Writing Tip #1: How To Generate Story Ideas

Writers should always be writing. But what do you when it's time to start a new project and you are out of ideas. You have nothing! All of your old ideas are crap. And you need gold in a bottle now.

1) Ask.

Remember six months ago when you didn't need an idea, but every party you went to, someone gave you their idea for a movie. "Leave us alone already, we don't want your idea." Until now. Of course, most of the ideas you hear are bad. But, you might hear something you can work with.

Does it matter if you didn't come up with the kernel of the idea? Do we know for sure that Christopher Nolan wasn't sitting around when his stoner friend said "Wouldn't it be awesome if you could travel into someone's dreams, or even better into a dream of their dream?" Most ideas are already represented in the Hollywood or NYC Lit Marketplaces. Your idea is not new. But your style and voice are. The way you will execute the story is. So once again, open yourself up and ask for help.

2) Steal.

Picasso said it best, "Good artists borrow, great artists steal." Find something you like and make it your own. I don't mean rip off a story verbatim. Let's say you love Tron, however the premise doesn't totally make sense. How can a computer program enter the real world?

What if you expanded on that? And now, switch genres. A thriller? What if a criminal mastermind brought a program into the real world that could rob banks. I give you the next heist movie. Or romantic comedy? What if a man made the ultimate computer program for a matchmaking site, only to find when his program came into the real world, he's in love.

Is this Tron? No. But did we steal part of the story? Yes. However, we've added our own twist and our own voice and now it's unrecognizable from Tron. You like Usual Suspects? Put it in high school. You like Harry Met Sally? Put it in a boxing ring. Steal and make it your own.

3) Input.

Find it wherever you can. Go see movies. Go to a theme park. Go see a show. Inspiration can't find you if you don't open yourself to it. Carry around a notebook. Write down anything that interests you. A musician trips on stage. Why? The beginnings of a nervous breakdown? Two costumed characters get into a fight at Disneyland. Could this be a Will Ferrel comedy? Anything that can inspire a character, a scene, a beginning.

Ultimately, idea generation takes time. If you find yourself needing an idea today, you're in trouble. The best thing to do is constantly be looking out for ideas. This should be an ongoing exercise. And the best advice: Carry a notebook or have a doc in your smartphone ready to go. Because you never know when inspiration will strike. You best be ready to record it.

Battle of the Directors: Aronofsky vs Boyle

This winter, several directors released their latest masterpieces to tremendous reviews, and two noteworthy contenders have proved they are real powerhouses. The exciting Danny Boyle, at 54 years of age, brings an uplifting character-centric, true-story 127 Hours, about an isolated mountain climber who becomes trapped in a canyon by a boulder for five days. And across the ring, is the unpredictable and controversial Darren Aronofsky, at 41 years of age, who delivers a disturbing and powerful story of a ballerina who slowly loses her mind as she struggles and competes for the role of The Black Swan.

Darren Aronofsky is at the height of his career, delivering technical knockouts in Pi and Requiem for a Dream, and showing he has some vulnerability as a director in The Wrestler. He took a real hit with the Fountain, but it's one of his few, if any, losses. Now his craft comes to a head, as he shows poise and focus with The Black Swan, a taut thriller in which his tricks of the trade in cinematography, sound design, and editing only serve to elevate this mental roller coaster.

Conversely, Danny Boyle has been a fighter for a while now, marveling the ring with his first miraculous knockout Trainspotting. Since then, he hasn’t always had total critical acclaim, but his quirky interest in the unexplored landscape has brought him hits like A Life Less Ordinary and The Beach. He even reinvented the zombie pic with 28 Days Later. But every fighter has his moment, and after some solid training with Millions and Sunshine, Danny Boyle is proving he can outlast other opponents with a recent string of successes.

So who’s the champion between these two? Both have shown they aren’t afraid to get psychologically down and dirty, both tackling some raw subject matter. This year alone, both magnificent Oscar nominated films, The Black Swan and 127 Hours, have award-winning performances and riveting stories. But Danny Boyle is one of seven directors to win a Golden Globe, Director’s guild, BAFTA and Oscar for the same movie, Slumdog Millionaire. Aronofsky is short in the awards department, but is about to go commercial with a RoboCop remake and X-Men Origins: Wolverine 2, both releasing in 2012. While that move might put him over the edge in box office revenue, currently that category also goes to Danny Boyle. Aranofsky is young, inventive and a true cinematic technician, but most of his films have explored purely the shocking and terrifying elements of human nature. He has yet to bring inspiration and uplifting heart to the screen. Danny Boyle, conversely has more range in his films, from the raw dark characters in Trainspotting, the Horror of 28 Days Later, and the uplifting feel good love story of Slumdog.

Craft alone, both directors are masters, but with his awards, box office, and breadth of genre, Danny Boyle lands a surprising knockout over Aronofsky in this bout.

Who's your pick? Let me know if you agree with the Judge's Ruling. And look for future Battles of the Directors on Crack My Story.