How to start writing a book when you have zero ideas?

I wanted to write a book but had absolutely no idea what about. Every writing guide assumes you already have a concept. I didn't. Here's what finally worked for me.

I started with what I love to read. Made a list of my favorite books and asked: what do these have in common? Mysteries? Character-driven stories? Fast plots? That told me my genre. Then I looked at what I know. Not expert-level knowledge, just things I'm curious about or have experience with. A job. A hobby. A place I've lived. Personal stories I tell friends . That gave me raw material.

Then I used the "one-sentence premise" exercise . Describe your book in one sentence with three elements: a character, a situation, a lesson or change. For me it was: "A burned-out teacher travels to Italy, loses her luggage, and learns that adventure finds you when you stop planning." Suddenly I had direction. Not a full plot, but enough to start exploring.

If you're stuck on ideas, try this approach. Start with what you love, what you know, and one simple sentence. The rest will come as you write .

The "what do I love to read" question is so obvious but I never thought to use it that way. I love thrillers with unreliable narrators – that tells me something about what I might want to write. The one-sentence premise is gold. Mine would be: "A journalist investigating a cold case realizes the person she's hunting is living next door." Suddenly I have a character, a situation, and built-in tension. For anyone still stuck: Try writing three premises. One serious, one funny, one totally weird. See which one you keep thinking about. That's your story.