Sterling Terrell

smart ideas from books

  • Home
  • About
    • Work With Me
    • My CV
    • Series
  • Newsletter
  • Advertising
  • Tools
You are here: Home / Potpourri / Where Ideas Come From

Where Ideas Come From

Where Ideas Come From

Part of the creative problem is that no one knows exactly where ideas come from.

Well, we do know. And we don’t.

It is probably true that:

We better understand the process by which ideas are generated.

At the same time, it is nearly impossible for artists and writers to tell you from exactly where the ideas spring.

If I had to guess, I would say that it is a potpourri of reading, experience, individuality, and experimentation.

In that experimentation, it is being willing to have mountains of bad ideas.

Experience tells me that few are comfortable, with being uncomfortable, in this way.

And that is part of the problem in talking to a non-creative – they want to know how the work gets done – and it is not that easy to put your finger on the answer.

I mean, who wants to hear that creative success is working badly for 10-20 years until something sticks?

See the advice of James Altucher on finding new ideas too.

We like each other, and we like having a chance to talk sometimes about the real job, the day job people are always telling us not to quit. We are writers, and we never ask one another where we get our ideas; we know we don’t know.

-Stephen King, On Writing

Share this:

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)

Related

Filed Under: PotpourriTagged With: #Ideas, #Writing

Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Privacy Policy

Connect

  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Free Weekly Newsletter:

Search

Recent Posts

  • When One Spouse Is More Religious
  • The Three Virtues Of A Programmer
  • It’s Broken In Production
  • This Sounds Like Home
  • Don’t Kill Your Darlings?
  • This Wisdom, Power, And Love
  • You Can Move To Save
  • Random Thoughts – 284
  • But I Am At Work Somehow
  • The Week In Review – 261
  • Turning Pro, By: Steven Pressfield and Shawn Coyne
  • COVID Vaccine
  • Leaving For College Feels Like This?
  • The Warren Buffett Investing Strategy
  • Coffee And Grumpy Day For You
  • When A Summer Camp Counselor Has The Day Off
  • How Texas Country Is Texas Tech
  • Messy Head Of Hair Back To
  • The Most Important Job in The World
  • Fine Day But Who Cares For
  • Fun Where One Finds It
  • 5 Things I Learned Reading: 300 Arguments, By: Sarah Manguso
  • Redeeming What Cannot Be
  • The Week In Review – 260
  • Random Thoughts – 283

Top Posts & Pages

  • The Tricky Lily Pad Riddle (You Probably Can't Solve)
    The Tricky Lily Pad Riddle (You Probably Can't Solve)
  • 31 Persuasion Tips That I Learned From Scott Adams
    31 Persuasion Tips That I Learned From Scott Adams
  • My Notes On, The Applause of Heaven, By: Max Lucado
    My Notes On, The Applause of Heaven, By: Max Lucado
  • My Notes On, In the Eye of The Storm, By: Max Lucado
    My Notes On, In the Eye of The Storm, By: Max Lucado
  • Mastermind, By: Maria Konnikova
    Mastermind, By: Maria Konnikova
  • Government Shut Down
    Government Shut Down
  • Another Great Riddle For You To Try
    Another Great Riddle For You To Try
  • When One Spouse Is More Religious
    When One Spouse Is More Religious
  • Can You Solve The Bat And Ball Riddle?
    Can You Solve The Bat And Ball Riddle?
  • Just Edit Out The Boring Stuff?
    Just Edit Out The Boring Stuff?

Copyright © 2021 · Generate Pro On Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in