Idea Machine

One of the things two of my former bosses told me about working on staff on a TV show was that as a young writer you have to be an idea machine.  Or at least tell people you are.  That'll get you the job.  But it's best if you are actually an idea machine.  That way you'll get to keep the job.

But to sit down and expect to have an idea is torture.  However, it's kind of what I do as a writer every day.  Joss Whedon in his article, "How to Be Prolific" (Google it), says that he rewards himself for just having the idea.  I understand this.  I should be able to have an ice cream sundae or a line of coke if I have a great idea.  They are hard to come by.

My best friend Alanna and I decided that we are going to try to come up with good ideas to pitch for some TV shows.  I decided to give us both the challenge of each coming up with five ideas.  I think I scared her.  And I talk a big game.

Immediately, I came up with one new idea.  I put it on note cards and put those notecards in my new idea file.

Then I had a book I had discovered in Portland that I checked out of the library.  It seemed like actually the best idea I might have.  So I started reading that book and wrote down some thoughts on notecards. Those went in the file.

I recycled an old idea that I've loved and still want to write some day.  So I put that into the file as well.

Then I sat with my three ideas on Saturday and thought that maybe that would be it for me.  Maybe I wouldn't have five ideas. I should be happy with three.  That's a lot.  So I read another book that would serve as research for my "best idea."   On Sunday, I still had those three ideas that seemed cool.  And I let myself off the hook.

I don't remember when it happened, but a fourth idea fell out.  Then a fifth.  Then some more ideas came to me, including one high concept idea that seemed crazy.  But that was the one that was begging to get onto some notecards.

When I was done I had a total of nine ideas.  Some of the ideas relate to each other or are just different takes on the same idea. But still, I had surpassed my goal for five ideas.  I got to the office today and decided to flesh out some of the ideas that seemed a little more underdeveloped, including a new take on a classic TV show.

I am an idea machine.

Sometimes it just takes letting go of my own bullshit to let things flow freely.  I'm constipated by my own stuff.  I need a spiritual, emotional enema to release my past.  I guess that's meditation for me.  It's my colon cleanse, my spiritual colonic.

I think these ideas have merit.  It's important to put my arm around them and cuddle them in this early stage.  They need warmth, love and light.  They need me to be their incubator.  And it's hard to do that when I have so many outside noise that tells me:

• the ideas should be in a better place
• they're bad ideas
• they've been done before
• they're not TV shows
• they're hard to understand
• who would ever buy something from me?

The list goes on and on.  And that's why so many people I know are stuck.  Because they get stuck in that list of excuses, worries and lies.  Fuck, I don't know where my believe in myself comes from.  

But thank God I have it. 

And thank God, I know the value of it.  

And thank God I let it go for a while.  

And thank God I had the sense to get it back, so that I value it even more.

I am grateful for my office space and the ever growing list of books and supplies I am populating it with.

I am grateful for a weekend of productivity.  

I am grateful for a space to work in at my best friend's house.

I am grateful for nine new ideas.

I am grateful for the energy to do the things I do.

I am grateful for music.

I am grateful for inspiration.