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Don't Let Good Ideas Get Away

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Summary

This article discusses how writers can use collections of scraps of paper, notes, and ideas to create stories. Rachel Ingalls, an overlooked but successful writer, kept a grab bag to store her ideas, and was inspired by different forms of art like theater, ballet, and opera. The author also explains how he and other writers, such as Steven Johnson, Dan Pink, and Adam Alter, use spark files, holding pens, and master thought lists to store their ideas and create stories.

Q&As

Who is Rachel Ingalls and why is she extraordinary?
Rachel Ingalls was an extraordinary and overlooked writer. In 1986, her novella Mrs. Caliban was chosen by the British Book Marketing Council as one of the 20 best novels by living American writers after World War II.

What does Adam Alter recommend to stimulate curiosity?
Adam Alter recommends that everyone stimulate their curiosity by keeping “an ongoing list of facts, ideas, and experiences that puzzle you.”

What is a spark file and how does Steven Johnson and Dan Pink use it?
A spark file is a document in which Steven Johnson and Dan Pink keep ideas for articles, speeches, software features, startups, ways of framing a chapter, and even whole books. They use it to save idea-sparks without getting distracted by them in the moment.

What is the purpose of David Epstein's "master thought list"?
The purpose of David Epstein's "master thought list" is to collect quotes, statistics, concepts, questions, thoughts, etc. He uses it to organize ideas for a project, to have material to turn to for inspiration when he feels stuck, and to create a receptacle of fleeting impressions.

What is the similarity between Rachel Ingalls' novella Mrs. Caliban and the film Shape of Water?
The similarity between Rachel Ingalls' novella Mrs. Caliban and the film Shape of Water is that they both tell the story of a woman who falls in love with a creature from the sea.

AI Comments

👍 This article is powerful and inspiring, and it offers great advice on how to turn good ideas into something tangible.

👎 This article is too long and could benefit from being more concise.

AI Discussion

Me: It's about how writers, psychologists, and other creatives save their ideas for later use by keeping a grab bag or spark file. It's a great way to keep track of your thoughts without getting distracted.

Friend: That's interesting. What do you think are the implications of this?

Me: I think the implications of this are that it's important to be able to save your ideas and access them when needed. It's a great way to stay organized and ensure that you don't forget any creative ideas that come to mind. It's also a great way to prevent yourself from getting too distracted while you're working on something else.

Action items

Create a personal grab bag of ideas to preserve thoughts and save from distraction.
Keep an ongoing list of facts, ideas, and experiences that puzzle you.
Create a spark file or master thought list to store ideas and search for them later.

Technical terms

Grab Bag: A grab bag is a collection of ideas, thoughts, or items that are kept together for future use.
Obituary: An obituary is a published notice of a person's death, typically including a brief biography of the deceased.
Novel: A novel is a long, fictional narrative that usually describes the experiences of one or more characters.
British Book Marketing Council: The British Book Marketing Council (BBMC) is a trade association that promotes the interests of the British book industry.
Toni Morrison: Toni Morrison was an American novelist, essayist, editor, teacher, and professor.
Philip Roth: Philip Roth was an American novelist, short story writer, and essayist.
John Updike: John Updike was an American novelist, poet, short story writer, art critic, and literary critic.
Shape of Water: Shape of Water is a 2017 American fantasy drama film directed by Guillermo del Toro and written by del Toro and Vanessa Taylor.
Writing Economy: Writing economy is the practice of writing concisely and effectively, using the fewest words possible to convey a message.
Spark File: A spark file is a collection of ideas, thoughts, or items that are kept together for future use.
Holding Pen: A holding pen is a place where ideas are stored until they can be used or developed further.