I doubt I could ever be a professional writer; I don't think I have whatever it takes to decide 'I'll write a story about a certain topic' and then create one from scratch, just through effort and technique.
When I write a story, an idea has to strike me. Once I have that initial inspiration, I can play around with it, work out a setting and characters, expand on the original idea, add and change details - and at some point, while I still have sufficient enthusiasm, I begin writing it down.
The initial inspiration could be anything - an image, a phrase from a book or TV programme, a snatch of conversation...
For example, I once had to wait to meet someone in an old church hall, with nothing to occupy my mind but reading the church notices and Scouting-related posters on the walls. I came across a tatty old poster entitled 'What a Good Girl Guide should keep in her Pockets' - string, penknife, small change for bus-fares or phone-calls, a large clean handkerchief for bandaging...
This led me to wonder 'What do the BAD Girl Guides keep in their pockets?' and I started working out a list - string for bondage of victims, a large handkerchief for use as a gag, thumb-cuffs, lube, bullet vibrator...
My 'bad Girl Guides' began to take shape in my mind - a few years older than their 'good-girl' equivalents, their uniforms shorter, tighter and skimpier, and providing rather different services than domestic chores, or cookie-selling. At this point the person I'd been waiting for turned up, and I had to abandon my train of thought, though I still remember it at intervals. One day, I may even put them in a story! | 
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