Ideas

Where do writers get ideas? Most writers have been asked this question at least once, and most likely many, many times. This question also appears in a good number of the “how-to” write books and articles. Sometimes when I do something crazy or stupid Iris asks me, “Where did you get that idea from? What were you thinking?” This seems to happen fairly often lately.

Ideas are easy. They come easy. Some are good, some are gems and many are not worth the paper they are written (if they make it that far). Ideas for 65 and Alive come from the world around me. I find ideas while reading a story on-line or in the newspaper and something in the story grabs my attention. TV news, with its brevity, is an excellent source of ideas, certainly not content. Observation of people is the best source ideas. Everyday events provide a wealth of ideas. I’ve been to many buffets, cruises and a few restaurants that have senior specials and they provide insights to people at their best and not so stellar. Life situations are fodder for the keyboard.

I jot these random thoughts onto scrap note paper, enter them into a notebook and then into my laptop files. Sometimes I’ll expand the notation with a few sentences for later reference. Then when I am ready to write the next blog I refer to my notes and I’m off to the races.

Once I thought about writing about a typical day in my life. That idea got discarded because it would take all day and I am too busy to follow me around. I see advertisements for over 50 dating services. But I am married and I don’t know anyone who is dating. A blog about adult children returning home didn’t generate any significant motivation; my children are still independent. Childcare issues also are not something I know about, no grandkids yet.

The real challenge is to take a good idea, gather information, determine a central concept to convey, and convert those thoughts into a coherent piece that I think my readers (the blog-talk word “followers” is too self-serving) would enjoy. And be worthy of giving up a few minutes of their day to read.

Perhaps by now you’ve gotten the message. This week I struck out in the idea department. Writers block. Perhaps not, just worthwhile idea block.

I’ve got a great idea. I think I’ll take a nap. Something that I’ve heard was good for seniors.

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