**As writers, we all know that the key factor in writing is having great ideas; the problem is how to go about cultivating those flashes of inspiration, and then keeping them long enough to work into our manuscript or story. The following makes two important points. The first is that inspiration almost always strikes when we don’t want it to – when we’ve given up and are really busy with something totally different. And for that exact reason, it is absolutely mandatory that you carry a notebook around with you all the time, and write everything down! When I’m working on a story I find I’ll be shopping, dancing, eating or sleeping and my characters will be having conversations somewhere in my brain. Just listen and write it down! Trust yourself.**

Author: Rocky Cole

Have you ever had a wonderful plan to write something, a scene or a section of your fantastic novel, and then not been able to carry it off? You know, you are on a long drive or out running errands and stuck in traffic and it comes to you, “Eureka!” you cry, “now I have it!” The scene is crystal clear in your mind, your characters performing just as they are supposed to, the scene vivid and alive in your mind. You might even find yourself laughing to yourself as you drive, or speaking the dialogue aloud. Satisfied, excited, you go about your business assured that the next step in your story is all but written.

But then, reality strikes. You run the errand, pick up the kids, answer the phone, make dinner, watch some TV, and go about the day not thinking about the epiphany you just had. By the time you sit down at the computer or at your desk with your notebook, the idea seems vague, unclear, and it doesn’t have the heat and vibrancy that it did when it initially hit. So what do you do? How do you keep the heat and color in the images that seemed so real and clear when you were sitting in the traffic jam?

One thing you can do is try and get to the writing as soon as possible after the idea hits you, even if it is just to jot down the idea with some rough images and some of the words that came to you so clearly. Your writing is just as important as the other aspects of your life, and great ideas don’t come that easily. Treat them with respect and give them their due.

So you are piling up random images and scene ideas in a notebook or on the back of envelopes, what next? Use these images, tidbits, notes, and random snippets of scenes and dialogue to create a “working outline”. I used to not be a big believer in outlines, but as I have written longer stories and realized that consistency and plot matter (at least to me), I understand that notes and outlines help keep the story on track. The notes and outlines I use now bear no relationship to the Roman numerals, big and little letters and numbers of elementary school. Instead, my outlines are more of a rough and fast spilling out of the story. I write them in order to keep the facts and happenings of the story straight, sometimes leaping ahead, sometimes using abbreviations, and never worrying about spelling or grammar. The key, get it down fast and loose. Style doesn’t matter, just get the story down… cleaning your writing up and finding the perfect way of saying things is for later.

Finally, what do you do if you haven’t been able to jot your random brilliance down and get it into your working outline? If you live in the world that I do, then even getting a chance to jot down some notes may not be all that easy. Of course now I have learned to carry a notebook around all the time so that when these inspirations strike, I can at least get something down. Yet every now and then, I find myself adrift without my trusty notebook and pen. So what then? My answer: Trust the process. Just sit down and start to write. The idea may not feel as fresh and new as it did when you were sitting in the car stuck in traffic with no way to record it, but just sit back and relax and start to write. Trust the process and things will be fine. After writing a few lines the original feeling might come back or maybe something better or just as good will arise. Just sit down and write.

About the Author:

Rocky Cole is a professional counselor and freelance writer. More information on freelance and creative writing can be found at http://www.ColeWriting.com.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – Find a Process for Your Writing and Trust the Process