## Introduction: The Fun Part of Writing

Before you outline, before you draft, before you structure anything—there's a magical phase of the creative process that too many writers skip or rush through.

**The ingredient-gathering phase.**

This is where you get to be purely creative. Purely excited. Purely you.

No rules. No structure. No worrying about whether it all fits together.

Just: **What do I want to see in this story?**

Think of this stage like grocery shopping. You're wandering through the aisles, picking out only the **best quality ingredients**—the ones that make you excited to cook.

You're not worrying yet about the recipe. You're not stressing about measurements or techniques.

You're just gathering the good stuff.

And here's the secret: **The quality of your ingredients determines the quality of your final story.**

Let's talk about how to shop for story ingredients like a pro.

---

## What Are Story Ingredients?

Story ingredients are the **raw elements** that will eventually become your novel:

- Character types and personalities

- Settings and locations

- Tropes and story patterns

- Vibes and moods

- Specific scenes you want to write

- Themes and ideas

- Conflicts and obstacles

- Relationships and dynamics

- Aesthetic elements

- Emotional tones

**They're the "what" before you figure out the "how."**

You know you want:

- A grumpy-sunshine romance

- A lighthouse setting

- A found family dynamic

- '90s nostalgia

- A redemption arc

- Stormy weather vibes

**But you don't yet know:** How these elements connect, what order they go in, or what the actual plot is.

**And that's okay.** That comes later.

---

## Why Ingredient-Gathering Matters

### Reason #1: It's What Makes You Excited to Write

**The hard truth:** You're going to spend months (maybe years) with this story. If you're not personally excited about the ingredients, you won't stay motivated.

I see too many writers choosing ingredients based on:

- What's hot in the market right now

- What they think agents/publishers want

- What their favorite author writes

- What seems "commercially viable"

**And then they wonder why they can't finish the draft.**

Because they're cooking someone else's meal, not their own.

**Your story has to be a labor of love.** It has to include things that make YOU excited to sit down and write every day.

### Reason #2: It Prevents "Generic Story Syndrome"

When you skip ingredient-gathering and jump straight to plotting, you often end up with:

- Generic characters who could be in any story

- Predictable plots that follow formulas too closely

- Settings that are just backdrops with no personality

- Stories that feel like everything else

**But when you start with specific, exciting ingredients that personally resonate with you?**

Your story automatically becomes more **unique** and **authentic**.

Nobody else has your exact combination of interests, experiences, and obsessions. Your ingredient list is uniquely yours.

### Reason #3: It Gives You Creative Freedom

Ingredient-gathering is the **most free** you'll be in the entire writing process.

Once you start outlining and drafting, you'll be making choices and closing doors. You'll be committing to specific plot paths and character arcs.

**But right now?** Everything is possible. Every idea is welcome.

This is your chance to be **wildly creative** without judgment or restriction.

---

## The Golden Rule of Ingredient Selection

Here's the only rule for choosing ingredients:

**Does this personally get me excited to sit down and write every day?**

That's it.

Not:

- Will this sell?

- Is this trendy?

- Will readers like this?

- Is this what my genre expects?

Those questions come later (and honestly, they matter less than you think).

**Right now, the only question is: Do I love this?**

Because if you don't love your ingredients, you won't finish cooking the meal.

---

## Real Example: *The Otherworld* Ingredient Lists

Let me show you what ingredient-gathering looks like in practice, using my novel *The Otherworld*.

When I first had the idea for this book, I didn't have a plot. I didn't have detailed characters. I didn't have an outline.

**I just had ingredients that excited me.**

Here's what my grocery list looked like:

### Main Story Ingredients

- **Cozy contemporary romance** (I wanted something warm and hopeful, not dark)

- **Lots of family drama** (I love complicated family dynamics)

- **A love triangle** (I know they're stigmatized, but I personally love them when done well)

- **'90s nostalgia** (This felt fresh and different to me)

- **She lives in a lighthouse** (Unique setting I was obsessed with)

- **He's a bush pilot** (Interesting, adventurous profession)

- **Moody, rainy Pacific Northwest vibes** (The atmosphere I wanted)

- **Buried family secrets** (Added mystery and depth)

- **Happily ever after ending** (Non-negotiable for me—I always write HEA)

### Romance Ingredients

- **Stranded together** (Forced proximity trope I love)

- **Meet-cute: one saves the other's life** (Dramatic, memorable first meeting)

- **Forbidden love** (Adds tension and stakes)

- **Age gap** (10 years—controversial but interesting to me)

- **Love triangle featuring brothers** (Extra complicated and emotional)

- **Dark secret to be revealed** (Something that forces them apart)

### Character Ingredients

- **Main female character:** Has lived in a lighthouse on a remote island her whole life

- **Her father:** Super protective lightkeeper, the only person she's ever known

- **Love interest #1:** Bush pilot who crashes his plane near the lighthouse

- **Love interest #2:** His younger brother, searching for him, meets the girl through a cell phone washed up on her beach

**That was ALL I had.**

Actually, I had **less** than this when I first started. Some of these ingredients developed as I brainstormed.

---

## Why This Messy List Is Perfect

Look at that list. It's:

- Random

- Disconnected

- Vague in places

- Not a plot

**And that's exactly right.**

At this stage, your ingredients are supposed to be messy. You're not supposed to know how they all fit together yet.

**That's where the creative brainstorming process takes over.**

All you need right now is:

- A collection of elements that excite you

- A sense of the vibe/tone you're going for

- Some character and setting basics

- Story patterns or tropes you want to explore

**The connections will reveal themselves** as you start playing with the ingredients.

---

## The Three Categories of Ingredients

When gathering ingredients, I find it helpful to think in three categories:

### Category 1: Story/Genre Ingredients

**What kind of story is this?**

- Genre (romance, thriller, fantasy, literary, etc.)

- Subgenre (cozy mystery, dark fantasy, YA contemporary, etc.)

- Tone (light/dark, humorous/serious, fast-paced/contemplative)

- Setting type (small town, big city, remote location, historical period, fantasy world)

- Story scope (intimate character study, epic adventure, ensemble cast)

**Examples:**

- "Cozy contemporary romance"

- "Dark academia thriller"

- "Epic space opera with found family"

- "Literary coming-of-age set in rural South"

### Category 2: Romance/Relationship Ingredients

**What relationship dynamics do you want to explore?**

This applies to ALL relationships in your story, not just romance:

- Romantic tropes (enemies to lovers, second chance, fake dating, etc.)

- Family dynamics (estranged siblings, overbearing parents, found family)

- Friendship patterns (opposites attract, childhood friends, mentor/mentee)

- Power dynamics (boss/employee, royalty/commoner, teacher/student)

**Examples:**

- "Grumpy-sunshine romantic leads"

- "Complicated relationship with overprotective parent"

- "Found family of misfits"

- "Enemies forced to work together"

### Category 3: Character/Setting Ingredients

**Who are the people and what's the world?**

- Character types (the loner, the optimist, the rebel, the caretaker)

- Character professions (bush pilot, lighthouse keeper, detective, chef)

- Specific character traits (quirks, habits, strengths, flaws)

- Setting details (lighthouse, coffee shop, spaceship, boarding school)

- Aesthetic elements (rainy, nostalgic, neon-lit, rustic)

- Time period ('90s, medieval, future, 1920s)

**Examples:**

- "She's an introverted artist"

- "He's a bush pilot with a troubled past"

- "Set in a lighthouse on a remote island"

- "'90s nostalgia aesthetic"

---

## How to Gather Your Ingredients

### Step 1: Free Association Brainstorm

Set a timer for 20 minutes. Write down EVERYTHING that excites you about this story idea. Don't censor. Don't organize. Just dump.

**Prompt yourself with questions:**

- What tropes do I love?

- What settings fascinate me?

- What kind of characters do I want to spend time with?

- What emotions do I want readers to feel?

- What scenes am I dying to write?

- What themes interest me?

- What vibes/aesthetics attract me?

**Write it ALL down.** Even the weird stuff. Especially the weird stuff.

### Step 2: Make Your Grocery Lists

Now organize your brain dump into categories. Create lists like:

**Must-Have Ingredients:**

Things you absolutely want in this story

**Maybe Ingredients:**

Things that might work but you're not sure yet

**Vibe/Aesthetic Ingredients:**

The feeling and atmosphere you want

**Character Ingredients:**

Types of people and relationships

**Plot/Structure Ingredients:**

Story patterns and tropes you want to use

### Step 3: Add Specifics

Go through your lists and add specific details where you can:

Instead of: "Romance"

Try: "Forbidden romance with age gap and forced proximity"

Instead of: "Interesting setting"

Try: "Lighthouse on remote island in Pacific Northwest, always foggy"

Instead of: "Complex character"

Try: "Free-spirited girl who's been isolated her whole life, stronger than she knows"

**The more specific, the more excited you'll be.**

### Step 4: Cut What Doesn't Excite You

This is important: **Remove ingredients that feel like "shoulds" instead of "wants."**

If something is on your list because:

- You think it's what the genre requires

- It's what's selling right now

- Someone told you it was a good idea

- It seems like the "smart" choice

**But it doesn't personally excite you?**

**Cut it.**

Your ingredient list should be 100% things YOU want, not things you think you should want.

---

## Common Mistakes in Ingredient-Gathering

### Mistake #1: Skipping This Step Entirely

**The trap:** "I already know what I want to write. I don't need to make lists."

**Why it's a problem:** Even if you have a strong initial concept, brainstorming ingredients helps you:

- Discover elements you hadn't considered

- Get more specific about vague ideas

- Build excitement and momentum

- Create a reference document for when you're stuck later

**The fix:** Spend at least one session just gathering ingredients, even if you think you know your story.

### Mistake #2: Judging Ingredients Too Soon

**The trap:** "That's too weird." "That won't work." "That's been done before." "Readers won't like that."

**Why it's a problem:** You're censoring your creativity before you even see what you can create with these ingredients.

**The fix:** During ingredient-gathering, **judgment is not allowed**. Write everything down. You can evaluate later.

### Mistake #3: Choosing Ingredients Based on Market Trends

**The trap:** "Romantasy is hot right now, so I should write romantasy." "Readers love morally gray characters, so I need one."

**Why it's a problem:** By the time you finish your book (1-2 years?), trends will have changed. And if you're not personally excited about these ingredients, you won't finish anyway.

**The fix:** Write what YOU want to read, not what you think the market wants.

### Mistake #4: Making Your List Too Generic

**The trap:** Your ingredients are vague and could apply to any story:

- "Good characters"

- "Exciting plot"

- "Interesting setting"

**Why it's a problem:** Generic ingredients lead to generic stories.

**The fix:** Get specific. What KIND of characters? What KIND of plot? What SPECIFIC setting? The details are what make your story unique.

### Mistake #5: Trying to Make It All Fit Together Now

**The trap:** "How will the love triangle work with the lighthouse setting? How does the '90s nostalgia connect to the family secrets? I can't figure it out!"

**Why it's a problem:** You're trying to solve problems that don't need solving yet. That's what the plotting phase is for.

**The fix:** Just gather ingredients. Trust that the connections will emerge when you start brainstorming structure.

---

## Turning Ingredients Into Story

Once you have your ingredient lists, you might be wondering: **"Okay, but how do these become a plot?"**

That's what we'll cover in future posts about character development and story structure.

But here's a sneak peek at how it works:

### Example: From Ingredients to Premise

**My ingredients:**

- Girl in lighthouse, isolated her whole life

- Bush pilot crashes plane

- She finds phone washed up on beach

- His brother is searching for him

- Love triangle between brothers

- She wants to see the outside world

- Father is overprotective

**These ingredients led me to ask story questions:**

- What if she finds the pilot and saves his life?

- What if they fall for each other while stranded?

- What if the age gap makes it forbidden?

- What if his brother offers to show her the world?

- What if the brother doesn't know they're in love?

**Those questions became the premise:**

*Growing up in a lighthouse on a remote island, Orca Monroe has lived isolated from the world—until she finds a cell phone washed up on the beach and meets Jack Stevenson, whose brother Adam has gone missing after crashing his seaplane. When Orca finds and rescues Adam, they fall for each other while stranded together. But their age gap and her father's protectiveness make their love impossible. When Adam leaves, his brother Jack—unaware of their feelings—offers to show Orca the world she's dreamed of, creating an impossible conflict.*

**See how the ingredients naturally connected?**

That's what happens when you gather strong, specific ingredients that excite you.

---

## Your Ingredient-Gathering Assignment

Ready to create your own grocery list?

### Part 1: Brain Dump (20 Minutes)

Set a timer. Write down everything that excites you about your story idea:

- Story types/genres you want to write

- Tropes you love

- Settings that fascinate you

- Character types you want to explore

- Vibes and moods

- Specific scenes you're dying to write

- Themes that interest you

- Relationships you want to develop

**No judgment. No censoring. Just dump.**

### Part 2: Organize Into Lists

Create these lists:

**MUST-HAVE STORY INGREDIENTS:**

[List everything you absolutely want in this story]

**ROMANCE/RELATIONSHIP INGREDIENTS:**

[List relationship dynamics and tropes]

**CHARACTER/SETTING INGREDIENTS:**

[List character types, professions, settings, aesthetics]

### Part 3: Get Specific

Go through each list and add details:

- Instead of "romance," specify what KIND

- Instead of "interesting character," describe WHO

- Instead of "good setting," identify WHERE specifically

### Part 4: Cut the "Shoulds"

Remove anything that's on your list because:

- You think you should include it

- It's trendy

- Someone else wants it there

**Keep only what excites YOU.**

### Part 5: Save It

Keep this ingredient list. You'll reference it throughout the writing process whenever you:

- Feel stuck and need inspiration

- Wonder what scene to write next

- Need to make a plotting decision

- Want to remember why you loved this idea

---

## The Truth About Quality Ingredients

Here's what makes an ingredient "quality":

**Not:** Whether it's trendy, commercial, or impressive

**But:** Whether it personally excites you

**Not:** Whether it's unique or original

**But:** Whether it's specific and vivid to you

**Not:** Whether critics or readers will love it

**But:** Whether YOU love it enough to spend months writing it

**Your passion for your ingredients will translate to the page.**

Readers can tell when a writer loves what they're writing. That enthusiasm is contagious.

Conversely, readers can also tell when a writer is just going through the motions, writing what they think they "should" write.

**Choose ingredients that make you excited to cook.**

The meal will be better for it.

---

**Coming up next:** *The Three Essential Character Elements: Fatal Flaws, Internal Conflict, and Clear Goals* - where we'll take your character ingredients and develop them into three-dimensional people readers will fall in love with.