Finding Story Ideas

Where do story ideas come from? I’ve read somewhere that you should write what you know and know what you write. Write what you know: I think sometimes the best ideas are those closest to the heart. We want to connect with the reader, engage them, make them want to turn to the next page. If what you are writing is compelling, has some thematic elements that resonate, and feels authentic, you are halfway to your next masterpiece. Ideas born of first or second hand experience will have an authenticity if you can help the reader experience the sights, sounds, smells, dialogs, etc. that you experienced. Know what you write:As you begin to tell your story, you’ll find elements that will need additional research. For example, I might be quite familiar with a recent event, but not the geography of the place, or other events taking place that are related. Or I might write of an experience from my childhood that was quite vivid. But many of the artifacts from that era, such as song titles, toys we played with, clothing worn, expressions commonly used, have been fogotten with the passage of time. How do you go about finding your story ideas?