What is the best method of figuring out what to do for a solo or a breakaway? My fellow axman Rockonman and i are trying to write some stuff and its hard to find what sounds good with what we already have. any and all input is appreciated.

Take the chords name ex(E-D-C-E-D-E) Just as an example,,,
well anywaz take those chords and turn them to single notes ,take them to diffrent strings but same note or somthing like that or take them an octave higher,and give it fast licks and junk...thats my way of doing it.

First learn a scale such as the minor pentatonic which is probably the most used scale ever. Learn the 5 different positions(Octave note to Octave note...i.e=3(g)-15(g) )Then learn the relative minors. Make sure you can really move about the scale good. Then play what feels good.Remember not too fall into patterns or it won't sound like a solo, but a riff instead.

Play what sounds right with the riff, go mad, do whatever it's your own soloing style...create

First, figure out the key fo the song. After that, you should do what that Topik guy said (good advice).
Then you should take the feel of the song and take it to wherever you want to.

Use big intervals, leap in pitch. Give it lots of big bends. Play off-beat. It doesn't matter if it surprises even you, surprise can be part of inspiration. Mix up your speed. Repeat sequences of notes with minor modifications in say the timing or the identity of some notes. The structure doesn't have to be set in stone and mathematically rigid. Better to be a bit eccentric I think.

I think I agree with Sam. Don't overthink it...
The best stuff ever recorded was played "off the cuff"\
Also here's some advice from Eddie Van Halen.
"If you play a wrong note, just hit the whammy bar"

This of course depends upon the style of song you are doing, because certain solos only fit with certain songs, but here's an idea.

If you're not into scales and all that and soloing all Slash style or whatever, try doing something weird. Being a fan of Tool and such, I get a lot of that. Try harmonics, bending harmonics, or different types of effects at once. For instance, something as simple as a set of pull-offs and hammer ons could sound awesome with a delay set at the right count.

Of course, if you're looking for your average (to me, boring, heh heh) scaling solo you hear in the 10 minute break of every blue's song ever made, etc, then this will not help you. But weird things are always worth a shot. And REMEMBER, it's not how HARD it is to play or how FAST is, it's how well it fits with the song. Don't play something unbelievably hard core, crazy, and amazing if you're playing something soft like. Just do what feels right.

i rarely listen to guitar stuff these days to get ideas for guitar riffs and solos. i prefer jazz sax, jazz piano and bluegrass banjo for a different perspective. i usually listen to a bunch of stuff, nick a few choice phrasings and transpose em to guitar in different keys and mix up the notes a bit.

I usually just work in the key of that song and mess around with the notes in the major scale, then also change modes and all. what is often effecitive is to use licks form the related minor ( 6th note of major scale ) and add those in
Andrew