I was wondering, how do you usually come up with the plot for your story?

Is it just something that randomly comes up(comes to mind)? Or do you get your ideas from dreams? TV shows/movies? music?

I think i get mine from all of these, but most of the time it is from my dreams. You know those dreams where you wake up and are like 'What the fudge was that?!?!'

I always kind of just sit there for awhile and then I'm like 'Ah these characters would be good, for this anime/manga, it can work'.

Dreams are pretty good for helping me write and think up new stories(which sometimes could be bad). It's not just for coming up with new plots for different stories either. My dreams also help me if I have hit a block in my current story. I just see different scenarios that could help move the story forward. It's pretty interesting

So what about all you other writers out there? How do you usually get the plot for your story?

An event or a theme usually comes to mind. I want to see the characters endure something that they are denied in the manga or the anime. It can be a realization or philosophical concept. I want to see Kagome find strength that is completely her own or have her confront the prejudices that she unknowingly supports. The little controversies that seep into everyone's brains.

I also like to look at what other people have done and then do it my way. Put out my take on horror or my take on alternate universe that really isn't alternate. Personally, I like to call it twisted canon.

Though I have used some of my dreams for novel ideas, I don't believe any of them have become fan fictions ideas. Usually I get story ideas popping into my mind at the strangest times, when I'm grocery shopping, taking a bath or eating. My earliest novel idea actually came to me early one morning when I was out delivering newspapers and walked over a sewer grate. Much like my thought process, it's pretty random unless you are me and can understand what goes on in my head lol.

Plot? Was there supposed to be a plot? OMG, how embarrassing.

Mine just come at odd times. I can be sitting down and mucking with things and one hits me. Playing spider solitaire seems to trigger a lot for me. I don't get mine from dreams too much but they do come from odd places other than that. Nor can I predict when I get them. You just learn to go with the flow and deal with it.

I usually just fly by the seat of my pants and hope for the best lol. No not really, sometimes I get an idea from a dream, plus I day dream a lot and that's usually when i come up with the weird stuff, and other times I'll just sit here and stare at my Word program and start typing (but that can be hit or miss lol).
It's kind of interesting to see what people can come up with and what their take is on the Inuyasha universe, one thing is for sure... there's never a dull moment lol.

I pace, pacing seems to help me... and then inspiration comes up to me and slaps me round the back of the head. Also when I'm on the bus - apparently buses are conducive to my thought processes.