I can’t tell you how many times it happens. You have a great idea while you are out doing something away from the computer. When you finish doing whatever you were doing, you sit down, power up the computer, open up the word processor. Then….
Nothing.
Poof. Gone. Nada. Your idea, which seemed on par with genius level just a few short hours ago, hardly seems fit to be typed now. That’s if you remember it at all.
It’s time to take a different approach. First, why not write things down as they happen? Try carrying a notebook with you. As inspiration strikes, don’t be afraid to jot these ideas down as they happen. You’ll maintain more clarity that way. Keep in mind there are several smart phone apps that are also ideal for taking notes. For example, I use Evernote.
Resurrect Clarity.
Once you’re back in front of a computer, you can reference your idea in all it’s glory. Go ahead, transport yourself back to the moment the idea struck, and go from there.
Unstick Yourself.
Are you still stuck? It’s OK, it happens to the best. Chances are you may have turned your internal editor on. Maybe the idea is not seeming like quite the epiphany it was just a few hours ago. The trick is to power through.
Ignore Others.
There will always be enough people out there who tell you why you are wrong. They’ll give you the reasons that it can’t or shouldn’t be done. If you listen to them, you’ll stop doing it, and then the world may never know.
Create First. Then Edit.
Go ahead, put that idea on paper, or on the screen. What do a tweet, a Facebook post, a blog and a book all have in common? They start with a single word.
Once you get it all out, then you can go through with your analytical mind and edit. Editing before creating kills ideas before they start.
Matt Brennan is a Chicago-area marketing writer and copy editor. He is also the author of Write Right-Sell Now.
