Don’t let those sneaky ideas get away from you!
Anyone who does writing or any other creative pursuit has to deal with this at some point. Sometimes ideas will come to you at the most random moments, and it might not be convenient when it does. I’ve had so many interesting ideas come to me while I’m driving, in the shower, or about to fall asleep when my brain suddenly says: “Why don’t we do this?” Keeping track of ideas so you don’t lose them can be challenging.
What you don’t want is to forget your brilliant idea before you get a chance to implement it. You know how to fix that annoying plot hole but you’re tucked into bed. What do you do? You know that if you don’t write it down, by the time you wake up in the morning, you will have forgotten it.
Useful Ways to Record Your Ideas
- Notepad and pen: keep them everywhere. Bedside table, in the car, on your desk.
- Your phone: you have so many options for apps to use, or email yourself. You could even set a reminder alarm for when you will be writing next!
- Alexa, Siri, etc: if you have one of these devices, you can use them to create lists and reminders for yourself
- Tell someone: tell someone you trust, you and they will be more likely to remember it. If there isn’t anyone around, repeat it to yourself. Or record it on your phone.
Be brief
You may not have a lot of time to write down your ideas when they come to you. That’s okay. You don’t need to put every detail into the note. You need enough to jog your memory, that’s all. The rest is in your brain somewhere, you just need a keyword or two to find it, just like using a search engine.
Don’t Overthink It
Be careful about thinking on the idea too long without putting it down on paper or on a screen. You can talk yourself out of ideas sometimes, and then you lose the chance to see if the idea is good or not. Don’t change it until you’ve had a chance to write it out properly. If it isn’t quite right, you can always edit things later or remove it if it doesn’t work for you.
There’s a saying when you are building or making something: “Measure twice, cut once.” You can apply similar logic to writing. It is far better to over-explain and write more than you need to then edit it and cut it down later. If you try too hard to be concise in the first draft, you might end up missing something that you want to include.
