Brainstorming at wrong times?

ShadowVixenX said:

That's why I keep my phone on me at all times (or scrounge for a pen and paper) so that way I can have all my ideas written down for when I sit down and try and type.

Click to expand...

And then one day your phone will do what mine did and eat your notes. They were really beautiful words too. (At least I remember how I felt when I wrote them and the general circumstances of the scene so I suspect they'll come back to me.)

I do it old school with a small notebook and paper now.

Redundancy is rarely ever a bad idea.

I bought a cheap tape recorder on ebay and used it for a while. But really, if you're just about to drift off to sleep, it's just as disrupting to reach over, get the recorder, push the button and speak as it is to write it down! Either way, you're awake now and Lord knows when you'll be able to get back to sleep. And yes, I think about ideas for stories ALL THE TIME. My husband knows it. He can tell by the look on my face, he says. It really can drive you crazy. I've forgotten so many things because I didn't have sufficient paper in my purse to write it down. Then I could really kick myself!

Have a notebook and pen strapped to your side, or at least in a pocket. Also have another by the side of the bed to scribble in anything you want to note down while in bed.

The reason why you get ideas at strange times is basically because your normal day gets in the way of your subconscious mind. When your falling asleep or just waking is the most susceptable time for any ideas to come through. Many song writers have got hit music during the night or just on waking. If I remember rightly, Paul McCartney got one of his best sellers that way.

For me I get a lot in dream formate - it will be the full story right from the beginning to the last scene. If I'm lucky I can get things down pretty quickly, BUT whatever you do, do not get up from the bed or speak to anyone until the idea is on the page, or you'll forget.

Certain foods also stimulate the brain, as well as looking to the ceiling will help you remember, this also happens with smells as well.

It's well worth looking up basic psychology to find out how the memory and recall works, it helps no end when studying and writing.

PS the physical motion of writing things down puts into into a better place in the memory, it helps focus the ideas.

ShadowVixenX said:

That's why I keep my phone on me at all times (or scrounge for a pen and paper) so that way I can have all my ideas written down for when I sit down and try and type.

Click to expand...

Same here. I use my iPod or phone when an idea pops into my head when I'm not near my computer.