Jun 8, 2011

Down the Drain: Where My Ideas Go

I'm smart and prolific (so you've all told me). But, what if you found out that most of my genius and brilliance goes to waste? It literally goes right down the drain. And that I have been okay with that.

You see, I do my best thinking in the shower. That shouldn't surprise anyone. The weird part is that I do not write down any of the ideas I contrive. I have been content with letting them circle and drop. I figured if they were that great, they'll come back like the spiders you wash down the drain that always return. Most time I regret this. Like the time I thought of the perfect title to my project titled The Second Person Experiment. 

The title I came up with exemplified the attitude of the main character and inspired me to think of an ending. Somewhere between washing my face and scrubbing the bottom of my feet I loofah'd away the perfect title and subsequent plot point. Habitually, I have washed starting with my hair and ending with my feet for as long as I can remember. It struck me just last week that if I had implemented into my cleansing ritual a time to reflect upon my brilliant ideas that many of them would still be with me. And thus began the new ritual.

In the last week, I have had many breakthrough ideas. The odd thing is I remember them! I even thought about a story that has not seen the light of day in over a year. The story of an owl who doesn't fit into the mold of restrained and studious aristocracy that his family expects of him. It takes a war and becoming a hero, but in the end...

Just a teaser cover


11 comments:

  1. I, too, get alot of ideas in the shower. there must be something about the white noise that keeps my mind occupied enough and out of the way for ideas to spring up. Fortunately, I am able to retain most of my thoughts until I can get to the computer or a pad of paper!

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  2. Sounds like you need Aqua Notes. Casey blogged about them a while back. http://www.myaquanotes.com/ :)

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  3. That's awesome you're having some breakthroughs. Maybe you need something waterproof to write on in the shower.

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  4. I brainstorm in the shower too! I think there's a waterproof pad you can hang on the shower wall to jot idea down that I saw on the blog!
    Kelly

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  5. You are too funny, Jon. And I LOVE the Weston Gets His Wise idea!! :-)

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  6. I've heard other authors say the same thing about ideas. I'm glad some are sticking. Also, that's an adorable cover. I'm a big fan of Winston's glasses.

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  7. LOL! Love "Weston Gets His Wise!"
    I get ideas while driving, especially after a writers meeting. I lose a lot of ideas, too, by not writing them down. And some ideas are too spooky to pursue, and I scare myself, so I'm happy to forget them!

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  8. I definitely get ideas in the shower. I also get a lot when I'm trying to fall asleep. Normally, I'm too lazy to get up and write them down, so by morning they've escaped me.

    Oh, and we're supposed to scrub the bottoms of our feet? Crap!

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  9. I believe you could use this, sir.

    http://www.myaquanotes.com/

    Enjoy!

    :)

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:D