A question that kids often ask me is 'Where do you get your ideas?' I think that getting ideas is the easy part of writing.The hard part is taking an idea and turning it into a whole story with a beginning,middle and satisfying end.(Not necessarily a happy ending,but an ending that ties up all of the loose ends of the story perfectly.) My ideas come from thinking,remembering,watching,listening,and reading.
One good way to get ideas is to brainstorm.First write a word like 'camp'.Without thinking too hard about it,quickly write down words that you think of when you hear the word 'camp'.You might write 'campfire,marshmallows,tent,sleeping bag,hiking,boogers'.Hey,wait a minute--boogers?Oh,yeah.You know that weird kid at camp that used to always eat boogers?You wonder why he did it and think of different reasons.Maybe he was a booger-eating alien.If you ask yourself questions about the words you've written when you thought about 'camp',some story ideas may start forming.Always keep your eyes and ears open for ideas,and keep a notebook handy to write them down the minute you think of them.
One way I get book ideas,is to begin with a title.If I think of or hear a name or phrase that is funny or interesting,I write it down.I keep thinking about it until a story begins to form in my mind.Then I begin to write.I usually have several stories in progress at once.That way if one story stumps me one day,I can work on another one for a while.Once I get a clear vision of one storyline though,I'm reluctant to stop working on that particular book.Three of my books that began with titles are Boo Who?; Ivy Green,Cootie Queen; and Red,Yellow,Green...What Do Signs Mean?