Question Friday - How Do You?

Here we are again - it's Friday and that means it's time for our new meme here at WordWranglers. It's Question Friday! I took the question this because ... well, it happened to me. So, without further ado, our question:

You get a brilliant idea - plot bunny, piece of dialogue, insight into your character, whatever - at a totally inappropriate time - while driving, in the shower, in the dentist's chair, whatever - what do you do?

Liz said, "If I can, I put a note on my phone or write myself one on paper--remember that? All too often I simply lose it.  If I'm very lucky or if it's a really strong bunny, it will come back to me. If it's a piece of dialogue, I say it out loud more than once, regardless of strange looks I might get. I love Nan's singing idea, but I think I'd scare myself!"

Nan said, "If it’s possible to get to my phone, I either type it into the memo application or call my home phone and leave myself a message. If I can’t get to the phone (shower, driving, etc.), I sing it. That sounds so stupid, but if I put a tune to the concept and sing it several times, it’ll stick in my head until I can get to a paper and pencil or a computer or my phone. My husband knows what I’m doing now, but when I first started this several years, he thought I was a little nutso. Once a couple of years ago, when my Grandboy was just a baby, I got an idea for a scene while I was rocking him to sleep. I just changed the words to the lullaby I was already singing. He never knew the difference and I managed to hang onto it until I get him to bed and could find a piece of paper."

Margie said, "Great question and this happened to me yesterday at work. I was putting out a Christmas plaque and the saying on it gave me an idea for a Christmas romance. So, I just kept saying the phrase over and over until I was able to get to pen and paper on my break. I plan to buy the plaque once the store opens.

I use the repetition technique if I'm in the shower or the dentist chair as well. Oh heck--who am I kidding? If  I'm in the dentist chair I'm usually screaming on the inside. No ideas are being spawned unless it's a horror.

But for the car I have these mini sticky white boards attached to my steering wheel. They were designed for lockers and I bought them post back-to-school clearance. So, if I get an idea I can usually jot a note or two on the steering wheel--even while driving. Just don't tell my insurance agent :)"

And now it's my turn! I asked the question because I was at the Y teaching my water class when the answer to a plot point popped into my brain. No paper, no iPhone, and I was in the middle of class so I couldn't just stop the class to run upstairs to my locker to grab my phone and make a note. Luckily, I remembered and once I got upstairs I grabbed my phone to make a note. But I was petrified during the whole class I'd lose the idea. I think I'll use Margie (and Nan's) repetition techniques in the future!

Okay, readers, it's your turn. How do you cope with this situation? 

Don't forget if you have a question, let us know! You can leave your question in the comments or visit our Facebook page and ask over there...we'll add the questions to our list to be answered.

Comments

  1. This is a problem for me, too! I usually repeat the idea several times, fixing it in my mind (I hope!!). But otherwise, I have scads of envelopes with ideas on the back :) I can see how it would be a definite problem when you're in the pool :)

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    1. Oh, I have envelopes, too--only thing is, my notes are always so cryptic I generally have no clue what they're about!

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  2. The envelope and napkin stash at my desk is *legendary*, Barbara! lol

    I think the repetition plan is winning. Thanks for visiting today!

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