When I get ideas that seem worth keeping, I write them down. When I read, I take notes on what seems most important and interesting. Sometimes, I just like a particular way of stating an idea, that seems especially clear, or clever. I write that down, too.
I have lots of papers around with things written on them. I try to organize them, to group them by topic. When I have more time, as I did with the recent storm, I will go through the papers. Often I've written a similar idea more than once. I'll rewrite the ideas, consolidate them in a better organized way, and then throw away the original notes.
Sometimes I do this on the computer, but I most like this process of rewriting when I do it by hand. I watch the words flow off the tip of the pen onto paper - writing the idea from the mind, and immediately taking it back into mind.
Writing seems to be a primary way that I process information and ideas - capturing them, then refining them, rewriting until the organization and expression seem just right.
No comments:
Post a Comment