Brainstorming

One of the things I love above all about writing is brainstorming. While I’ve been revising (NOT my favorite part) I’ve been rewarding myself for meeting my goals by brainstorming.

I have three different story ideas that I’ve been playing with. The most fun I’ve been having is with a short story that may never get anywhere (can always be a free read, I figure). It’s Halloween set, a birthday party weekend at a haunted house, and the heroine has crushed on the hero forever, but he was involved with someone—until recently. I’m toying with the idea of making it a love triangle with the heroine resembling a woman who’d lived in the house, and the ghost falling in love with her. The trouble I’m having right now is making the real live hero as interesting as the ghost hero is in my mind.

Then there’s the post-apocalyptic book. I have my world-building, for the most part. I have my heroine and my hero. I have their goal. Now I’m working on the inciting incident. I had one, but the Samhain anthology only wants 30K.

And there’s my next action adventure. I have my hero and heroine and inciting incident, but no idea how I’m going to keep them together.

I used to have a brainstorming group. We’d meet once a month and for a bit I had more stories than I thought I could write. We stopped when they got too busy but lately I’ve been jonesing. I like that my stories are my own this way, but I do like the twists other people can add.

So, what’s your favorite part of writing? Do you find brainstorming fun? Do you have a brainstorming group or do you work on your own?