Want to Write a Story? Here’s How to Get Started. Knowing how to write a good story is a powerful skill. The human mind is drawn to stories. Recite a laundry list of events from your day at work and our eyes glaze over. But tell us how the copier jammed and you heroically saved the day with some duct tape and a paper clip? We’re riveted. Where to Find Story Writing Ideas Every novelist or short story writer has heard the question many times: “Where do you get your ideas?” The answer is always the same: from everywhere. Many aspiring writers believe they need to wait for a sudden flash of inspiration, but generating ideas is more of a process than an epiphany. Pay attention. Pay attention to what’s going on around you. Those snippets of conversation you overheard at dinner, the car you witnessed going the wrong way down the freeway during rush hour, the elderly man trudging down a dark alley calling the name Maryanne repeatedly, all could spark a story. Alt...