Ideas Compound

When people see that I’ve been writing daily for as long as I have, their first question is often, “How do you come up with so many things to write about?” They wonder if I ever run out of ideas. This is a common question, especially for those new to or aspiring to write more. Aspiring writers often struggle with coming up with ideas, while experienced writers struggle with too many ideas.

The secret that all writers, and any creative, understand is that ideas compound. As you work on a piece, new ideas emerge and the scope of the piece expands. However, you may not have the time to fully explore all of these ideas within the current piece. These new ideas can become the foundation for future writing projects. As you research and write, the topic permeates your subconscious. Unexpected insights and ideas often arise when you least expect them like in the shower or in the subway. Discussing your work with others also introduces new perspectives and opportunities that you had not considered. Focusing your research and information gathering leads to deeper learning. This, in turn, generates even more ideas that could be developed into additional written pieces.