Your Avalanche of Writing Ideas
How to Capture Them!
Have you noticed that, as a writer, you have more ideas than you could possibly write in one lifetime?
If we lack ideas, it probably means we aren’t looking outside of ourselves nor listening to what our hearts are telling us to write.
For those new to writing, please read carefully. You may be able to grab something to help which would be new to you that you can use.
For those who have been writing for any length of time, this may be a refresher course since you already probably have a system in place, ready to capture your ideas.
How To Capture Ideas
Where do you put that golden nugget of an idea that floats into your brain? Do you let it float through your mind and let it evaporate like a wisp of fog, never to be remembered again? Or do you capture the idea and make it yours?
It takes DISCIPLINE to recognize when an idea comes to you and then to capture it!
Here are some possibilities that can help you capture them:
Write them on scraps of paper
Scribble them on a white board
Record them on your phone
Enter them into a computer file
Etch them out in sand on the beach
Needless to say, some ways in which we capture our ideas are better than others. How do YOU capture them?
HOW I DO IT:
1. CREATE A DOCUMENT: When an idea pops into my mind, I know better than to think that I’ll remember it later. We all know how that works.
If I am near my computer, I create a DOCUMENT. That only takes a few seconds to quickly input the idea. I give it a title based on what the idea is so I can remember it. Sure, later I will give more thought for the attention grabbing title but, at this point, I just get it going.
Then I put it aside if I’m working on something else.
This document is where I will write my entire piece, add to, delete portions and rearrange blocks of words.
This is a true working document upon which everything is built.
When I have time, I then go back in to my computer and go to the next step:
2. CREATE A FOLDER
My Document resides within this folder which also includes:
Research details. These are in a separate document within the folder — don’t forget the sources!
Photos. I make sure I credit myself if I took the photo or any other source. Presently, Unsplash is my favorite source for free stock photos if I don’t have a photo I’ve taken.
3. WRITE
When I’m ready, I go back and begin WRITING!!! That’s the ultimate goal, isn’t it? To write unencumbered by the details of file management.
4. POST YOUR ARTICLE IN MEDIUM
Once written, NOW you are ready to post your article in Medium. Now is the time to dress it up with all that is proper — Title, subtitle, photo, your article, a link to a book or another article you’ve written and tags to others who you would like to read your masterpiece!
IT ALL BEGINS WITH CAPTURING YOUR IDEA!
O Lord…how deep are Your thoughts! Psalm 92:5
For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, saith the Lord. Isaiah 55:8
Let’s capture those thoughts and ideas!!!
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