Every now and then, an idea for a story pops into my head that I know I will not have to time to write. I’m just too busy to devote the attention to this idea that it deserves. So I present it to you. Snag it if you want it. Tweak it, rework it, use it as a jumping off point for your own story. And have fun!

The Idea: Main Character One is a hereditary witch and the owner of an artisanal microbrewery. The company specializes in small batch brews, seasonal beers that reflect the family’s connection to the land and devotion to their ancestral ways and Gods. Unfortunately, a beer mega-corporation is putting the moves on the family’s niche; they want to buy the facility, including the land and all their traditional recipes. So the corporation sends Main Character Two to negotiate the sale — which Main Character One adamantly opposes.

The Genre: My initial thought was that this could be a meet-cute witchy rom-com. An opposites attract, let the sparks fly, finding common ground romance. A world of open magic, where most people can perform at least a few spells; but, like many today, they have pulled away from their roots. And Main Character Two must be reminded of what they have lost, while Main Character One needs to learn that “new” does not mean “bad.” And, ultimately, they find the happily ever after that they deserve.

Another option, though, is to write the story as a romantic suspense. Up the tension and the risks. Give the villain some real teeth. Throw in an angry land spirit. Perhaps Main Character One is more than just a hereditary witch, but also the embodiment of the anima loci — so they can’t leave. Maybe Main Character Two is more than they first appear; say, someone who is secretly trying to bring down the mega-corporation from within. Once they both get over their distrust, that makes the main characters allies (and allows the romance to develop), but just brings more trouble to their door.

A third possibility is to lean into the horror elements of the tale. Not full-on Wicker Man, but draw on the folk horror aspects. Maybe this is a dystopian society where mega-corporations rule almost everything and have nearly destroyed the natural world; only a few non-tech, wild places are left, and Main Character One is pledged to protect one such place. I could see the villain coming to a very nasty end when confronted by those angry land spirits and witches.

And so on and so forth. I am handing this idea over to anyone who wants it. Go. Listen to the Muses. Write. Create. And have fun.

[Written by Rebecca Buchanan.]