It depends on how firm the idea is. If it's just a vague concept, I'll make a note in a WORD file and save it. If I spend some energy on it and start developing the idea, I'll pop for a spiral notebook and sketch out the idea and some ideas for key characters. I'll also give some thought to what I don't know and have to research, and I'll make notes on that as well. When I start doing the research, I use the same notebook for making notes on it (exception: internet research, which I usually copy and paste to word files, stored in a separate subdirectory for the project. BTW, "loose" is the antonym of "tight", as in "stay loose". When you want to make sure you hold on to something, then you don't want to "lose" it.
I keep notes in a lot of places. I have a small Moleskine notebook I always carry with me. I have several large, hardcover notebooks (usually Moleskines, but I'm trying out other high-end notebooks) in my bedroom and on my desk. I have a couple of idea files on Word I sometimes use. And sometimes, while working on a story in Scrivener, I'll just start making notes in that story's project file about a totally different project. Not very well organized, but organization is for file clerks (no offense, file clerks!).
I create a new subdirectory in my writing directory using a tentative title, then make a note in a txt file in it outlining the idea. If I get more ideas I can go back and expand on the initial note.
A few ways. If I'm at work, I write it down on paper. If I'm on the go, I write it down on my note taking software on my phone. If I'm at the computer, I keep it in a folder full of short word documents, for that specific purpose. I try not to transfer them, and just keep them for when they come up. It IS fascinating to go BACK to see the old files though...where the story WAS, vs where it ended up.
Thank you for the replies. I think i will do it on the laptop as I'm a sahm so always near it or have my phone. How much depth do you go into with you notes. Would you put something like Girl walks into a bar to discover its a biker bar and one of the guys catches her eye they go on to have a romance, she ends up saving his life when a rival gang set up on them. Or Melanie pulled up out side a bar called castles, it looked like a dive but she just needed to stop it had been a long night. The door was filthy and she could already smell the stench of cigarette smoke leaking out. when she opened the door she immediately had that sinking feeling as all the eyes turned on her. All the men in the bar had the same jacket on and it didn't take a genius to figure out it was a biker bar. She was going to walk straight back out she even turned slightly ready to run, when she saw him standing with the snooker que. Well something like that, how much depth do you go into?
I ALWAYS carry a notebook with me ...even a tiny one when I'm out walking. Ideas strike me all the time, and it's annoying to know you had a great one, and it's vanished. My big problem is I've got lots of notebooks. So I need to put my 'thoughts' into some order. I'm not working on lots of projects, so that helps. But I've set up a general overview file for my WIP book, plus a separate file on my computer for every scene I plan to write. As dialogue and ideas for that scene crop up in my notebooks, I transfer them into my computer file. I do complete exchanges of dialogue, a few choice words, or just a general overview of what I want to happen in that scene. Of course it's a dog's breakfast, but when I go to write the scene all these ideas are collected together. Probably about 90% of them get chucked out, but 10% of my random ideas will form my scene...
like @jannert i have a lot of notebooks (including one that has the start of book 3 to my current series in it) but unlike them, mines not as well organised... i have got loads of books of notes on random stuff that i probably wont use at all
Oh, I didn't mean to imply I'm well-organised! In fact, I've got lots of wee notebooks lying around that I haven't got around to transcribing into my computer. Lots to do, lots to do...!
What is a "sahm"? If I've got enough to justify a notebook, I'll start with the basic premise and layout the plot idea in outline form. I'll only include details that strike me as important and that I don't think II'll want to change.
I carry a huge purse, with about three spiral bound notebooks - the type you get at the dollarstore. I tried buying fancy ones but I kept thinking that's for the good stuff and didn't write anything in them. Buying them cheap lets me know I can write anything and everything in them which I usually do. They're filled with random shopping lists, strange observations, book lists, everything. I'm not concerned about 'losing' these observations as I mainly do it to keep me always in the mindframe of observing and putting those observations into words - that way when I sit down it flows. Mostly I take the time to write a small opening scene because it's easier to get into the mind frame and pick up the story when I have the time seeing where I was coming from - here's a clip from a story that's sitting on the sidelines - - From Squishy Now usually I write a blurb but sometimes a blurb doesn't have the same magic as that opening scene and the idea dies on paper or in the folder - for instance the Squishy blurb could read - Anthropomorphic tale of a teddy who goes from prized Christmas present to the trash bin. If I do go the blurb route - and I do, I try and keep it sounding like the back of a book - exciting, informative, hint of a plot. But brief. Do both. The more interesting bits and pieces you have you'll be able to revive that interest in the idea. Well, that's what works for me anyway.
I go into whatever depth is necessary, and that's usually a lot of depth! I've written stories where the accumulated notes for the story wind up being twice as long as the story itself. This isn't something I'm proud of, but I'm not ashamed of it, either. I enjoy making notes.
I write them in notebooks. As much or little as I need to capture the idea. Everything goes there, from one-sentence-story ideas to pieces of dialogue and entire outlines. Love notebooks!
I try to keep my notes sparse, unless a sentence really speaks to me. There's time to modify the sentence later...the details of the story are just the framework. Think of it as the skeleton, and later you add the muscle, fat, and organs...then wrap it up with skin. Voila, creature...er...story.
I'm the exact opposite. I store much of my information in my head, because I don't know how to organize my notes, and I'm afraid I'll get so into my notes that I'll forget the writing part. This is not a good strategy, I'm told and they're right. I forget character names, their motivation, sometimes even what that plot was about in the first place. I really need to start a document for the notes.
Im very much like this. I like to go to bed and think about the storey and develop it like a film in my head i worry that if i write notes in to much depth that it will consume my time and then i won't want to write the actual storey. Silly i know and i need to get past it.
Just the bare notes. I flesh out during the actual writing and flesh out more during editing and rewrites. Note, for me, are reminders of things my mind has come up with, things that I won't remember unless I note them down.
I have a Google Drive folder for miscellaneous ideas that I have about anything in life. Each project folder of mine generally has its own "ideas" subfolder. I never hesitate to create a new document in one of these folders to capture an idea. I frequently develop an idea for a bit within the document, then integrate it into a more structured document outside the idea folder, then prune the idea folder. I find it easy to whip out my phone when I have an idea and quickly type a new document. Sometimes, late at night, I have my laptop open while I pace around my room, and the night results in dozens of new idea documents. These documents are usually worded so roughly that only I could possibly understand them, but sometimes they become complex, even overly-precise essays and bullet point lists.
I do the same, store everything in memory. Yes, I forget things but those things are never important. Important thoughts always stay and I can easily remember them even after several years. I do not organize them, after a period of time the natural associative function of the human brain makes my ideas condensate and if I pull out one of them from the backyard of my mind I have a very clear and detailed picture about it. I'm lucky with my memory but as I'm closer to 40 than 30 I start to feel that soon I will need a notebook. I can remember the phone number of that girl I met 20 years ago (I've never called her, but that's another story), but I doubt I will remember things happening today 20 years from now. What I can't remember whatever I do is names. I always forget them and this is a big problem for me in real life.
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