Sometimes we need a little help with jump-starting our imaginations. And if perusing Craigslist does not yield any helpful results, you can try this tactic instead:
Find a trusty dictionary—at the bookstore where I work, we have The Word Nerd Dictionary of Obscure & Enchanting Words by Kaelin Witt, which is perfect for this kind of writing technique, but I think any type of dictionary will do—and turn to a random page. Make the first word you see the title of your next story. Let the general vibe and meaning of the word provide you with a theme, and then let the theme blossom into a story from there.

