I've been keeping folders of ideas for years, and many of them have come to fruition. Not those with possible big payouts, though. Like you, I constantly have ideas, and like you I believe it's important enough to make files and folders. Go you!
I am cringing. You are describing my computer and my purse and my bedside, not to mention my workspace. I would love to read that book consisting of every first line you ever came up with. And I did not know that there was a generation that did not understand the concept of folders. Thank you for thinking so much and then writing it down so we could relate.
Organizing my numerous folders and retrieving them is a constant challenge for me! Your descriptions of idea helped me feel less overwhelmed. I do indeed think too much!
Jul 16, 2023·edited Jul 16, 2023Liked by Robyn Ryle
If, IF, I ever get an idea for an article or whatever, I start a new draft post on Substack, usually abandoned it, it autosaves itself (kind of like a weed), but when the fullness of its time has come, I find I can use some of those drafty weeds as grist for the mill. The piece almost always wings off in a different direction than I originally intended, but I'm okay with that because it seems to work. For me, those grand and glorious ideas that wake me up in the middle of the night almost always come to nothing. I had the best idea ever for a book title ten years ago, but couldn't think of anything worthwhile to put behind it. There are no epiphanies in my world and my natural filing process is like the one used inside of a tornado funnel.
p.s. I forgot to mention that because Substack is web-based, my idea weeds are available on whatever device I am using and from wherever I am working, such as a tornado shelter.
Totally relate. That is all. 🙃
I've been keeping folders of ideas for years, and many of them have come to fruition. Not those with possible big payouts, though. Like you, I constantly have ideas, and like you I believe it's important enough to make files and folders. Go you!
Humm. Folder commitment is big!
I am cringing. You are describing my computer and my purse and my bedside, not to mention my workspace. I would love to read that book consisting of every first line you ever came up with. And I did not know that there was a generation that did not understand the concept of folders. Thank you for thinking so much and then writing it down so we could relate.
Organizing my numerous folders and retrieving them is a constant challenge for me! Your descriptions of idea helped me feel less overwhelmed. I do indeed think too much!
Ditto Laura W. ‘Totally relate. That’s all.’
Their phones and tablets do entire searches with ease. No need to organize anything, really, just type in a keyword and there’s your thing.
That trend is accelerating on laptops and desktops as more and more organizations move to cloud storage.
I resist, but I fear I am Baker on Saipan.
If, IF, I ever get an idea for an article or whatever, I start a new draft post on Substack, usually abandoned it, it autosaves itself (kind of like a weed), but when the fullness of its time has come, I find I can use some of those drafty weeds as grist for the mill. The piece almost always wings off in a different direction than I originally intended, but I'm okay with that because it seems to work. For me, those grand and glorious ideas that wake me up in the middle of the night almost always come to nothing. I had the best idea ever for a book title ten years ago, but couldn't think of anything worthwhile to put behind it. There are no epiphanies in my world and my natural filing process is like the one used inside of a tornado funnel.
p.s. I forgot to mention that because Substack is web-based, my idea weeds are available on whatever device I am using and from wherever I am working, such as a tornado shelter.
"Try again. Folder again. Folder better." -- not quite Samuel Beckett, but close enough