When Two Worlds Collide

Sometimes two things together are greater than the sum of their parts. 

I have found that this happens in my writing more and more these days. I have two ideas which are completely unrelated and one day they find each other in my brain and…

There is a shiny new idea, pulsating with life and possibility. Silver and glinting. Tentacles of plot points reaching for completion.

Supposedly I am not the only one this happens to:

Two-idea notion

“What usually works for me is to take two idea-sources and combine them. As with a metaphor, the tension between the two ideas leads to interesting possibilities. It’s a way of drawing surprising answers out of your unconscious mind.” – Orson Scott Card

Here are some of my ideas that collided to make something new:

Stone circles + angry teen girl

Grumpy teddy bear + and a story at midnight

An assassin + never growing old

A divorce lawyer + A Christmas Carol

And my most recent collision… a songwriter + ????, well you’ll have to wait until I’ve written it

Now I’m wondering what I could create if I mixed up my ideas. Would they create something even greater or will they flop around deflated and flaccid?

What has happened when your ideas have collided?