Writers — find a way to do this

Good morning.

Oh no, I did it again. You would think that, by now, I would know better. A super scene for my current novel slid into my daydreaming as I walked along the beach, interrupting the serenity. It persisted and developed for a minute or two while my enthusiasm for the day assured me I would recall it later as I sit feverishly typing until keys almost melted. I know what you are thinking, but all was well. My scene was firmly embedded, catalogued for easy recall.

Back to the cool, refreshing, crystal clear water. Bliss. The ‘just a bit more’ feeling stretched, then it was home to the mowing and other daily messing about. That scene rattling around somewhere in the back of my conscience kept nudging at the escape hatches, yearning to be freed. Somewhere during the next few hours, the scene became a fuzzy memory. I am not sure when.

You know what happened. That’s right. When the time came to release that masterful passage — the one readers would be all gushy about in book club circles as they peered over a glass or two of white, or red — nothing came out. The scene had absconded. Gone, hopefully only temporarily. The lesson?

You (and I) must save as many of those gems as possible. For me it means always having something to record my ideas on, close to hand. I tell people writing is absolutely 24/7 and they should be aware that they may rue moments such as the one outlined above. I imagine many novels have weaknesses that lack the final finessing alluded to in near perfect scenes. Do not let this happen to your works, as I have. Invent, and stick to, a way for you to keep track of these gems as they float across to you.

If you understand such loss, let us know about it in the comments below. If you have a system to safely store ideas, we eagerly await.

Enjoy your production. Have fun.

Damon