Fools lie, clever men stick to the truth.
There is no such thing as an appropriate joke. That's why it's a joke.
Once you have been touched by magic, you are forever changed. You leave a trail.
we are nothing more than the sum of our memories and experiences
A good story is always a journey. It is about taking the journey, the people the hero meets along the way and how they change him or her. All stories are journeys. They don't have to be shocking or outrageous: they simply have to be interesting.
My advice is to write about what you are interested in. If you read science fiction and fantasy, then write in that genre. If you read romance novels, then try writing one.