Since I was a teenager I loved plot. If the story kept me turning pages by flashlight after bedtime, I found a new favorite author. Over time I began to think about how writers have great plot or flat plot. I would brainstorm stories with, “What if it ended this way?”

As a writer I see so many struggle with ideas and originality. They want to grab their readers and their wordsmithing is astounding, but they struggle to keep the reader guessing and the conflict high. I’ve brainstormed with many of these writers and they ask me where I get my ideas.

A year ago I decided I should start to synthesize my methods for brainstorming in way that others could utilize. Breaking it down into small pieces is where Idea Sparking: How to Brainstorm Conflict in Your Novel was born.

What does you book contain that different from other books?

My Idea Sparking book is about more than just a theory, or a here is how you brainstorm in all situations. This book is designed to target specific problems in your plot conflict and give you a tool to fix it.

The diagnostic tool to match conflict problems with a specific tool to fix it is so practical and easy to use. You can turn to a chapter and pull out a strategy and apply it to your work.

What is one of the best ideas generated by this book?

One of my favorite strategies utilized in this book is Secret Sabotage. It helps create unpredictable behavior in your hero or heroine that keeps the reader guessing. It allows readers to unravel the character one layer at a time and find surprising twists.

What is one of the best ideas generated by this book?

One of my favorite strategies utilized in this book is Secret Sabotage. It helps create unpredictable behavior in your hero or heroine that keeps the reader guessing. It allows readers to unravel the character one layer at a time and find surprising twists.

Just like us, our characters have things they’ve done they are not proud of or they find embarrassing. Identify a few these things for your hero/heroine to create unexpected behavior, all in the interest of keeping this secret. Then find someone in the story, or a situation in the story that could threaten to reveal their secret.strategies utilized in this book is Secret Sabotage. It helps create unpredictable behavior in your hero or heroine that keeps the reader guessing. It allows readers to unravel the character one layer at a time and find surprising twists.

For example, a character that is unable to dance may turn down an opportunity to go to a ball with Prince Charming. She may have loved him secretly for years, but won’t risk being embarrassed by her lack of dancing skills, so she turns him down. This behavior is unexpected to Prince Charming who thinks she just doesn’t like him.

Another possibility is that her sister threatens to tell Prince Charming that she used to date a Prince from an enemy kingdom. She would turn him down to protect this secret as well.

By pulling out this secret, we have created an unexpected turn of events in our plot that can cause more conflict.

How would the MBT audience, or aspiring author use this book?

My hope is that writers would read the book through and then use it as a desk reference to help them as they plot and as they edit. If they see a scene is flat, they can turn to a list of strategies to fix this problem and apply it. If they have difficulty thinking out of the box, they can turn to one of the exercises and it use it to solve the problem.

Feedback on this excellent resource!

“I think it’s a great resource! I love the way you give examples, offer opportunities for writers to craft out their own ideas.”  ~Lisa Jordan Author of Lakeside Reunion and Lakeside Family 

“Michelle recently helped me brainstorm Silent Night, my newRockHarbor digital novella coming at the end of next month. Her brainstorming prowess amazed me! I loved her new book, especially the chapter on secrets.” ~Colleen Coble Award Winning Author

“Michelle encapsulated some workable, practical, yet energizing techniques to help spark that all-important conflict and tension in our stories. I especially appreciated the buffet of ideas that showed how a combination of tips could bring about a tailor-made solution to a lack-luster character, scene, or plot.” ~Cynthia Ruchti Multi-published Author, speaker, and writing instructor.

Pick up your copy of Idea Sparking at:  http://ideasparking.mybooktherapy.com

Thanks, Michelle, for creating this powerful tool for authors!