On ideas, and having them

Why some stick and some drift, notes app life, writing from dreams, fallow periods and receptiveness

Something a little different today! This year I’ve loved tutoring writing more than ever, and the conversations it leads to – thinking about creativity together feels collaborative and useful, in a way that sitting alone in a room trying to think about words sometimes can’t, plus I’m always keen to demystify the idea that writing is terrifying and unattainable. So I have started a subscriber chat where you can ask me questions, and now and then I’ll answer them here. I might make this a paid subscriber-only thing in future (working out some new ideas in this area, bear with me), but for the moment it’s open to all. I’m very approachable and largely good-natured: ask me whatever!

This time I’ve chosen three questions on ideas, which I felt were in conversation with each other and fitted together nicely. I do think ideas are one of the most exciting and terrifying parts of writing. You never know which one will be the one, or let you down, or you might feel afraid another one will never come (they will), or that you’ll use up one too early (never hoard an idea, for, as I just said, another one will come!), or you feel you won’t do it justice (we never will, but all we can do is accept this gladly, and keep trying!)

I wondered if there was anything you notice that is common about ideas that dwell in your mind and inspire you to write about them versus ideas that drift away? Is there a point where you recognise an idea is interesting enough for you to pursue it?

Is there a connection between your dreams and your writing? Do you ever dream something and then take that as a seed for writing, and conversely are your dreams ever disrupted by things you’re writing?

Have you ever wanted to write but had no ideas? Or should you only write if you have something you're desperate to say?