There is a common belief that if you have an idea, you must be able to write it down and outline it immediately or risk losing it. Gobble it up before someone else does! This is true in some circumstances (and perhaps for those individuals with memory disorders). Apart from that, however, consider this possibility: Was it really a good idea if you could so easily forget it?
Every story I’ve ever written has invaded my thoughts relentlessly, shaping and growing like tomato vines on a trellis. I’ve dreamt them, devoured them, daydreamed them—chopped them up finely and tossed them up with garlic or butter—until they have taken on a more robust shape in my mind.
The mind is a cauldron, and I keep adding new ingredients to the mix. Some ingredients get overpowered by others; some complement the aroma, like fresh-baked bread. Plots fill in, and the style and the taste of the story bubble up to the surface. The more I let it stew, the harder it is to forget. I can taste it!
Stories are complicated things, and writing them even more so. Savor your ideas, and you’ll find that they’ll return to you naturally. As easy as baking with Grandma’s tried-and-true cookie technique.
Jot tidbits down if you want to. Every good meal needs a recipe. But remember that all good cooking starts in the kitchen, and all good writing starts in the mind.
