You have probably heard the story of the princess and the pea, of how she could feel the small pea under the mattress, despite the comfort of the rest of the bed, and how this little thing disturbed her and distinguished her from every other young lady who slept on the bed.
Ideas for stories, novels, essays, and poems often start the same way: some little something catches your attention and for one reason or another you can’t let go of it. It disturbs and distinguishes your imagination from the imaginations of everyone else, even other writers.
But unlike the pea in bed, often that little something will crop up at the oddest of times or in the oddest of places. That is why it is a good idea to keep pen and a notebook handy. It can be a small notebook, or even a piece of paper. Not everything you write down will turn into some crowing achievement, but it is certainly easier to discard a scribble later, once you’ve had a chance to consider it, than it is to try to remember that little, nagging seed of an idea later.
So, keep something handy to write with and write on. You never know when inspiration, like a little seed, will sprout something your way.
The idea sprout for a novel, essay, poem, or short story might show itself at the oddest time in the oddest of places. Keep a pen and paper handy.
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