As a writer you should be curating ideas nonstop. That is the essential mindset for exceptional ideas. Your life should be one about observation. Your senses always on.
You should be running your hands over the texture of a strange wall. You should cock your ear to a heated conversation between two German chess players. You should be chewing your arugula and feta slowly, thinking about how and why they work so well together.
This also means you should go on a Netflix TV show binge. Watch ten of the best anti-war movies. You should attend live lectures, listen to podcasts about astronomy, subscribe to a free college course at Yale through iTunes, and watch documentaries.
Whatever your heart desires.
Over four years ago I watched a documentary called It Might Get Loud. There is a scene in which Jack White is talking to the younger Jack White. He tells him, “You must fight the guitar. And you must win.”
I totally knew I needed to use that. Somewhere. Somehow. So I tucked it away, until two years later, when it fit perfectly with the opening of this article.
That’s passive curation at its best. And it works whether you are looking for the perfect opening, metaphor, or conclusion. It works for headlines, blog post images, or warm-blooded verbs.
The mistake you want to avoid, however, is being passive and reactive. Which I’ll explain in the next blog post.
Trouble with me is I hate being told what I should do. Immediately sets up resistance.
I usually wait for you to publish more unconventional posts (and you never disappoint). Then I dig in with a massive spoon.
Recently, my best friend told me my writings have changed. More conversational now, besides the former whack-em-on-the-head articles.
Hit me! But I downed articles in the “Writing” category. Moved to “Creativity” and now juggling between “Reading” and “Books” Categories. That’s the trick.
I’m still looking to fall out of love with the “Education of A Writer” series (I particularly love the part where your wife kicked you off your mum’s couch. Laughable and inspiring actually). I hope it happens soon.
And about this post? Touche. I always feared I’ll be lost for ideas. Then I’ll leave my clients (and blog) hanging. But curating ideas nonstop is just a nudge to break that destructive thought pattern.
It’s funny how writers get ideas. Smart-ing them away for later use. And funnier, the seemingly crazy ideas often come into good use later. Years, months, days, whatever. Passive curation is just wonderful. And thanks for sharing.
I admit, Demian, he rant is about how helpful Copybot has been and how it’s escalating my flexibility in web writing.
Your posts are always great, Demian. The perfect article opening is indeed sometimes difficult but when it happens, it’s better than finding that dollar in your pocket when putting on pants in the morning.
No matter what your craft, this is how it should be approached.