Ideas are illusive things, they can strike at any time, like a seed in your thoughts they start to grow and develop in to something that you just need to write down somewhere to nurture, consider and assess.
So, when the spark hits how do you capture it before it fades just like a dream when you first wake up?
If I was asked how I define me as a person, well, I'm a writer, a fictionalist, a scribbler, a dreamer, a story teller and a creative. Whether I'm sitting at home watching TV, in a meeting in the day job, working out in the gym, walking the dog or even sleeping, my mind and my imagination never stop telling stories.
This is not a new development in my life, its always been this way ever since I can remember. My friends as a child were the books I read or the characters I created in my head. I didn't really have 'real' friends I was the 'odd' kid, but instead of letting that be a bad thing I've tried to accept it as just part of who I am and who I'll always be.
Ideas though are strange things they creep up on you at the most inopportune times, like whenever you are not sitting in front of your PC or sitting Pen poised! For me they tend to wander through my dreams or bang me on the head when I'm doing the fattest thing from writing you could imagine and they are always really good ideas.
After years of fooling myself that I would remember these ideas no matter when they struck only to sit down later and draw a blank, I decided I had to be more organised which doesn't sound creative at all!
My day job requires me to very organised and if I'm honest I'm an organising list maker type person, maybe that comes from being a Virgo. Who knows, anyway, this is how I currently capture my random thoughts and musings!
1. Note Books & Pen
I have a mania for note books, if you ever want to buy me a present - pretty stationary will always be appreciated!
I generally carry a note book with me all the time and a pen
I usually keep a separate note book for each novel I write and I also carry a general note book to take down any random thing I need to remember or plan of something. As I said I'm a list person
2. Phone
No matter where I am I tend to have my phone in my hand, bag, pocket. I have an I phone which I love as I can take notes on it, make lists and do voice recordings.
Sometimes when I'm walking my dog, Hero, there is no way he will stop and allow me to note down any thought that pops in to my head so I started using the voice recorder on my phone.
If I'm in a meeting, or out and about, I will make quick notes on my phone and then transfer them to my computer so I can keep them all together.
3. Dictaphone
I was given a dictaphone by one of my bosses who I was a PA for when he retired. He'd been given it to use when on Fire Investigations, but it never made it out of the box so he decided I'd make more use of it and I do.
It generally goes in my jacket pocket when I'm walking Hero and I use it and then transfer the files to my PC.
It's rather handy especially when my phone memory is full!
4. Laptop
There are times when working on one story I get an idea for another and as luck may have it I may be already typing so I have a folder on each of my computers to record Randoms as I call them.
If I'm at home I'm never far from a computer, lap top or I pad so I can quickly grab them and make notes. As I use a Mac PC and a Mac Book the files transfer so easily from one to the other which is so handy.
5. Diary
I keep a diary, I have on and off for years. I tend to just write whatever is in my head and settle my thoughts before going to bed, the good thing is when I wake up from a dream I can grab it and scribble down anything I want to remember no matter how random.
6. Random notes
Sometimes there's just none of the above to hand and I just grab a scrap or paper, post it or whatever and scribble down key words to remind me later.
If you have any other suggestions for ways to keep your ideas organised let me know in the comments!
So, when the spark hits how do you capture it before it fades just like a dream when you first wake up?
If I was asked how I define me as a person, well, I'm a writer, a fictionalist, a scribbler, a dreamer, a story teller and a creative. Whether I'm sitting at home watching TV, in a meeting in the day job, working out in the gym, walking the dog or even sleeping, my mind and my imagination never stop telling stories.
This is not a new development in my life, its always been this way ever since I can remember. My friends as a child were the books I read or the characters I created in my head. I didn't really have 'real' friends I was the 'odd' kid, but instead of letting that be a bad thing I've tried to accept it as just part of who I am and who I'll always be.
Ideas though are strange things they creep up on you at the most inopportune times, like whenever you are not sitting in front of your PC or sitting Pen poised! For me they tend to wander through my dreams or bang me on the head when I'm doing the fattest thing from writing you could imagine and they are always really good ideas.
After years of fooling myself that I would remember these ideas no matter when they struck only to sit down later and draw a blank, I decided I had to be more organised which doesn't sound creative at all!
My day job requires me to very organised and if I'm honest I'm an organising list maker type person, maybe that comes from being a Virgo. Who knows, anyway, this is how I currently capture my random thoughts and musings!
1. Note Books & Pen
I have a mania for note books, if you ever want to buy me a present - pretty stationary will always be appreciated!
I generally carry a note book with me all the time and a pen
I usually keep a separate note book for each novel I write and I also carry a general note book to take down any random thing I need to remember or plan of something. As I said I'm a list person
 |
| Note Book from Paper Chase, Cross Fountain Pen and Parker Retractable Pencil |
2. Phone
No matter where I am I tend to have my phone in my hand, bag, pocket. I have an I phone which I love as I can take notes on it, make lists and do voice recordings.
Sometimes when I'm walking my dog, Hero, there is no way he will stop and allow me to note down any thought that pops in to my head so I started using the voice recorder on my phone.
If I'm in a meeting, or out and about, I will make quick notes on my phone and then transfer them to my computer so I can keep them all together.
 |
| I Phone |
3. Dictaphone
I was given a dictaphone by one of my bosses who I was a PA for when he retired. He'd been given it to use when on Fire Investigations, but it never made it out of the box so he decided I'd make more use of it and I do.
It generally goes in my jacket pocket when I'm walking Hero and I use it and then transfer the files to my PC.
It's rather handy especially when my phone memory is full!
 |
| Philips Voice Tracer |
4. Laptop
There are times when working on one story I get an idea for another and as luck may have it I may be already typing so I have a folder on each of my computers to record Randoms as I call them.
If I'm at home I'm never far from a computer, lap top or I pad so I can quickly grab them and make notes. As I use a Mac PC and a Mac Book the files transfer so easily from one to the other which is so handy.
 |
| Current Desk Set up |
5. Diary
I keep a diary, I have on and off for years. I tend to just write whatever is in my head and settle my thoughts before going to bed, the good thing is when I wake up from a dream I can grab it and scribble down anything I want to remember no matter how random.
 |
| Diary - Tesco Medium Page a Day |
6. Random notes
Sometimes there's just none of the above to hand and I just grab a scrap or paper, post it or whatever and scribble down key words to remind me later.
 |
| Random notes |
If you have any other suggestions for ways to keep your ideas organised let me know in the comments!
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