Dilemmas of a Writer: Generating Ideas

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My biggest weakness is generating ideas. But it’s not just about coming up with something. Rather, it’s about coming up with something relevant, unique, or something that is very important to you.

My Situation

Ideas don’t naturally come to me. Sometimes, an idea pops up out of the blue as I travel. There are times when my mind is just drifting and I get an idea for an article to write. Other times, ideas are triggered while I’m watching a movie or a series. However, when I feel super inspired, ideas would just keep flowing one after the other. As if there are no shortages of ideas, so I just keep writing them down.

Essentially, I’m faced with two problems. One, no ideas are springing to mind a.k.a. writer’s block. And two, there are too many ideas popping up.

I can’t readily pluck ideas from a tree. In my case, I come up with ideas at random. So I often need to take note of them so that I don’t forget. I also need ample time to really ponder about it and sort of internalize the concept. Only then will I be able to express it. I guess you could say that I’m laid back in terms of coming up with ideas.

This is the reason why I don’t feel comfortable with group work. I work and think at my own pace. I can’t force myself to think of a great idea on the fly. These things just come to me at the most unexpected moments. Usually, they come to me after the work has already been completed so they’re no longer useful or relevant.

What To Do

The reason why writer’s block happens is usually because you’re mentally exhausted. When you’re trying to force creativity out of you, it will only lead to frustration. Balance is key. Give yourself time to experience new and different things. Then you’ll find what could inspire you and give you fresh or novel ideas.

I think writer’s block can be dealt with through various means. You can go out and get some fresh air. Smell the flowers and bask under the heat of the sun. Maybe watch a movie that inspires you. Or you can read a book or a poem from your favorite author. There are so many ways to resolve it. But I think the important thing is to go at your own pace.

However, in cases where there are just too many ideas coming out, the best thing to do is to screen them. When you look at the list of ideas, you will see that there are overlapping concepts. You can probably merge certain ideas and discard irrelevant ones. Limit yourself to a few main ideas and just expound them.

Furthermore, when there are too many ideas, it is possible that some ideas get shelved or even forgotten. I don’t usually scroll through the list of ideas that I’ve come up with. It’s all circumstantial for me. When I get the urge to explore that idea, that’s the only time I dig them up. Now, I will try to check my ideas and see which ones I can make something out of.

I think this is the same for literary work. Ideas for plots or for concepts in poetry are really baffling things. There are days when you think an idea is just so brilliant that you have to take note of it. But after thinking about it, you come to the conclusion that this idea may not be worth the hype you’ve put into it.

Never give up on your ideas though. They are just the first step toward making something that could be revolutionary. It requires a lot of investment to flesh out all the possibilities that an idea can become. If you think that it’s worth taking the time and effort, then go for it.