by Elaina Lyons

I love when inspiration hits me. Who doesn’t? Getting an influx of ideas is so exciting. But sometimes — most of the time — my ideas come in gigantic waves, and my brain feels LOUD, like its filled with a cacophony of disparate ideas all vying for first place.

So what do I do when my ideas come faster than my hands can type?

Well, firstly, I try VERY hard to write my thoughts down as they come to me. Otherwise, I tend to remember everything I’ve pushed to the back of my brain at once, leading to a whole lot of overwhelm. With how busy I am, this usually means typing a few lines into my notes app on my phone. As long as I can understand it later, I’m good to go.

Second, I try to create an outline, of sorts. I’m not one for traditional outlines, but I do like to organize my thoughts in one way or another.

Third, I’m all for character profiles. I like to write out each of my characters’ backgrounds — what makes them tick, who they are, any key details I’ve given them, etc. This way, I can keep each person straight in my head as I add to them. I add to these profiles as I write, so I’m sure I don’t mix up any details along the way.

Bottom line: I try to keep some sort of organization in my work. Otherwise, I’d be a bit of a jumbled mess.

How do you keep your thoughts organized?

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