Many people think that a great writer has great ideas. They think that if only I can come up with the most amazing idea for a plot, than I will be a great writer.
But many writers will tell you that a great writer who has learned and practiced craft will be able to make the ideas great.
I was just listening to a lecture by Brandon Sanderson. He is amazing. I just love listening to him speak. And to think- this superstar writer, and he puts his writing class lectures on Youtube for anybody to watch for free!
He was talking about this. A writer who has learned and practiced storytelling craft can take ideas for plot, setting, character, and conflict to drive the plot, and with well-practiced craft, Make them great as a story.
I am here to add something.
I am here to tell you where the amazing big idea that people mythologize comes in.
Great writers do not come up with amazing big ideas for plot and character and setting.
Great writers do not come up with amazing big ideas for narrative elements.
Great writers have craft, well-practiced craft.
And some of them do have amazing big ideas.
Amazing philosophical ideas or amazing ideas of poetic emotion that, together with the craft, guide what you do with the narrative ideas.
Which narrative ideas, plot, character, setting, conflict, that you choose, and how you put them together.
This is where the amazing big ideas come in.
The amazing big ideas of philosophical ideas or poetic emotion can guide, along with craft, what you do with the narrative ideas.
This is the amazing big ideas.
A story to illustrate the philosophy of Plato, for example.
Or the feeling of falling in love for the first time.
Or the philosophy of The Buddha. (see 'Journey to the West for that! You can add your own! There are many ways to express the philosophy of The Buddha in story!)
This is the big idea, and it can guide how you use craft to build a story out of narrative elements like plot and character.
God loves you! Keep up the writing!
Sincerely,
David S. Annderson