Many a would-be story writer has been put off by thinking "I don't have the imagination to write anything people would want to read". This is nonsense. Anyone who wants to write good interesting stories can achieve their aim and I want to tell you how to do it.
If you are just starting out, or have tried fiction writing but haven't got very far, then you need to ask yourself - "How am I approaching this?" Because, for beginners, the right approach is essential.
What I recommend you do to begin with is say "This story I am about to start and complete is going to be just for my own enjoyment". Later, when you have gained some confidence, you can start thinking about writing for competitions or getting published, but for now keep it in-house.
Here is a four-stage plan to get your story down on paper.
1. Ideas
Maybe you already have a story in mind that you want to write. If so, great: move on to the next point. If not then you'll want to know how to find ideas, right? This is not difficult when you know how. Stories, or the kernel of stories, are all around you. Next time you go out somewhere where there are lots of people keep your eyes open. Watch people to see what they are doing. It won't be long before you see something that interests you. Then begin to ask yourself questions about what you see. "Where are they going?", "Why is she looking at him like that?" "What's in the bag he's carrying?" and so forth. When you get home jot down some of the things you observed and you will be well on your way to a story. My free Story Writing Course goes into more detail on this whole subject.
2. Story Outline
Having got the germ of an idea for a story you now develop it by asking yourself more questions. For instance if you like the idea of someone carrying a bag, you could say something like, "When Kenny got home he carefully emptied the contents of his bag onto the kitchen table. He'd never cooked anything like a proper meal before, but Lucy was a very special person and this was their first date, so he desperately wanted to impress."
Now we go on to outline the rest of the story. Does he manage to produce a fantastic meal or is it a disaster? Does Lucy even turn up? If she does what is her reaction to the meal, assuming it's edible? Decide how you want it to turn out. Hopefully love conquers all - even the oven!
3. Writing the story
Having got the outline sorted, we now go on to fill out the details. Show the reader what thoughts are going on in Kenny's mind as he prepares the meal. Even have him talking out loud as he, perhaps, gets frustrated with things.
When Lucy turns up show how they talk to one another. Shy, confident, cautious? You decide.
4. Endings
How does it all end? What kind of ending would you personally prefer? Once you've decided, work towards that. If you can state in the outline how it ends this is the best way for many writers, as you then know what to aim for. But some writers prefer to leave it open and let the story produce the conclusion as they write it. You decide. What I would suggest however, is that you give your story a satisying ending. If you are just starting out, then putting in that 'feel-good' factor at the end will round it off for you nicely. But that's up to you.
Finally, I want to say this. Don't be discouraged if your first efforts at story writing are not up to blockbuster standards. The most important thing is that you enjoy writing your story. The more you write the easier it will become and the more ideas will flow. Your brain is an amazing instrument. It will be your servant as you begin to ask those questions and will pop up some amazing answers that will surprise you.