You know what grinds my gears?

Having a really good line or two, or an entire paragraph, pop into my head. I roll it around for a few seconds and realize it's gold.

By the time I either get something to write with or get my copy up on the computer, most of what I had is gone and I'm left trying to reconstruct what I thought I wanted to say.

Denny

someoneyouknow said:

Having a really good line or two, or an entire paragraph, pop into my head. I roll it around for a few seconds and realize it's gold.

By the time I either get something to write with or get my copy up on the computer, most of what I had is gone and I'm left trying to reconstruct what I thought I wanted to say.

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I do my best story thinking while in bed. By the time I get up I forgot everything I was gonna write.

Or type a great long comment only to hit delete or something to loose the post.

When that happens I think its because its not only the words in your head, but as they come you're really feeling it. Then like you said by the time you can get to the lap top or whatever, you have the words, not the feeling.

Get that a lot when I first wake up and there's time before the alarm and I'm in that relaxed the day hasn't started yet fertile mood. It doesn't last long.

lovecraft68 said:

When that happens I think its because its not only the words in your head, but as they come you're really feeling it. Then like you said by the time you can get to the lap top or whatever, you have the words, not the feeling.

Get that a lot when I first wake up and there's time before the alarm and I'm in that relaxed the day hasn't started yet fertile mood. It doesn't last long.

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That is why there is a small digital voice recorder on the bedside table in the morning and in my pocket most of the day.

I once put a notepad and pencil by my bed for just this reason. Woke up zero-dark-stupid one night, frantically scribbled down an absolutely brilliant idea and went back to sleep contented and pleased. Next morning, it read, "loving story w couple."

Lotsa help...

TarnishedPenny said:

I once put a notepad and pencil by my bed for just this reason. Woke up zero-dark-stupid one night, frantically scribbled down an absolutely brilliant idea and went back to sleep contented and pleased. Next morning, it read, "loving story w couple."

Lotsa help...

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I remember one night tossing and turning with a new story in mind. Sometimes I was dreaming and sometimes I was awake and thinking about it. Next day with the ideas fresh in mind I made notes about all that dreaming and thinking.

It was about a software entrepreneur and a political organizer. They had sex on a sacred mountain then went to a party. I still have the notes. There are characters and images, and nothing that makes a story.

this happens to me in two circumstances. one is that hypnogogic state just before you fall asleep. it's when i get my best ideas and i can usually remember them. the other is when i'm really invested in a story. i have an ongoing series that i frequently dream about, wide variations of what i want to do in the chapters but the same characters. those i usually remember on waking but forget almost immediately. either going to sleep or just waking seem to be my most fertile periods.

Just say it into your phone.

Problem solved. I tend to get these ideas while driving home.

TxRad said:

That is why there is a small digital voice recorder on the bedside table in the morning and in my pocket most of the day.

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Oh, so that's whats in your pocket?

I write most of my stories overnight and have to try to remember the details. Any time it reaches a certain threshold, I grab my phone and use an journal app to track bits and pieces, and then flesh them out at a more convenient time.

I used to have paper notes in a box, now I just put random thought into my smart-phone.

I used to carry a notebook around to write down all those great ideas that came to me in the most obscure places, but realized that ideas you need to write down to remember are usually not the best ideas.

The best - and the worst - is an idea that keeps coming back until you actually write a part of a story about it. And then it evolves and throws sequels and side-characters at you, making it sheer impossible to stand still and look at something without another of those scenes hitting you. I literally can't meditate once such an idea keeps hammering at me until I have written the entire story.

When this happens to me I make it a point to focus on one character and/or event of the emerging idea. Tying everything else to this one thing makes it easier to remember most of it. Not all of it, but most.

Then I use that as a springboard, creating other characters and defining character traits and personalities, until eventually developing the complete plot. As those things appear, I flowchart them to create the sequence I use for writing.

For example: I was listening to oldies the other day and Tennesee Waltz started playing. Immediately images of characters and character name/traits as well as the reason for "the quest" started bouncing around in my brain. I tied all of that to the song. To remember all I have to do is recall the song title and I'm right there in the new work. I already have 3 flowchart boxes inked in with details and several penciled in including the climax and this manuscript probably won't be written for a long time from now. Maybe a year or more before I get started on it and all the while that plot is sitting in the back of my head getting more and more detailed without me even purposely trying to develop it further.