When Ideas Come at the Wrong Time

[writergalinatlanta]

The shower. I get my best ideas when I totally defenseless and obviously without writing materials. I keep asking my husband to invent a shower recorder so I can just press a button in the shower and start talking; this way I'm never without a way to record my thoughts.

[GeonnaMarie]

I actually keep a little journal next to my pillow because sometimes I wake up with ideas at all sorts of hours of the night. I learned a long time ago to keep something handy. If I don't I will lose some of the creative flow that tends to happen when I'm able to jot down my thoughts immediately. Ideas can marinate with me for a while, but my best writing happens when I'm able to get everything out when it strikes me.

[chibi_kitsune]

Sadly, that happens all the time, especially when I don't have access to any sort of writing utensil. I'll usually remember parts of what I was thinking when I do get to my computer or notebook but it's not always as good as when I first thought of it and it's a bit annoying. Of course when I'm at school or something, I just make sure to keep a pencil and paper with me. However, walking my dog, running errands, or going to work doesn't really leave room for note taking.

[JessiAnne26]

these things always happen to me late at night! i get so frustrated because the onslaught of thoughts that takes me over before i fall asleep don't stick around until the morning when i can write them down and put them in order!!

[mellybean]

Usually at night. Right before I start to drift off to sleep. If I can I stay up till like three am and I am good to go. It's the way that I have always been. It's helpful when I work night shifts and am up at three am anyway. I always carry a pen and notebook with me. Not as much as I used to, but now I have a chromebook.

[Anna Meyer]

Hi, I don't think there's a wrong time. My opinion is, that you came up with that idea due to the timing and circumstances you are in at that time, or boiling up to that point. See it as a tool to new ideas... sometimes ideas come just because we saw something, or changed our direction, or find yourself more relaxed or tense or "mostly any other setting or circumstance" that just enable a flow of ideas or one important idea. The secret is to pin it down on paper, any paper or recorder if you can as quick as possible. On the cellphone, on a receipt in your wallet, whatever... when your're a serious writer, you will find a way of pinning it down even when you are driving...you will be prepared to jot it down.

[TrishaAnn92]

It usually happens when ever I don't have a pen and paper. Which isn't often. Very rarely it seems I have an idea strike when I have a pen and paper within reach.

[JMTuckerman]

What's up readers! Yesterday I was walking along as a part of my daily business and suddenly I thought about a good idea for a story. Thoughts literally started flooding one after the other, which really doesn't happen often. So, has any one had a similar thing happen? Do great ideas ever make you wish you had a pen or a paper? When do these things seem to happen more or less for you?

This has been less of a problem for me since I started keeping my journal in my purse instead of my book bag. Although, I used to just write the ideas on my arms and hands. My teachers used to laugh at me because I'd come to class with fiction written up my arm. I can't lose that! It's too precious! It might not come again!!!

Yeah, I guess it does sound crazy.

[RussetDivinity]

I've got a super-active imagination, so I can have ideas come to me at just about any time. The best part is, sometimes they come back, and I can mix them with other ideas. I've tried writing down my ideas when they come, but they never feel quite right until I can actually flesh them out. That's probably why I don't work well with outlines, either; I just want to go ahead and make the dialogue or the setting without bothering to jot down a little note.

[SidnayC]

I'm still a student in University.... so when I'm working on coursework or my dissertation that is the time when ideas for the book I'm writing begin to flow haphazardly out... so I grab my computer... my phone... even a piece of paper to get it all down before I loose the interesting ideas and words my mind just comes up with. When I sit down to actually write it's a different story haha

[thsavage2]

Most people carry their smart phones everywhere (I'm one of those), so I usually make a new note in the iPhone Note app. I don't usually write everything down, just the main idea I was thinking and some details that will help me remember what it was so when I get back to my computer I can write it down. And if you're really paranoid, you can even send yourself an email from your phone, so you can access it on your computer later if you want. I also usually carry a pen and a small notebook in my purse or backpack, just in case.

[SidnayC]

Yes I can be at completely the wrong place or doing something very important and then great ideas for my book just start to overflow my brain... like you said it isn't often this occurs. Even though I might not have a laptop or pen and paper near, thank God for my phone! I jot everything down there when I get desperate.

[j_anzualda]

Yess! For me its drawing ideas usually happens when I'm laying down to comfortable to get up ha or shower you know when the water droplets are just rolling down the curtain but than there's those few that get stuck and kind of make an animal or something interesting. Now those are the times when I wish I had a on hand so I can take a pic of it than just look at it all day till its stuck in my head and I've figured out how I want to reinvent it so it could be mine. Butttttt of course I never got up during either of those idea pouring in moments that might just be why my sketch books have been empty the past few months. BUT ONEDAY i shall get out of the tub get my phone and take a pic or throw off those insanely warm covers and draw my heart outx. But until than my books shall continue to grow dust

[Vimtuous]

If I have a great idea like that, I usually have paper around me. At the very least I have my phone and can type some notes about the idea into it for safekeeping. Then I don't lose a bunch of the ideas.

[AryanaMender]

Working as a journalist has taught me how to deal with this problem a little bit. I always carry a pen and paper or a phone that has access to a notepad.

But, I've also had those nights where I will get an idea and it's three in the morning, but I'm far too lazy to get out of bed and find a pen. That's when I will try to fit my idea into one word that I can associate it with in the morning. Think of the word and I remember the idea. It doesn't always work, but I have had some success with it.