A Story Idea Each Day for a Month — Day 2

This is the 15th year in a row I’ve run this series in April. Why a story idea each day for the month? Several reasons which I’ll work through during this series of posts.

Here’s another one: The only way to find a great story idea is to work your way through a bunch of crap ideas.

Ira Glass (“This American Life”), arguably one of the most knowledgeable people about storytelling, said this:

“You have to record and get rid of a lot of crap before you find something special.”

Same thing with screenwriting: You have to generate a bunch of crappy ideas before you find something special. Still don’t believe me? How about the wisdom of Linus Pauling:

“The best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas.”

Linus Pauling should know, one of the few people to win multiple Nobel Prizes.

So why focus on generating a bunch of story ideas? Because most of the ones you come up with will be crap. However somewhere along the line, you’ll find some that a pure gold.

Today’s story idea: Sophisticated ‘burglary tourists’ fly from South America to rob wealthy homes.

From the L.A. Times:

In the desert around Scottsdale, Ariz., on Monday, police officers hunted for a member of an international heist ring suspected of swiping jewels and luxury goods from homes across Los Angeles. Using helicopters and drones, they eventually found him hiding under a tree.

The wanted man, it turned out, was a 17-year-old from Chile.

Authorities say the teenager and his two adult accomplices later admitted to breaking into multiple homes, part of a growing trend of “burglary tourism” from South America.

— —

Increasingly over the last five years, police officials say, thieves from South American nations have entered the U.S. for the purpose of committing robberies. In the case of Chile, authorities suspect some criminals are taking advantage of the tourist visa system, which does not require a background check for travelers. Once in the country, police say, they plan heist sprees and fence the loot before dispatching their earnings back home.

LAPD Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton told The Times that South American theft groups are not new in L.A., but they have become more active in recent months.

Although crime statistics show burglaries are on the decline overall, Hamilton said: “The number of crimes tied to these kind of crews are way, way up.”

Here’s my setup: Diego is a nineteen year-old Chilean. His family is struggling (a mother with cancer needing expensive treatment). A cousin with a connection to the criminal underground leads Diego landing at LAX, his first time outside his home country … hell, his first time in an airplane.

He’s met there by two other members of this robbery crew: Mario, the leader, and Lexxi. Diego is surprised there is a female member of the group and Lexxi lets him know right away, she doesn’t take bull shit from anyone.

While Mario barks out orders as he wheels his Mercedes roadster through the streets of L.A., Diego tries to take in the dizzying sights, but there’s no time to waste. Within an hour of landing in Los Angeles, Diego finds himself parked in front of this place.

It’s an inside job, the crew working a kickback scheme with one of the homeowner’s maids. Within minutes, Diego and his compatriots find themselves in room after room with an incredible haul of cash, gold, and jewelry.

Fingering one expensive bauble after another, Diego’s mind whirls at the radical juxtaposition in his life in just a few hours. In an instant, his life’s problems are seemingly solved.

Except for one thing …

This is not the mansion you want to rob.

Why? Its owner Delacruz is a criminal in his own rights, overseeing a vast empire of illegal activities in Southern California.

That’s when the gunfire begins.

Mario blasted to bits.

Diego and Lexxi high-tailing it in the Mercedes along the weaving curves of Mulholland Drive while chased by Bad Guys …

That’s a pretty good setup for an action movie. You might add Diego and Lexxi being nabbed by the cops. They threaten the pair with all sorts of charges which will send them both to prison for decades or …

They could work with the cops to nail Delacruz.

There you go: My second story idea for the month. And it’s yours. Free!

What would you do with this story concept?

Previous articles in this year’s series:

Day 1

Each day in April, I invite you to join me in comments to do some brainstorming. Take each day’s story idea and see what it can become when we play around with it. These are valuable skills for a writer to develop.

See you in RESPONSES to hear YOUR take on this story idea. And come back tomorrow for another Story Idea Each Day For A Month.