Whether you’re writing supernatural fiction or paranormal non-fiction, you need a steady stream of writing ideas. We all have our lines of inspiration–things that get you excited about firing up the laptop and starting to tap those keys.
The hard part, though is to have those lines of inspiration open at will. Inspiration can strike at odd moments and at times when it’s impossible to follow the muse.
Can you the look on your boss and co-workers’ faces when you announced you have to leave the staff meeting because you have the sudden urge to write a book?
Rather than risk unemployment, you can create an idea book.
Grab a notebook. Your choice, but something portable is best. (You’ll take this everywhere you go.)
Designate this your idea book. Don’t clutter it with personal finance entries, or to-do lists (you can have a separate notebook for these functions.)
Keep it next to your bed. Write down dreams and ideas you have when you sleep.
Take the notebook with your everywhere you go. When you have a random book-related idea, jot it down. Don’t edit your entries. The rawer, the better.
Review your notes on a regular basis. You can check it out once a month, or once a week. Look for themes and connections. Can any of these ideas be the basis for a new project, or help out a current one?
Some folks are more computer-savvy. Creating a separate file for your idea book is fine. It often lacks the dynamism of that pen-to-paper feel, but as long as it works for you, go for it.