On a day near the end of March, I was driving, and an idea came to me (I have a long commute, so this is not unusual). “They” say (there was a study that I read that I can’t find – but I’m still looking – so thus the air quotes around ‘they’) that we do our best creative work not when we are “at work” or “at rest” – but somewhere in the middle. In other words, sometimes, we can’t force ideas when we are sitting in the chair trying to create; but also that we aren’t necessarily going to find them if we just stop doing anything at all.
Instead, we need to be somewhere in the middle. This is why we tend to come up with THE BEST ideas when we are in the shower or doing the dishes or, yes, driving. Back in the day, I used to pull over on the side the shoulder of the highway, turn my flashers on, and grab the notepad that had taken up permanent residence on the passenger seat. Thankfully, these days, I can simply say “Hey, Siri, take a note” – and then dictate with the most over-exaggerated enunciation ever (and hope that he got it and that it will make sense when I arrive wherever I am going).
That day in March, I was driving through a storm (thankfully a rain storm and not snow), and an idea struck me. Well, a phrase struck me. “Hey, Siri…” I got to work, pulled out my phone, and checked the note. Then I scribbled down (old-school like – you know, with paper and a pen) a few more ideas. And then I found I couldn’t wait to tell my writing buddy about it (he liked the idea, which only bolstered the pushiness of it). I told him that I was going to wait for summer to write it, but the next day, at Kavarna for my weekly writing day, the idea would NOT SHUT UP. “Pay attention to ME!” it cried. So I texted my writing buddy that I don’t think I would last until summer (sorry murder mystery).
Sometimes, an idea strikes, and it just won’t let go until you get it down. Sometimes, it’s enough to create a notes doc and jot down the idea so that I won’t forget it. Others, an outline will spill forth. But this little idea? It refused to be anything less than a full draft. Thankfully, it’s for a picture book, so we’re talking less than 1K rather than a full 80K novel.
It’s just all so strange – ideas. The way one can take hold and just not let go. While another will wait patiently for its own turn (looking at you historical fiction novel). Have you had an occasion like this where you weren’t able to concentrate on anything else until that one idea made its way to the page? What are your tricks to try and info dump and hope for that idea to wait its turn? (Or are you someone who can write/thrives with multiple projects at one time?)
Ami Maxine 