Be an idea kleptomaniac

Tomboy

Tomboy

It pays to build up a written store of ideas but in order to do it, you need to pick up ideas in the course of the day. The other day my mother who does voluntary work for Cats Protection[I can hear the felophiles now, aaarh, how lovely]although one hears awful things which I would rather not repeat except to say that there is one chap who is a long distance lorry driver who transports military explosives and equipment and has to have a police escort. Now in this unstable climate or as the Chinese would say 'may you live in interesting times', here is a god given idea for want of a better word and I may well use it. I jotted it down and will probably put it into the September section of my Diary of ideas.  Heard other things as well a few days later. Contact with real humans is a must as well as the internet. For plots, you cannot beat real life really.

milhouse

Hi again Tomboy,

I personally, and also some others on here, keep a scrapbook of cuttings from the press. I get any newspaper I can get me hands on and scan them for interesting stories. I then cut them out and paste them into the scrap book under headings, crime, polotics, comedy, romance etc.

I then combine, and elaborate on these ideas when required. It is also a brilliant method for looking out for stories which will be topical in 18 months time. Enabling you to produce work that is current - right product at the right time.

Milhouse.

Kangaroo

Tomboy, I like the diary of ideas. I'll try it out.

Crazy Horse

I liked the idea of newspaper cuttings and will add this to my repertoire. I have collected items from various sources but I scan them into the PC and keep folders for vaious catogories

Tomboy

Lucky thing,you have a scanner, brilliant, perhaps something to save up for although where I would fit one on my desk at the moment, I have no idea, even my printer takes up too much room as good as it is. 

Carol

I'm fortunate my scanner is built into my printer/copier, and it does minimise space used.

Grannylonglegs

Thanks for ideas on diary of ideas and scrapbook of newspaper cuttings.
A tip I picked up at Swanwick - if you are scratching your head for a punchy title for a book/story - look at the racing pages(!) and the inventive names for horses!