Something has just triggered your memory. As a writer, you should always have a way to capture moments of imagination and insight. Most writers devise some kind of a system to collect their ideas beyond just tossing scraps of paper into a box. You will want to find a method that fits your learning style and fits your organizational bent. If you don’t know your personal learning style, many online quizzes are available like this free one at Edutopia.org.
There are a number of ways to keep useful records of your ideas. Here’s a listing of some of the avenues available to you.
It’s hard to beat pen and paper. Keep a notebook/journal/pad in your pocket, purse, car, wherever you go. Pen and paper is portable, comes in multiple sizes, and is easy to replace if lost. It’s a tried and true method for the linguistically minded.
Many writers like to keep a scrapbook. They keep one with snipped images, recorded quotes for possible dialogue, and paste magazine pictures to help with character descriptions. You can add in photos of places for settings.
Visual people like to keep a bulletin board with images, quotes, and magazine pictures all displayed in a visual way. Keep a box of tacks, scissors and note cards at hand. You might want to try an online corkboard like Corkboardme.
Some like to hang a poster board and set a stack of sticky notes next to it. Record each idea on a sticky note and put it on the board. You might like the tactile and visual mix of this method. It’s also easy to organize information.
Smart phones are popular. Many carry these devices. They have multiple functions – a place to take and store photos and videos, a place to leave digital notes, a place to leave written notes, a place to collect music. A smart phone can serve as powerful tool to collect your material.
iPads, Kindle Fire and other tablets are also great places to gather ideas and keep them bundled. Pads offer all the advantages of a phone and expand your work space because of the increased screen size. Think about this choice if you find working on a tiny phone screen cumbersome.
Laptops bring computing power into the mix. Some simply drop their notes and pictures into a Word file. Others purchase powerful writing software to help them put to collect their ideas. One popular program is Writer’s Blocks. This software helps writers organize and visualize their work.
I wish I had known all those years ago that I would be doing his memoir today and it would be much simpler. Unfortunately I will not be able to utilize these helpful hints.