How?

I get idea for stories any number of ways, the most important thing is not so much getting the ideas. The important thing is to write them down. I have a notebook with different sections for different writing ideas. One section is for adult book ideas or misc stuff that fits more adult book ideas. Another section is for my ideas for childrens books, mostly picture books. When I have an idea for a particular project or book I'll try to use a section for that idea. I will also work at the computer.

Reading alot gives me food for thought to build stories.

i get my idea usually through my own life and sometimes the news. i tend to write them down whenever i think of thing. i also read a lot to see how other authors build and present their ideas. one of the stories i'm working on now is actually based off a number of greek myths. the other is something silly i thought of last january when i wondered what it'd be like to be a dog.

let me see, the longest story i've written was 84,000 words but including all the extra tidbits it was over 102,000 words. took me a month to hit 64,000 and then i slowed down and finished edits and extra side stories in the following five months. my shortest story is a little over 1,300 words and that took me less than fifteen minutes. i write all the time so i can place an exact amount of time i spend on stories.

as to how many stories i've actually written, your guess is as good as mine. in the last 3 years i've written 3 or 4 novel length works and a few short novellas. i also have a number of flashfics/drabbles/oneshots. but that's just since i've started college. in middle and high school i had 2 novel length works, a few not quite novels, and then short stories.

You really want to know?? I have three stories so far - one short and two not-so-short. I have been known to spend up to ten hours a day working on my story, but I usually only spend about four or five. My shortest story is...um...still in progress, but probably about eight or nine full-length typed pages. My longest story is currently approxomately eighty typed pages, but I have one that's still in progress that's at fourty-five pages and just getting started My short story was inspired by a dream. My in-progress long story was inspired by all kinds of crazy things. Songs, conversations with 4 year olds, talking with my friend, staring at the ocean, going on a hike in Jamacia (I actually came up with an entire character based on Jamacian plants...still not quite sure how...), listening to relaxation music, chatting with people on cf (especially in the BE; those people can be very inspiring ). The list is virtually endless.