When Ideas Come at the Wrong Time

toshilou · Post by **toshilou** » 19 Jul 2014, 22:27

Yes I've had this happen before!!! I usually try to write it down anywhere I can or I type it up in the notes section on my phone. It's awful when I can do neither though because I usually forget...

Sciadoe · Post by **Sciadoe** » 20 Jul 2014, 18:04

I've experienced this many times myself and as a result I am known for keeping a pad of paper and a pen with me at all times. I've been known to pull it out and jot down ideas at work. On the rare occasion that I don't have my paper and pen with me, I have an app in my phone that allows me to type out ideas or story snippets and email them to myself.

Pagesofmylife · Post by **Pagesofmylife** » 03 Aug 2014, 05:18

I find I often have these "3am" moments, I am an insomniac, so especially when I am having a bad night or don't have my sleeping drugs, I find I end up lying there thinking about all these great ideas, sometimes even despite writers block, but can't turn the computer or lights on to write it down because it disrupts my sleep, and I always forget about them by morning. It drives me crazy!

zoikes319 · Post by **zoikes319** » 04 Aug 2014, 13:44

I use my phone to send myself a quick email with any details I can think of. As long as I'm not working this method works out fine.

ipekbunsal · Post by **ipekbunsal** » 07 Aug 2014, 04:00

I think of sentences then I find the perfect one but my computer is not in front of me so I try to memorize it and open the computer at the same time it is really funny

annareads · Post by **annareads** » 08 Aug 2014, 14:39

Mayhem1225 wrote:this is when a pocket sized recording device comes in handy like a tape recorder. even now, most phones have an app that lets you record audio!

Yes! Recording is so handy for me since I always get ideas while I'm driving.

EarlByrd · Post by **EarlByrd** » 10 Aug 2014, 00:37

I try to remember as much as I can of an idea(s) that "come with the dust and are gone
with the wind." I carry a notebook too. Most of what's in it are the usual faire found on
refrigerator doors: dr. appt's, my dentist's smile(she is without peer), THERE'S NO SUCH
ANIMAL AS A HAPPY DRUNK, CHARLIE BUKOWSKI. Get over yourself. R*** turns *0 on
Sunday. Buy her that many roses. And Maps(googled and left behind)to Washing Machines advertised in CL. Real forgettable stuff. But among the chaff is the grist. AND
that's worth the pursuit.

annareads · Post by **annareads** » 12 Aug 2014, 13:41

EarlByrd wrote:But among the chaff is the grist. AND
that's worth the pursuit.

I've never heard this saying before! But now I want to use it all the time. Sounds very British to me for some reason. (And the inside of your notebook sounds a lot like mine haha. So many random ideas, mostly useless but I feel better having written them down.)

DlVERGENT · Post by **DlVERGENT** » 12 Aug 2014, 15:00

This happens all the time, especially at night.
I just wake up with a genius idea in mind and I want to get up and write it down but then I tell myself "I'll remember it tomorrow".
And
The
Next
Morning
I
Completely
Forget

annareads · Post by **annareads** » 12 Aug 2014, 18:58

That's why you've got to write it down!! Even if you're on the edge of sleep, just make some kind of scribble on whatever paper you can find so you can jog your memory. Because that is the WORST feeling ever.

Erich_gray · Post by **Erich_gray** » 18 Aug 2014, 23:28

This is a big problem for me. As I always have these moment when thoughts come in and I cannot get to a pad or not even in the right place for one. Hoping to be able to remember it and write it down later. But alas, when "later" arrives it does not come.

Like now. Normally I am a sleep. I laid in bed and words began to pop into my head. Well, this time I got my silly feet up and came down stairs to write it down. Going back to bed now in hopes I can remember WHY I wrote those words in the first place. And the effect goes on and on and on and on..........

Erich

Booklover97 · Post by **Booklover97** » 20 Aug 2014, 07:43

This is so true! You only get ideas when you have nothing to write them on. I usually get mine when I am already in bed or in the bathroom.

heathervalle3 · Post by **heathervalle3** » 22 Aug 2014, 19:01

This happens a lot to me... I always keep pen and paper at the ready, but if no paper my arm works just fine... other drivers probably look at me weird but oh well - a writers gotta do - what a writers gotta do!! or if I don't forget it, I keep my recorder in my car.. (that works too

)

-- 22 Aug 2014, 20:02 --

kittyTM · Post by **kittyTM** » 22 Aug 2014, 19:12

This happens to me so often that I have taken to bringing a notebook and pen with me wherever I go. The only time I really can't stop doing whatever I'm doing and write down the idea is when I'm at work (I work at Subway), but other than that, I don't care what I'm doing, I press pause and make note of the idea and any details that might come with it.