So, what’s the most-asked question people in creative occupations hear from others? It’s: “Where do you get all your ideas?” That question or a variant is one that every creative will be asked at one time or another. For myself, it’s not necessarily difficult to answer. I’ve found for me, my ideas often begin with another question: “What if…?” Kind of simple, I know but I’m not one to believe in any special star-blessed talent from above. The doodle below demonstrates the danger that approach holds….

That’s about it in a nutshell and why the question “What if…?” comes in so handy. If you sit around waiting for a Fairy Godmother to bestow some divine inspiration you’re going to be waiting for a long, long time. It’s what started the ball rolling for my novel. A sort of – “What if X happened to Y at this place and time?” “How does that affect their life and relationships?” “What happens when Y‘s choices cause others to oppose them?” And on and on. One question leads to another and by answering them you create a story

So, basically, in my opinion, for most stories and in many cases this applies to other creative media,”What if…?” is the foundation from which our ideas spring. Try it for yourself and see what unfolds. You might be surprised.

Such a beginning was also the springboard for the graphic novels of our fantasy-adventure series The Sorcerer’s Children and the sci-fi series The Adventures of Astrodog. You can follow the What Ifs of those stories by clicking here. Don’t wait until a Fairy Godmother inspires you. Join the adventure now!