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Monday, 5 May 2014

Recording Writers’ Ideas on the Hoof.

ideas
ideas (Photo credit: Sean MacEntee)
We all do it, or, at least intend to: record those random ideas that come at unexpected moments. I have Moleskine notebooks, each with its dedicated pen, in all rooms of the home so I can jot down those elusive thoughts before they escape. And, when I’m on a walk, I take a voice recorder with me to speak those ideas: a retirement present from my brother.
Today, whilst out with my wife, for a pleasant walk in the local countryside, I was struck by one of those thoughts that encapsulates an idea. I dug the recorder out of my pocket and switched it on.
Nothing.
The batteries had drained!
Disaster.
I tried the usual trick of repeating the idea several times. But, in reality, I knew other things would overwrite the thought long before I reached home and had a chance to record it.
Then, a moment of inspiration: I was carrying my mobile phone (something I don’t always do). It has no voice recording facility, but we have an answer machine on the home phone. So I rang home and spoke my idea to the machine. Back home, I listened and wrote down the idea.
Simple.

There’s always a way, if you’re willing to think laterally, eh?
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