Do you suffer from the Too Many Ideas Syndrome?
One of the most popular questions I get from kids when I do a school presentation is, "Where do you get your ideas?" There isn't some mystical, magical way to find ideas because, truthfully, ideas are everywhere.
I've found that my kids are gold mines for ideas. I've sold several magazine stories based on things that have happened to my kids. I have a long list of story ideas in my notebook directly related to things my kids have said or done.
I've gotten ideas from the news, from listening to people talk, from my friends, and from just wondering about something. I have a list of subjects I'd like to write about when I'm more comfortable writing nonfiction and most of those ideas are based on questions my kids have asked (and I couldn't answer).
I wrote a picture book based on an experience with our pigs. (I hate pigs). I haven't sold it yet, but I hope to in the future so that something good comes out of dealing with those ornery things.
So, yes, I think I suffer from TMIS. I don't think I'll ever be able to write about all the ideas I have. And, I keep getting more and more and more. My daughter gave me two ideas for chapter books just last night.
Here's a link to a Writer's Digest article that some of you may find helpful in combating TMIS:
Creativity: Overcoming Too Many Ideas Syndrome http://writersdiges t.com/articles/ jasheway- bryant_blinded. asp
Don't let your creativity get in the way of your productivity.
Here are nine tips for overcoming Too Many Ideas Syndrome.
Of course, in the long run, it's far better to have too many ideas than none at all!
8 comments:
what med do you take for that condition? tee hee.
cool post. i love how kids say and do so many things. they have fueled so many of my posts.
happy friday,
kathleen
Sometimes I suffer from that condition as well. To combat such a condition, I wish that I could develop TMT Syndrome. That's Too Much Time Syndrome. I think those two syndromes would go well together.
I have TMIS, too! And I want to do it all! It would be better to do something...Thanks for your post and your links.
Great post, Rebecca. I get my ideas from the darndest things, like a phrase in a song. It's bizarre, but you're right. Ideas are everywhere.
I just sent an email to everyone in the blog ring, I think. Will you tell me if you received it? If not, then I have to send it page by page and that's what I need to know.
Thanks and see you at the writers conference.
I actually had the opposite problem for a while--it seemed like any and all ideas had just dried up for me. It lasted for almost a year, but now those ideas are beginning to come back, thick and furious. And some of the ideas I just LOVE.
BUT, for a while there I was worried that I would never manage to write again, because I didn't seem to have anything left in me. So yes, better to have too many ideas, than not enough!
I have TMIS and I just blog for therapy ;) My problem is not enough time to write the really good stuff and not enough know how of how to write better!
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