Throw away that idea book!
If I had a penny for every time I heard, “Always carry a notebook with you for jotting down ideas,” I’d be rich enough to not bother writing an opposing opinion. But I am not rich, and the idea of carrying a notebook won’t work—not in the way you think or how these “gurus” suggest. You cannot pay attention to every idea that pops into your head; you’ll lose your mind if you do. You’ll lose focus on the present and remain lost in your idea-land.
An idea worth jotting down needs to have some value. How do you decide an idea’s worth? By focusing on what it means to you personally. A thought, an opinion, a belief—these won’t leave you in a few hours because they resonate with you. There’s a reason why you feel so strongly about an opinion: you’ve contemplated the reason behind it.
You don’t have to write down what you feel for your mom. If I asked you to write an essay about her, you’d do it in a heartbeat. If I interrupted you in the middle of the essay, you could pick it up tomorrow right where you left off.
Any idea that isn’t close to your heart isn’t worth writing about. Writing is about picking one idea, digging deep, and taking the reader with you into its depths. It’s fine to jot down fancy anecdotes, a quote, or a punchy line. Stephen King, one of the most prolific writers of our time, seldom writes down his plot ideas. He says if it’s good enough, it will come back.
Ideas worth writing about don’t go away. They keep nagging at your brain, forcing you to write them down in an essay. You need to spend more time with an idea before jumping to convert it into an essay. As you play around with the idea in your head, you’ll refine it with your personal experiences, opinions, and beliefs.
An idea is a raw ingredient that you convert into a delicious dish in the form of an essay. Your personality is the spice that adds flavor.
Don’t rush to jot down that idea. If you like it, play around with it in your head. What do you truly feel about it? If you can’t connect with it, so be it. Ideas are a dime a dozen, after all.