[ OT ] How do you come up with the stories you write about ?

There are a bunch of other great posts here, and I am far from a successful writer, but the key to my writing is pretty cliche. 
 
 Just think outside the box. Think around it, under it, over it, whatever. Think different. 
 
 Example prompt: Two evil 
 people abuse and keep a young girl hostage. A man tries to save her. 
 
 Your first thought may be to write a pulse pounding thriller in which the man, our hero, bursts into a house, guns blazing and one-liners ready. The kidnappers may drag their victim into a van, and the man gives chase, grabbing the little girl just in time as the two evil men plunge into the ravine below, their truck exploding in a ball of flame. 
 
 Day saved, right? 
 
 Sure, that works, but try thinking outside the box. 
 
 Abuse can constitute many things besides physical harm. Emotional, mental, and even spiritual abuse are real and painful things. 
 
 Two evil people. Does n't have to be big scary men, right? How about two women? Maybe bullies? No, how about two parents? 
 
 A man tries to save her. Well, we said it could be emotional abuse, so how about a boyfriend? Older brother? Teacher? 
 
 What we can now do is construct a great story about a pair of narcissistic, unfit parents, emotionally abusing their daughter, who is also unable to help herself, and their older son, finally sick of it, fights them off and takes her away to live with him. 
 
 It works better, it connects better, and it will surprise people. The element of surprise has long been one of the greatest tools at a writers disposal. Think about it. What do you think of when you picture a meth dealer? A skinny, unkempt, tattooed thug. 
 
 What if he was a husband, father, chemistry teacher? Does n't that turn the plot on it's head and make every interaction much more interesting?
