting anyone else know about it. And that’s the opposite of what you should do if you’re trying to figure out if the idea is worth a damn.
I’m a big believer in sharing your story ideas, even if they’re not ready to be out in the world yet. Giving a quick pitch to a friend will allow you to get instant feedback just from their initial reaction—plus this exercise is an opportunity to test your idea against the KISS principle. If you find yourself rambling while pitching the idea, it probably needs a bit of work.
If your prospective audience member displays a lackluster response of any kind, it’s a sign that you should probably head back to the drawing board. But if they seem intrigued, excited, or simply *into* the premise, you know the idea is worth pursuing.
‘Joker’ (2019)
You’ve Fallen in Love
Last but not least, one of the best indicators of whether an idea is worth pursuing is how YOU, the writer, feel about it.
Above all, trust your writer’s gut. If you want to read the story yourself, if you absolutely must be the person to write it, if you love it more than anything else you’re working on at that exact moment — that’s a clear indicator of a great idea. Your overwhelming passion for the story will bleed onto the page and give the script that special *something* that will make it stand out.
Some ideas feel different than others. The ones that make your heart beat differently, the ones that cause your fingers to twitch with the anticipation to start typing — those are really good ideas.
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So what are you waiting for? Get moving and start developing your next great story idea!
Read More: Paths To Becoming a Professional Screenwriter
The post 7 Signs You Have a Good Story Idea appeared first on ScreenCraft.
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Author: Britton Perelman
