Finding the sparks is important. However, owning a spark is not enough for a writer who wants to write a complete story. You need to catch the spark seed, bury it in the right soil, care for it, and let it sprout.
To turn your sparks into ideas, you can try to ask yourself some other questions:
1. What kind of story should it be?
A tragedy?
A comedy?
A twisted story?
A werewolf story?
A millionaire love story?
A doomsday story?
A thriller or a fantasy?
Is it an “opposites attract” kind of story or an LGBT story?
2. What’s the plot type of the story?
A contract marriage?
One-night-stand?
Opposites attract?
Time-travel?
Age gap?
Second chance?
Pregnancy, or love-triangle?
3. Where does the story happen?
In a modern city like New York, London, or Tokyo?
In a small town with myths and mysterious forests?
In Southeast Asia, South America, or some other place with its own unique culture and customs?
In an imaginative place in outer space, or on a campus filled with vigorous youths?
4. Who are the main characters?
What are they like?
How do they look?
What are their personalities?
What are their occupations?
What are their families’ backgrounds?
These questions are meant to help you concrete your sparks. You don’t have to answer all of them. So, don’t be intimidated by the vast amount. And also, you can try to ask yourself some other questions if it helps. After thinking about these questions, you might come up with a rough idea of how to grow the sparks.