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A writer logs a huge portion of his or her life at desk, computer, and notebook.  Everyone dreams about stories, but only by spending months grinding through sentence after sentence, thinking and rethinking, obsessing, anguishing, tearing down and throwing up, does a story or a book actually come into existence.

We’re all too aware of those who dream, but never put in the effort.  We’re all too aware of the games procrastination plays with us.  When we have to spend time away, doing all the other things that maintain a healthy existence, it’s hard not to feel guilty about “squandered” writing time.

Fret not!  It’s when you’ve left your desk that some of your best ideas strike.

Think about it.  Most of us have a certain time of day, place, or activity when ideas come to us that help us move the plot forward or see things in a new light.  There are two times that are golden for me: right before bed, and riding the bus to work early in the morning.  At both times, I’m sleepy and I’ve let my guard down.  My brain wanders down paths and makes connections it can’t make while I’m wide awake.

For others, it might be a walk outside, a shower, meditation, or washing dishes.  The ideas happen there, then you spend the rest of the day eager to get back to writing so you can act on them.

This process seems outside one’s control, but there are things you can do to encourage and enhance your daydreaming, giving yourself the best chance to create fun new ideas.

1. Make time to wander.

How many people shove their noses into laptops or smartphones the second they don’t have anything to do?  Don’t get me wrong, it’s nice to have things to play and read- especially on long trips- but a lot of people no longer permit themselves to just sit and think.  Try it, even for a short time- staring out the window on the bus, waiting for a meal at a restaurant, taking a walk through the park- heck, even the Peter Gibbons’ stare-at-my-desk a la Office Space.

“But it looks like I’m working.”

You don’t get great story ideas playing Sudoku or Angry Birds- unless you’re drafting an epic mash-up in which the avian kingdom declares war upon the numbers 1 through 9 (inclusive).

2. Relax.

This absolutely does not work if you’re stressed, or putting pressure on yourself to come up with something five minutes ago.  This is very much a “let go, and it’ll happen” exercise.  It’s like finding a romantic partner, at least in my experience.  Desperation is the enemy.  It’s usually only after one says “Screw it, whatever happens happens” that someone special comes along.

3. Prime your thinking.

If you’re trying to brainstorm for a particular story, you won’t start  with a blank slate.  Set your mind on a path.  For instance, before falling asleep, I mentally replay the scene(s) I’ve just drafted.  Improvements on lines and actions often come to me then, as well as thoughts for where to go next.

I’ll also ruminate on unanswered questions about plot, background, and characterization.  “How did [character] meet his best friend?” for instance.  Not necessarily stuff that has to go into the story, but stuff that helps me better understand the characters and setting.

Let your mind wander off-topic if it wants.  If you fall asleep before anything comes to you, it’s OK-  as long as you don’t sleep past your bus stop.

4. Capture those brilliant thoughts!

Holy crap, the most perfect line of dialogue ever- and no pen, computer, or smartphone for miles!

Has this ever happened to you?  I’ve been known to repeat lines over and over in my head from the time of inception to the time I reached something to write it down with- 30 minutes or more.  Not fun.

Keep something close by to capture your thoughts.  I have a notebook on my nightstand for my just-before-sleep thoughts.  Other people use note-taking apps like Evernote, Simplenote, OneNote… there’s a ton of them these days.  They even make notepads you can use in the shower!

Even if it’s “dumb” or not an idea you can’t use right now, write it down anyway.  Someday, when the well has run dry, you can refer back to your idea repository and see if anything helps you.

 

Where do your best ideas strike?  How do you foster them?  Drop me a line and let me know!