Another great source of story material is to look to your own past. Perhaps you have a memory or a story about your own family to tell. If this is the case, the technique is to write a letter to yourself, telling the story. Put it away for a day or so and then reread it. If you are still excited about it and can imagine watching it in a movie theater, it’s probably a solid idea. The old adage “Write what you know” is helpful when you’re starting out, particularly because there is so much else to learn.
But what if you are uncomfortable with revealing a family secret? Or you don’t want any real people to recognize themselves? If you are convinced that it’s what you want to write about, just change the names, genders, places, and time when the story is set. Who knows, you might just have the next My Big Fat Greek Wedding on your hands.
