Waiting for the Big Idea? Don’t!
by Ruth Spiro
What do a macramé owl, Celia Chompers, and a town called Fate have in common? Nothing, really, except that they’re all written in my little green notebook.
I’ve always been amused by that iconic light bulb that appears above a cartoon character’s head to symbolize a bright idea; too bad it doesn’t actually happen in real life. (Although, it may be a good thing––imagine the effect on global warming…) When I first started writing, I often sat at my desk, waiting for that moment to occur––the Big Idea. When I tired of waiting, I did something else: Walked the dog, read the newspaper, baked some cookies. I soon noticed it was at those times that “ideas” began to appear.
I’d write these “ideas” on scraps of paper and throw them into my purse. Later, I might find them while digging for the dry cleaning ticket; sometimes, the scraps ended up being used for bubble gum disposal. I needed a notebook.
Every writer should have a notebook. Not one of those fancy, leather-bound ones. You know, the kind that’s so nice, you hate to mess it up by writing in it? No, I recommend the little spiral ones that usually sell for 39¢. And, they’re easy to find in your purse, because the end of the spiral wire is always sticking out, just waiting to jab you. Perfect.
You may be wondering why I’ve put the word “idea” in quotes. (See? Like that.) It’s because the things I write in my notebook are actually “details.” (There, I did it again.) They’re observations, snippets of conversation, or even cool names I notice in the obituaries, like Celia Chompers. (By the way, if any of her relatives are reading this, I’m sorry for your loss.) They don’t have to be full-blown ideas, just the potential for an idea. Takes some of the pressure off, doesn’t it?
Don’t wait around for your Big Idea. Take a walk, buy a notebook and start collecting details. Put them together, take them apart, pick one and just start writing. Oh, and feel free to use the macramé owl. It’s been hanging around for a very long time.
Got any details you’d like to recycle?
Let’s have a Detail Swap.
Leave a detail as a comment below.
Leave a penny, take a penny. You know how that goes.
Ruth Spiro is the author of the award-winning picture book, Lester Fizz, Bubble-Gum Artist. (Reviewed on this blog.) It’s the story of a boy who feels he doesn’t fit in with his family of artists, until he discovers his own unique talent in an unexpected medium––bubble gum! Her articles and essays have appeared in The Writer, FamilyFun, Child, and Chicago Parent, and her stories have also been published in popular anthologies, notably The Right Words at the Right Time, Volume 2, edited by Marlo Thomas, and several Chicken Soup for the Soul titles.
A frequent speaker at schools and conferences, Ruth may be contacted through her web site at www.ruthspiro.com.
19 comments
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November 9, 2009 at 9:49 am
tara
Ruth, I found a photo of a macrame owl online and decided to slip it into this post. The very strange thing about this owl is that it is THE EXACT SAME OWL my mother had hanging in our kitchen for about 10 years. What’s even more strange is that the person who posted the pic claimed that her mother made the owl. So this was either a popular pattern in the 70’s which many people created, or the person is recalling incorrectly and this owl was mass produced for fashion-forward suburban households.
I saw many owls today, and this is MY KITCHEN OWL! I remember playing with the fringe at the bottom and always being scolded for doing so.
Now if I could only find that hideous yellow wallpaper that sat behind it…
November 9, 2009 at 10:18 am
Ruth Spiro
So funny! We had some neighbors who where in their late 60’s/early 70’s, they invited us for lunch one Sunday a few years ago. I went to use the bathroom, and turned the corner to find a very large macrame owl, similar to the one pictured but bigger. It really startled me, and I thought it would be kinda scary to a child. I vaguely remember these from my childhood, though we never had one in our house. Thanks for adding the visual – it really helps!
November 9, 2009 at 10:41 am
Beth Coulton
The timing of this blog post is perfect for me. I keep walking around dreaming of getting a children’s picture book published, thinking, “if I could just hit on one BIG IDEA….” Thank you for pointing out the nonsensicalness of that! I do indeed carry around a notebook to jot things down in, and my most recent PB idea came from, you guessed it, walking the dog.
Thanks for freeing me from waiting for that one “big idea” and instead encouraging me to press on to develop the details that I notice into picture books!
November 9, 2009 at 10:47 am
Dana
I used to make spending money doing macrame plant hangers when I was in high school. I actually had to tape up my fingers while working to avoid rope burns (that jute was rough!). No one ever asked for an owl. Too bad. Would have been fun to make.
I want to leave a detail but with all this talk about 70s macrame, all I can think of is the big fork & spoon my mother had in our dining room in the 70s. Those big carved wooden forks & spoons. I’m feeling downright nostalgic. 🙂
November 9, 2009 at 10:51 am
Beth Coulton
Oh my gosh my mom had the big fork and spoon too! And here I thought we were the only ones….lol I never knew anyone else growing up who had those! Nice to meet you!
November 9, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Dana
Nice to meet you too! I’ve actually come across old family photos with the big fork & spoon lurking in the background. They’re like a part of our history, the slightly tacky part, I’ll admit, but a part nonetheless!
November 9, 2009 at 11:04 am
Sarah
Oh no now I’ve remembered my half finished macrame project (a three tier basket holding hanging fruit and veg rack). But no! this is a month to focus on PiBoIdMo and NaNoWriMo!
My detail is: yesturday my little 4 yr old decided to paint the house including her bed with ‘imaginary’ paint which wouldn’t have been too bad if the imaginary paint hadn’t been quiet alot of water.
There hope that will help someone 🙂
November 9, 2009 at 11:18 am
Sheri Dillard
Ooh, I love the name Celia Chompers. 🙂 “Chomp” is a great word, too.
My oldest son had a homework assignment to create several lists of words — ex. favorite words, silly-sounding words, words he disliked, etc. (I’ve saved it somewhere…) I remember some of his silly-sounding words were “bubble,” “pickles,” and “bobble.” A word he disliked was “realtor.” (hard to say out loud)
I saved the lists because – (well, because I’m a mom :)) – but also because so many of the words were great PB words.
November 9, 2009 at 12:36 pm
tara
Speaking of names, we received a promotional calendar from a local real estate broker named Crapanzano. Now, this is not a name suited for picture books, but maybe somebody somewhere can use it. It’s too funny just to sit on my refrigerator.
November 9, 2009 at 12:40 pm
Lizzie
My mom was into the macrame and I’m just happy that’s a fad of the past!;0
November 9, 2009 at 1:49 pm
Auntie Flamingo
I remember those macrame hangings. The owl, owl family (big owl and two little owls) and plant holder that hung from the ceiling. My brother tried to macrame a hammock. He never finished it.
Here is my shared idea: When I was a kid I didn’t know that chicken you ate and chicken on the farm were the same thing. It took a long time for me to figure it out and when I did I became a vegetarian for a little while.
Hope that triggers an PB idea for someone.
November 9, 2009 at 1:52 pm
Corey Schwartz
Oh, perfect post for me to read today too! I am sitting here trying to come up with a BIG idea! Love the idea of recycling details. Let’s see… how about a T-shirt I once saw on a baby “That’s It. I’m Going to Grandma’s!”
November 9, 2009 at 2:36 pm
tara
Corey, you have a big idea. Run with it. Hiiiii-yaaaa!
November 10, 2009 at 1:56 pm
Kelly Fineman
Details such as Ruth recommends get stashed in my small cahiers – the slim ones with cardboard covers – (one in my car, one in my purse), and often become poems.
And you’d be amazed, Tammi, what macrame patterns went around in the 70s. We may have made one of those owls for my grandmother, come to think of it. Oh, the happy hippie days of yore.
November 10, 2009 at 1:57 pm
Kelly Fineman
I meant Tara, not Tammi – this is what happens when my brain is not fully functional and I just commented on Tammi’s post . . .
November 11, 2009 at 2:20 pm
PiBoIdMo Day 11: Flickring Ideas « Writing for Kids (While Raising Them)
[…] few days ago, Ruth Spiro encouraged you to take a walk, read the newspaper or bake cookies instead of waiting for your big […]
November 12, 2009 at 12:30 am
Natisha LaPierre
My Mom made that owl too! And I think we also had the big fork and spoon.
November 12, 2009 at 8:54 am
Jewel
I was one of those moms who tried Macreme’. I made hanging plant holders and gave them as gifts. I loved the macreme’ purses from the sixties. I am glad it is a fad of the past. Tying all those knots was boring to me.
Thank you for the jarring my memories You gave me an idea.
November 18, 2009 at 6:36 pm
Debbie Austin
Thanks, Ruth. What a great reminder to pay attention to the details around us.
And Sarah, your detail about your daughter reminded me that when I was a child, I used to “paint” my bike with water. Of course, in my mind it was bright red or purple or whatever my favorite color of the moment was. Thanks for jogging that little childhood memory.
My detail is that today when I was getting rid of some dead plants off my front porch to make way for holiday decorations I’ll be putting up soon, I dumped out an old planter and a peanut fell out of the dirt. The planter is elevated off the ground by about 3 feet so the squirrel went to a lot of trouble to hide it in there. Imagine his surprise when he goes back to find it and greenery and pine cones are all he finds.