Weekly Creative Writing Tip: The Idea Folder

August 9th, 2008 · No Comments

typewriter An idea folder is just that; a folder you maintain on the computer where you store your ideas, titles, characters, plots, and just about anything else related to writing. Its a place to save your thoughts when creativity sparks. Whenever you are at a loss of topics or something to write about, you can peruse this idea folder and find something to write about there.

“This doesn’t fix all causes of writer’s block. Writer’s block doesn’t always mean you have a lack of subject material. Sometimes you find there’s plenty to write about, but every word that forms from a pen or key stroke ends up reading as nothing but crap. When reading later, you end up aghast and wondering ‘Did I actually write this stuff?’ The idea folder serves only as a tool to nudge you in the right direction. Inspiration rests with what is compiled, and tucked into this folder in the hopes that you can form something marvelous later.”

How to start an idea folder

To start an ideas folder is very simple. Simply create a folder on your desktop and any time you see a good idea while surfing the web or hammering out your next writing project, create a word or text doc and save it to this folder. Doing this will help keep you on track with your current project by giving you a safe place for those ideas, that pop up in the middle of your work. You can also carry a small notebook to jot down ideas while perusing your local book store.

“When I surf the Net, I use a few tools that help gather ideas; I use FoxFire’s browser, which I then found Google Notebook. This handy tool lets me open a tiny window no matter which web site I’m on so I can cut/paste links and text to Google Notebook.”

So keep those creative juices flowing and maintain an abundant amount of writing fodder for the future.

Provided by A Writer’s Journey.

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