by Mike Allegra
Please forgive me for what I’m about to do. I am going reference a Christmas cartoon while we’re all still trying to recover from the lunacy of the holiday season.
I can’t help it, though. Sometimes inspiration comes from odd places.
My muse is the stop-motion holiday staple Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer—specifically the Island of Misfit Toys. From a narrative standpoint, the Misfit Toys part of the story is a lull in an already overlong cartoon, yet the Charlie-in-the-Box, the square wheeled train, and the doll whose misfitishness is never fully explained, have all aided my creative process.
Behold the Journal of Misfit Ideas! It’s never far from my side. It patiently sits there ready to record any and all of my brainstorms. Much more often, it records my brain drizzles.
Nothing is too stupid for the Journal. Nothing.
Will I ever write a picture book with the title The Sluttiest Mennonite? Nope, but it’s in the Journal.
Will I ever find a home for my parody lyrics of “The Candy Man?” Nuh-uh. (My version, by the way, is called “The Pickle Man” and it’s terrible. First line: “Who can make the sun shiiiine with cucumbers and briiiine.”)
Will any of my characters live in a 1/16th-wide trailer, a home designed only for people who weigh 130 lbs or less? Not likely, no.
And will I ever write a story about a Robo-Dragon Pie, a character who’s part robot, part dragon, and part pirate? No, sir-ee Bob! Never!
Oh, wait. I mean YES! I will write about a Robo-Dragon Pie! Because I did write about a Robo-Dragon Pie! A Robo-Dragon Pie is featured in my new picture book, EVERYBODY’S FAVORITE BOOK!
And that right there is why The Journal of Misfit Ideas is worthwhile.
The Robo-Dragon Pie isn’t the only idea I cribbed from my Journal. It’s not even the only dragon idea I cribbed from my Journal. My PRINCE NOT-SO CHARMING chapter book series features a dragon who knits. The Journal was the genesis of that idea, too.
Sometimes the Journal records things people say. I once overheard my grandmother describe a fretful mother: “She takes those kids to the doctor if they fart crooked.” And here’s how she described Grandpa: “He talks out of his butt so much, he ChapSticks his crack.”
Grandma’s comments are not picture book ready, of course, but they deserve to be remembered, so into the Journal they go. (And you can bet your bottom dollar that both of these quotes will end up in my writing somewhere someday.)
My Journal entries vary in length. Sometimes an entire entry is a single (made-up) word like “underqualidate.” Other Journal entries go on for pages, not only offering a basic book premise or title, but also a detailed synopsis with character details, swatches of dialogue, and cartoons in the margins. It all depends on my mood and, of course, the scope of the Misfit Idea.
I peruse my Journal often. I’ll thumb the pages when I’m looking for an idea or when I’m too tired to write, but still want to be in a writerly frame of mind. Doing so is always good for a chuckle and the Journal never fails to shove my brain in weird and unexpected directions.
The Journal of Misfit Ideas is always there for me. More importantly, The Journal of Misfit Ideas is there for only me. The Journal is a private document that allows me to get a little crazy without fear—and Fearless Crazy is sometimes where the best ideas come from.
I don’t pre-edit my thoughts. I don’t let the Journal decide what’s a bad idea or an inappropriate idea. The goodness and the badness will be sorted out at another time, after I’ve written it all down. The Journal’s only goal is to safely take in every stray without judgment—much like The Island of Misfit Toys does.
And, with a little luck, those ideas might someday find a proper home that will fully appreciate their unique, misfitty charms.
Mike Allegra is the author of the picture books Everybody’s Favorite Book (the home of Corky, the Robo-Dragon Pie), Sarah Gives Thanks, and Scampers Thinks Like a Scientist. He also writes the Prince Not-So Charming chapter book series under the pen name Roy L. Hinuss.
Stop by his blog at mikeallegra.com and say hi! He’s friendly!
Mike is giving away copies of two of his books! There will be one winner for each title.
Simply leave ONE COMMENT below to enter.
You’re eligible to win if you’re a registered Storystorm participant and you have commented once below. Prizes will be given away at the conclusion of the event.
Good luck!
719 comments
Comments feed for this article
January 5, 2019 at 8:08 am
Linda Mitchell
Your Grandma is a hoot! I do love the journal of misfit ideas. It’s great. Sometimes, when I need to make myself start writing I title the page…”The crappiest idea ever” and keep going. It helps me give myself permission to just get something on the page to work with later. Great post! Thanks for being part of Story Storm. I’m having a blast.
January 5, 2019 at 8:08 am
lindaschueler
I love your idea of a journal of misfit ideas!
January 5, 2019 at 8:14 am
Kellie
I love this idea. I would be able to fill a journal immediately with all of my Dad’s and my grandmother’s little sayings – most of them not fit to publish here though. But they’re seeds, right! Thank you, Mike.
January 5, 2019 at 8:16 am
junesmalls
I love flipping back through my Ideas Folder! Never fails to get the brain running!
January 5, 2019 at 8:17 am
Mark MacKay
Great idea! I am going to try this, Thank you Mike
January 5, 2019 at 8:18 am
thecrowsmap
Thank you for reminding me not to edit ideas — just hold onto them. Something interesting and fun could become of them.
Gail Hartman
January 5, 2019 at 8:19 am
mbhmaine
What a great idea! “Fearless crazy is sometimes where the best ideas come from.” Yes!!
January 5, 2019 at 8:20 am
Joana Pastro
What a fun grandma you have!
I usually take notes of my ideas on notes for iPhone but a Journal of Misfit Ideas seem like inspiration in itself!
Thanks for sharing!
January 5, 2019 at 8:22 am
Suzanne LaLiberte Lewis
Love this close-up and personal sharing of your journal inspired story evolution process–complete with a picture of your own journal! After reading this post, I feel like I’m on the right track! Thanks, Mike!
January 5, 2019 at 8:27 am
Poppy P
I will have to check out the chapter book series with a dragon who knits — sounds really funny. 🙂 I carry a journal with me wherever I go, because if I don’t write an idea down it disappears later.
January 5, 2019 at 8:29 am
R.J. Koehn
I just had to laugh at some of your entries. Love your grandma! I keep my list of misfit ideas on my phone. But I wonder if it would be better to have a physical journal.
January 5, 2019 at 8:30 am
Lenora Biemans
Awesome post! I’m always writing down my unedited nonesense ideas. I love that Mike Allegra has been able to incorporate so many of his misfit ideas and I have hopes for mine too!
January 5, 2019 at 8:31 am
hmkingman
Rudi-mentory! ; ) Thanks for leading us back to the basics with this inspiration.
January 5, 2019 at 8:33 am
Joy Pitcairn
This is a great way to allow yourself to keep those “this-would-never-work” ideas. I’ll have to add a “misfits” journal to my collection. 🙂
January 5, 2019 at 8:36 am
Andrea Mack
For me the key here is not to censor yourself but to remember to record the idea as it is. Such good advice!
January 5, 2019 at 8:37 am
authoryvonafast
Nice work. Some ideas work – and others, not so well, but you never know… Your grandma sounds pretty neat.
January 5, 2019 at 8:38 am
tanyakonerman
I too have a Journal of Misfit Ideas, however it’s not nearly as cute (it’s the Notes section on my phone). Truly amazing what I find when I go back through it from time to time…great inspiration!
January 5, 2019 at 8:39 am
Margaret Flint Suter
Oh how fun to read this and know my standing on the Island of Misfits is golden opportunity! So many times I have edited my thoughts, words etc, knowing that my misfit journal is there saves my sanity…inappropriate is as inappropriate does…somewhere there will be a place for some of these gems. Perhaps a picture book for adults…Kindred spirit Mike, I leave you with the reflection I wrote for my work gang for the New year…”Be an asset! Not an ass hat!” Thanks once more!
January 5, 2019 at 8:40 am
hallee2012
Love the word misfitty!! Thanks for this post!! I just watched Judy Blume’s MasterClass and she has a brainstorm notebook for each book she works on. I thought that was great. How do you deal with side notes/random thoughts when you don’t have your notebook? I often write notes in my phone’s note section but I have so many of them. I find that if I dont use an idea right away, I often dont go back to it. You’re inspiring me to read through them for today’s idea. Thanks.
January 5, 2019 at 2:44 pm
heylookawriterfellow
Thanks Hallee! When I don’t have the notebook handy, I’ll scribble the misfitty idea on whatever’s handy—a napkin, the margin of a magazine page, etc.—and shove it deep in my pants pocket to wait for proper transcription in the journal. Sometimes the time between napkin writing an journal writing allows me to better flesh out the misfit idea.
January 6, 2019 at 9:02 am
hallee2012
Thanks, Mike!!
January 5, 2019 at 8:42 am
learningtobemomsite
Other people’s comments can be the best inspiration. Thanks.
January 5, 2019 at 8:50 am
jennysarawrites
I’m still laughing at the idea of Grandma talking about someone farting crooked 😂
January 5, 2019 at 2:44 pm
heylookawriterfellow
I ran to my journal with that one.
January 5, 2019 at 8:51 am
paulabpuckett
Great suggestion here–to make a place for those ideas that don’t seem to fit anywhere else. They need a place to morph into whatever it might be that they want to become. Plus, it encouraged me to revisit another idea that I had discarded, because another popped in to keep it company. Thank you!
January 5, 2019 at 8:52 am
Ashley Congdon
I think we often sensor ourselves from writing down all our ideas because they may not be well received. That’s such a great idea to keep handy when you need to add an extra kick to a story! Thanks for the inspiration.
January 5, 2019 at 8:59 am
Lindsay Fiore
Hi Mike! Your Grandma sounds hilarious! I like that you call it the journal of misfit ideas and give yourself creative permission to freely explore your thoughts without judgment. I think that’s so important in the early stages of writing a story. I like your advice to give yourself permission to have fearlessly crazy ideas. Thanks!
January 5, 2019 at 7:40 pm
heylookawriterfellow
We can be our own biggest obstacles sometimes.
January 5, 2019 at 9:00 am
Kimberly
Love that crazy ideas can find a home where they aren’t considered crazy!
January 5, 2019 at 9:04 am
Amy Houts
I like the idea of not rejecting any ideas.
January 5, 2019 at 9:05 am
Dee Knabb
Wacky, weird, and wonderful – thanks for sharing your creative mind with us.
January 5, 2019 at 9:07 am
Jennifer Bower
A journal of misfit thoughts and ideas. I love it. Thanks for an inspiring post Mike!
January 5, 2019 at 9:10 am
Juliana Jones
OMG, thanks for the belly laugh so early in the morning. Your grandma sounds like a hoot. Her words sound perfect for a middle grade book for boys.
I’m going to start carrying around my own notebook of misfit ideas, to snatch things my grandson says.
January 5, 2019 at 9:10 am
Aimee Satterlee
When I read today’s post I couldn’t believe it. Mike has an Island of Misfits journal and I have a file called Island of Misfit Manuscripts. But instead of ideas, it’s a place where my unwanted or incomplete manuscripts that I’m stuck on go until I’m able to shine some light on them like Rudolph. I have another file with ideas. Mike gave me my 151st idea after reading his post. I realize I have been pre-editing my ideas and not just writing them with fearless abandon. I’m sure my list will grow exponentially now! Thanks, Mike!
January 5, 2019 at 9:11 am
Kathryn E Kass
Love the journal of misfit thoughts and ideas. Perfect for picture books!
January 5, 2019 at 9:15 am
authoraileenstewart
Crazy can be good. Thanks for sharing.
January 5, 2019 at 9:18 am
Kathy Halsey
Mike, I think your Grandmother’s musing are PRICELESS. The Journal of Misfit ideas is pure gold. I think weird like this often and have a laugh w/my hubs, BUT I don’t write them down. I need to do this. TY.
January 5, 2019 at 9:21 am
Robin L Bailey
Mike, thank you for sharing. I have a journal like this but after reading your post I am inspired to remove the chains and unleash the mind more. Thank you for that!
January 5, 2019 at 9:26 am
Lisa L Furness
I love your “misfit ideas” journal. It makes me think that my idea box is more of an outside the box of ideas now.
January 5, 2019 at 9:26 am
Kimberly Marcus
https://www.google.com/amp/s/boston.cbslocal.com/2010/10/01/curious-why-rag-doll-is-a-misfit-toy/amp/
I always thought she was created to look sad and why would anyone want a doll like that ?
Thanks for your post!!
January 5, 2019 at 9:27 am
rndkathryn
Great post! I’d like to have a coffee with Grandma! She’s a riot. Everything in life is fodder for the gristmill. Thanks!
January 5, 2019 at 9:27 am
rosecappelli
Thanks for he inspiration! So important never to edit or discard ideas – just get them down.
January 5, 2019 at 9:28 am
Suzanne Lieurance
Love the idea of a misfit ideas journal. I’ve learned that I have to put enough into a journal entry, though, so I remember what I was thinking. Once I just wrote the phrase, “Nick smokes a cigar” into my journal and thought I had a super idea for PB, but when I came back to it later, I couldn’t remember what was so super about that phrase. I’m still wondering…
January 5, 2019 at 2:51 pm
heylookawriterfellow
I know exactly what you mean. It’s important to scribble down every detail of your misfit idea or it’ll vanish before you know it. I learned this the hard way.
January 5, 2019 at 9:29 am
Mary Worley
Oh, I like your way of tracking these misfit thoughts. I usually just laugh and wonder if we should write picture books for adults.
January 5, 2019 at 9:30 am
Jennifer Phillips
I’m loving your grandma! And appreciate the nudge to write anything and everything down!
January 5, 2019 at 9:35 am
Sarah Tobias
This is great. I have many misfit ideas. I’m curious, is this journal separate from one you write first drafts, and longer thoughts in or are they all mixed together? I have loads of misfit ideas mixed with more fully explored ideas and drawings.
January 5, 2019 at 2:54 pm
heylookawriterfellow
This is a separate journal. Ideas for a specific manuscript are grouped together in a notebook or on a legal pad.
January 5, 2019 at 9:36 am
Barbara Senenman
I love rereading my journals (if I could read my handwriting). Especially when the word or sentence brings back the moment that created the entry.
January 5, 2019 at 9:40 am
Ginny Neil
I love the idea of a place that’s completely unjudgemental. Brainstoming between covers. Thanks for sharing this.
January 5, 2019 at 9:43 am
Joan Longstaff
It is a hoot looking through jotted down ideas from days gone by … or indeed Storystorms gone by … but they definitely spark the creative juices. Thanks for sharing some of your misfit ideas and especially your grandma’s turns of phrase – a hoot!
January 5, 2019 at 9:43 am
Mary York
Mike, I LOVE the way your mind works! I’ll have to splint my abdomen before I can read your comments again. Great suggestion – to journal any and all thoughts/ideas!
January 5, 2019 at 2:55 pm
heylookawriterfellow
Goodness! I hope I didn’t rupture something!
January 5, 2019 at 9:46 am
Tracy Hora
Love your Grandma’s sayings! Thanks for the look into your journal of misfit ideas!
January 5, 2019 at 9:47 am
Jess Hoffman
A journal of misfit ideas? I’m in!
January 5, 2019 at 9:49 am
gayleckrause
Cool idea, naming your journal and giving it a specific purpose. Much better than scraps of idea notes scattered everywhere. 😉
January 5, 2019 at 9:53 am
Sherry Howard
Love that Mike keeps such “misfit” ideas! It’s so important to capture those things and get them in writing. And Gran sounds like a southern gran! We say outrageous things! 🤪
January 5, 2019 at 10:20 am
eleanorannpeterson
I like Mike’s style and I would put in those outrageous things gran said in a book. Kids would love it. Mike must have been or still is a mischievous, daring and funny character. I can tell by the look in his eye. Congrats!
January 5, 2019 at 2:58 pm
heylookawriterfellow
Shh! Don’t tell nobody!
January 5, 2019 at 2:57 pm
heylookawriterfellow
Nope, she was a German Granny. They have a very caustic sesnse of humor.
January 5, 2019 at 9:53 am
Jane Dippold
Do you ever read your journal and wonder what a note or entry means?! This happens to me. 😉 Thanks for sharing your journal process!
January 5, 2019 at 3:01 pm
heylookawriterfellow
Not usually, because I try to write down as much as possible as the misfit idea begins to take shape. It can be a pain in the butt to do this sometimes, but the upside is I rarely end up forgetting what I was talking about.
January 5, 2019 at 9:57 am
Liz Steinglass
The island of misfit toys has always been my favorite part of Rudolph. I wonder who else lives there?
January 5, 2019 at 3:02 pm
heylookawriterfellow
Hopefully Barney the Dinosaur.
January 5, 2019 at 9:57 am
curryelizabeth
Thanks for your post. Love the misfit ideas concept. And your grandmother sounds hilarious! Happy New Year!
January 5, 2019 at 9:58 am
Margie Markarian
Sure would be fun to meet your Grandma! She sounds like quite a “character.”
January 5, 2019 at 9:59 am
Juliana Lee
Hi Mike! Love your analogy. Personally, I love the Island of Misfit Toys, and the fact that Herbie and Rudolph were misfits themselves. So the idea of a journal for misfit ideas is perfect! I have several journals, mostly because I tend to leave them lying about in odd places and I need to have one within arm’s reach, but I’ve never named them. So my first task for today is to pour through them for ideas, and to name each one.
January 5, 2019 at 3:03 pm
heylookawriterfellow
Bob is a nice name for a journal. Or Corky.
January 5, 2019 at 9:59 am
Carole Calladine
Thank you for sharing your Journal of Misfit Ideas. Like its craziness to ignite the imagination.
January 5, 2019 at 9:59 am
ranessadoucet
Great post! I love the line, “Fearless Crazy is sometimes where the best ideas come from.” Thank you!!
January 5, 2019 at 10:05 am
Cindy Faughnan
Excellent idea for capturing ideas!
January 5, 2019 at 10:07 am
Dottie Lee
I had been considering journaling and your post solidified my resolve. Thank you.
January 5, 2019 at 3:04 pm
heylookawriterfellow
Awesome! Enjoy letting your mind go nutty!
January 5, 2019 at 10:09 am
lizricewrites
Timely [ and fun! ] post about keep a place for book ideas. Thank you!
January 5, 2019 at 10:10 am
shannonstocker
I needed this laugh – and I love the Misfit journal. And I want to hug your grandma (and maybe drink a beer with her). You say her quotes will make it into something you write one day, but they just did… and they fit perfectly into this blog. Thank you!
January 5, 2019 at 3:05 pm
heylookawriterfellow
See how the Misfit Journal inspires me?
January 5, 2019 at 10:12 am
pathaap
Love laughing and learning about something new. Thanks for both of those, Mike!
January 5, 2019 at 10:12 am
candicemarleyconner
Your grandma sounds hilarious! Your post has inspired me to treat my idea book with a little more Fearless Crazy. Thanks for the inspiration!
January 5, 2019 at 10:13 am
Laurel Ranveig Abell
My Journal of Misfit Ideas is my StoryStorm journal and it is a treasure to me to see the whacky ideas that cross my mind! I feel a little less foolish knowing this playground is a place other adults like to play!
January 5, 2019 at 10:14 am
https://katiewalsh.blog/
Love this! Your grandmother sounds hilarious. Thanks for sharing!
January 5, 2019 at 10:16 am
Pamela Harrison
You misfit journal is a great idea. You can write any crazy idea and keep it private. No one will see it but you so you can write anything you can think of-the crazier the better. I love Grandma!
January 5, 2019 at 10:16 am
Amanda Davis
Thanks for the advice, Mike. Capture ALL ideas-no judgement. Your humorous voice comes through strong in this post too. Love it!
January 5, 2019 at 10:18 am
rachelnrosenthal
Your grandma is hilarious! Great reminder to capture everything! Even if it’s only for our own amusement.
January 5, 2019 at 10:21 am
Lisa Freund
I’m going to try this idea. Starting the journal today. Thank you!
January 5, 2019 at 10:21 am
JenniferShelby
Phew! And here I thought I was the only other life-form who is part pie.
January 5, 2019 at 3:06 pm
heylookawriterfellow
I’m one quarter snack cake on my father’s side.
January 5, 2019 at 9:37 pm
JenniferShelby
Imagine sending that in to Ancestry DNA. #goals
January 5, 2019 at 10:22 am
Michele Helsel
You know when people ask what 3 people living or dead would you like to eat lunch with? Your grandma is now on my list. Great post!
January 5, 2019 at 3:07 pm
heylookawriterfellow
She’ll feed you well, that’s for sure.
January 5, 2019 at 10:22 am
Celeste Bocchicchio-Chaudhri
I love this idea. It is a great way to get past the ever present inner critic.
January 5, 2019 at 10:24 am
Akula Harish
Thanks Mike. Now I know that I judge my ideas way too much and they run away….without ever entering any notebook.
January 5, 2019 at 3:09 pm
heylookawriterfellow
Kick that inner critic to the curb! It shouldn’t be found anywhere near the ideation process.
January 5, 2019 at 10:27 am
jodieparachini
More picture books need slutty Mennonites!
Thanks!
January 5, 2019 at 3:10 pm
heylookawriterfellow
I concur.
January 5, 2019 at 10:29 am
Mark Bentz
I really like your Granny Mike…she is my kinda gal. “She takes those kids to the doctor if they fart crooked.” Kids love to laugh, and so do adults who read to them. Thanks for your post.
January 5, 2019 at 10:29 am
wingedtrish
I am excited to try this idea!
January 5, 2019 at 10:30 am
Laura Rackham
Still laughing about grandma’s comment😂
January 5, 2019 at 10:31 am
kirsticall
I love this idea! The stream of consciousness journey to great ideas!
January 5, 2019 at 10:32 am
beckylevine
Great reminder to not self-edit ANY “idea.” Thanks!
January 5, 2019 at 10:37 am
Deb Sullivan
How liberating to know that nothing is too stupid for the journal – I’m in! Fabulous tip, thanks for sharing.
January 5, 2019 at 10:39 am
Kelly Conroy
What a great tool to let go of all inhibitions and find the zaniest ideas! I’ll definitely be doing this. Thank you!
January 5, 2019 at 10:39 am
polly renner
Ha Ha HA! Very funny post, Mike:> Thank you!
January 5, 2019 at 10:41 am
Carol Gwin Nelson
I love the misfit ideas idea. I need to turn off my inner censor, let my mind play, and record all of those goofy things that pass through my mind.
January 5, 2019 at 3:11 pm
heylookawriterfellow
Inner critics pee on too many parades.
January 5, 2019 at 10:41 am
Susan Nicholas Korstanje
Great idea to keep a misfit journal! Thanks.
January 5, 2019 at 10:45 am
Julie Mondi
Thank you! I am going to pick up a journal today for all those little gems I don’t want to forget!
January 5, 2019 at 10:47 am
Robin Brett Wechsler
Thanks for sharing your misfit ideas and inspiring post, Mike. I especially love your made-up word! Congrats on your books, which seem charming to me. I can’t wait to read them.
January 5, 2019 at 10:47 am
yangmommy
This quote is my take-away, and one I’m copying into my own journal: “I don’t pre-edit my thoughts. I don’t let the Journal decide what’s a bad idea or an inappropriate idea. The goodness and the badness will be sorted out at another time.” And your Grandma is a hoot!! Thanks for the LOLs this dreary morning, Mike!
January 5, 2019 at 7:42 pm
heylookawriterfellow
And thanks for your kind words!
January 5, 2019 at 10:51 am
C.L. Murphy
I see where you got your hilarity genes from, Mike! Thanks for sharing the importance of journaling your thoughts, no matter how wacky they may seem at the time.
January 5, 2019 at 10:52 am
David McMullin
Everything goes in, no editing. Thanks so much, Mike!
January 5, 2019 at 10:53 am
Debra Daugherty
Fun post, Mike. I don’t have a journal, but keep my misfit ideas in a word.doc. file. And sometimes I find a story in them. Sometimes the wackiest ideas turn into the best picture books.
January 5, 2019 at 10:54 am
marlainawrites
Great journal, and your grandma is the coolest. Thanks, Mike!
January 5, 2019 at 10:54 am
deniseaengle
Ha! This just gave me permission to do what I always really wanted to do—-all ideas unedited. Just for my eyes. Thank you, Mike!
January 5, 2019 at 10:55 am
Sally Lotz Spratt - Badass 2019🦋 (@SallyLotzSpratt)
Who knew??? I have been self-editing some of my misfit ideas. No more. They go in the journal. God bless Grandma!
January 5, 2019 at 10:55 am
Jacqueline Adams
I laughed all the way through this post! I have a problem with shooting down ideas before they make it into the journal, but I think The Sluttiest Mennonite just cured that. Thanks!
January 5, 2019 at 3:20 pm
heylookawriterfellow
You can use that slutty Mennonite idea if you wanna.
January 7, 2019 at 10:33 am
Jacqueline Adams
Wouldn’t my editor be surprised! :))
January 5, 2019 at 11:02 am
Lisa Black
Great day 5
January 5, 2019 at 11:03 am
Aimee Isaac
My son would love to read these! (Me too 😉)
January 5, 2019 at 3:21 pm
heylookawriterfellow
Groovy!
January 5, 2019 at 11:05 am
mariaordish
Journal of misfit ideas! Love it! Thanks, Mike!
January 5, 2019 at 11:10 am
Mary Miller
Nonsrjss is one of the many things I’m full of! I need a journal of misfit ideas to sort all this out. Thanks, Mike!
January 5, 2019 at 11:13 am
Roz Malin
Granny sounds like a hoot! Bet she has some great stories!
January 5, 2019 at 11:17 am
Aimee
Love the comparison of uncensored ideas to misfit toys. Congrats on the books!
January 5, 2019 at 11:18 am
GP Bell
THE CROOKED FART could definitely be a winning PB. I say go for it! 🙂
January 5, 2019 at 3:22 pm
heylookawriterfellow
Maybe I will…
January 5, 2019 at 11:19 am
writeknit
I love the idea of collecting my zany ideas and thoughts that would never be picture books to inspire me to write more zany ideas and thoughts that just might make the cut. Thanks!
January 5, 2019 at 11:23 am
Kirsten W. Larson
I keep more of a digital journal using Evernote. I jot notes in a “story idea” file or take pictures and add them to the file.
January 5, 2019 at 11:26 am
Charlotte Offsay
I love the advice to not self edit and to just write inappropriate and random and all. Thank you!
January 5, 2019 at 11:26 am
Charlotte Offsay
Great advice, thanks!
January 5, 2019 at 11:28 am
maryshorgan
Love the notebook idea! I definitely get my share of misfit ideas!
January 5, 2019 at 11:29 am
Erik Ammon
Sony characters, that are out of place, seem to find ways into my stories, too. And? Your post helped bring out a couple more ideas. Thanks Mike!
January 5, 2019 at 11:34 am
Joyce
Love Grandma!
January 5, 2019 at 11:37 am
thelmakat
Bahaha!! What a great idea with your misfit journal and your Granny is the best! Thank you for sharing!!
January 5, 2019 at 11:38 am
Laura Perdew
This post had me laughing out loud! Thank you for that, and for permission to write down all the bad ideas that regularly pass through my head.
January 5, 2019 at 3:25 pm
heylookawriterfellow
Those ideas aren’t bad, just misfitty.
January 5, 2019 at 11:38 am
Elizabeth Metz
Yes! I treat my Storystorm journal like this. Nothing is too small, too wacky, too “wait, what does that even mean?” to get written down and counted. I’ve combined ideas, built on old ideas, just grabbed words that I like. Love it!
January 5, 2019 at 11:38 am
Kath McGreechan
Thank you for the idea that not everything has to be so perfect but everything can lead to something.
January 5, 2019 at 11:39 am
Peggy Jaegly
Mike, I love your idea of a journal of misfit ideas. Truly creative and the process often leads to great inventions. Look how many technologies we have today that even a decade ago we thought could never be done. Wouldn’t it be great to have our children start journals when they are young with their ideas!
January 5, 2019 at 11:39 am
Peggy Jaegly
Mike, I love your idea of a journal of misfit ideas. Truly creative and the process often leads to great inventions. Look how many technologies we have today that even a decade ago we thought could never be done. Wouldn’t it be great to have our children start journals when they are young with their ideas!
January 5, 2019 at 11:39 am
Mariana
Thank you for sharing your idea about the journal. I love it and would definitely try it out. I liked the analogy with the island of the missfits. 😊
January 5, 2019 at 11:43 am
Mary Boehmer
Thank you for your advice on keeping a misfit journal!
January 5, 2019 at 11:44 am
Claire W Bobrow
Thanks for a hilarious post and a great suggestion re: the Misfit Journal, Mike! I look forward to your book (and I’d really like to meet your grandma!).
January 5, 2019 at 11:44 am
ingridboydston
You’re a hoot! Or, as my grandpa would have said, “we’ll aren’t you slicker than snot on a brass door knob!” Apparently a trait passed down from you grandma. Thanks fun the fun post and the permission to steal silly even when it’s not necessarily picture book appropriate.
January 5, 2019 at 3:26 pm
heylookawriterfellow
“Slicker than snot on a brass doorknob” is brilliant.
January 6, 2019 at 3:59 pm
ingridboydston
I thought you’d like that one…😉
January 6, 2019 at 9:07 pm
heylookawriterfellow
You were right!
January 5, 2019 at 11:47 am
Catrine Kyster
I like the idea of a journal that nobody reads, where one can allow oneself to be crazy or boring or whatever one is.
January 5, 2019 at 11:48 am
Sylvia Grech
That was pretty funny. Great post!
January 5, 2019 at 11:48 am
Emily Bertholf
Awesome idea and your book titles really call out to me and beg me to read the book! Thank you for sharing your creative misfit ideas!
January 5, 2019 at 11:48 am
Jessica Kulekjian
Thank you for sharing this part of your process. I needed the reminder not to censor ideas but to just let them live on a line or a page and that their future can be determined later.
January 5, 2019 at 11:49 am
nrompella
LOL. Very true that we do censor ourselves way too much and miss a lot of the creative process that way. Thanks for the reminder!
January 5, 2019 at 11:50 am
bevbaird
Love the idea of a misfits journal. Lots of inspiration here! Thanks Mike.
January 5, 2019 at 11:53 am
Linda Chavez
Perfect! Thanks for reminding me to not hold back in my idea journal! Now I’ve got to go chapstick my…oh never mind.
January 5, 2019 at 11:56 am
Teresa Daffern
I would so love to peek at your journal for misfit ideas! But, I’ll start my own instead. Thank you!
January 5, 2019 at 11:57 am
kcareywrites
Bahahaha! I loved this post — so many wacky ideas and I fully appreciate your full throttle permission to be completely off the wall when jotting down ideas! (PS Is dragon pie sweet or spicy?)
January 5, 2019 at 3:29 pm
heylookawriterfellow
The robo-dragon pie is sweet AND spicy. I don’t write one-dimensional characters.
January 5, 2019 at 11:58 am
Anita Palmeri Overgaard
I almost spit out my tea when I read your Sluttiest Mennonite idea that thankfully will never be a PB! Hilarious! I do have a journal, but apparently I need to get a little fearless. Thanks!!
January 5, 2019 at 7:46 pm
heylookawriterfellow
But admit it, you’d totally buy a PB titled The Sluttiest Mennonite.
January 5, 2019 at 11:59 am
Krista Harrington
These are hysterical and brilliant. We all should have Grandmas with genius quotes for life’s situations:)
January 5, 2019 at 12:01 pm
Lori Williams
Finally, affirmation of that little book I’ve tucked away!
January 5, 2019 at 12:03 pm
Lynn Alpert
OMG, your grandma is a hoot! “He talks out of his butt so much, he ChapSticks his crack,” Love it!
January 5, 2019 at 12:04 pm
Paisley Schade
I call my idea file “the parking lot,” and it’s always a fun place to visit. Glad you could give life to so many ideas.
January 5, 2019 at 12:07 pm
Joanna Rowland
I too, have journals for ideas. Way too many of them. But I agree that writing down ideas good and bad can lead to the one. Happy writing.
January 5, 2019 at 12:10 pm
judyrubin13
Thank you, Mike. Sometimes those off-the-wall ideas are the perfect start of a great story.
January 5, 2019 at 12:10 pm
Kim Pfennigwerth
So funny! Love your grandmother and your journal of misfit ideas!
January 5, 2019 at 12:11 pm
Nancy Ferguson
Thank you, Mike. Cleverness has never been my strength and I am going to LISTEN to the oddities and misfits and write them down to increase my “cleverness”. I, too, laughed aloud at the Sluttiest Mennonite.
January 5, 2019 at 12:13 pm
photojaq
Thanks for the weird, misfit ideas, Mike. One that just popped up for me is – “Mike the Truthful Microphone”. – He can switch volume, talk, tell truths from lies, reveal secrets, all on his own. So, beware, any who pick him up in public.
January 5, 2019 at 7:53 pm
heylookawriterfellow
Ooh! I’m a muse!
January 5, 2019 at 12:14 pm
Kathleen Cornell-Berman
Fearless crazy ideas sounds like a good plan. Sometimes I’m in such a wild and crazy mood that this will definitely help me accept all nutty ideas.
January 5, 2019 at 12:20 pm
Kathy Mazurowski
Fun! That is not my OLW this year, but your journal sounds like so much fun. Cathartic, too! Thanks
January 5, 2019 at 12:21 pm
annabrookswriter
Thanks, Mike! Sometimes I feel like all of my ideas are Misfits. I love the notion that they still worthy of recording because you never know what they’ll become!
January 5, 2019 at 12:22 pm
Karin Larson
I love this post, thank you. I have some very crazy ideas, so it is always nice to read of others who do as well. And your grandmother’s comments are awesome!
January 5, 2019 at 12:23 pm
heidikyates
Thank you for sharing your journal of misfit ideas Mike. This was a fun post!
January 5, 2019 at 12:25 pm
Lucky Jo Boscarino
I want to live in a world where even The Sluttiest Mennonite feels included and heard.
January 5, 2019 at 7:54 pm
heylookawriterfellow
I concur.
January 5, 2019 at 12:25 pm
rimna
Great idea to keep a journal of those ideas that dont make sense, and great grandma quotes!
January 5, 2019 at 12:25 pm
Gretchen McLellan
First chuckle and real laugh out loud of the day! I won the silver bell! I can’t wait to read your books, Mike! Here’s to Fearless Crazy all around and Misfit Authors too!
January 5, 2019 at 7:55 pm
heylookawriterfellow
I can’t wait for you to read ‘em! Thanks for the kind words, Gretchen.
January 5, 2019 at 12:27 pm
chelsealin79
I really want to meet your grandma! Thank you for celebrating misfit ideas and the freedom to brainstorm so crazily!
-chelsea
January 5, 2019 at 12:29 pm
ryanrobertsauthor
Let’s hear it for misfits! Thanks
January 5, 2019 at 12:30 pm
Kelly Ohlert
Love it! Everyone needs a misfit journal!
January 5, 2019 at 12:32 pm
James Arthur
Love this idea. I am such a misfit!
January 5, 2019 at 7:57 pm
heylookawriterfellow
From one misfit to another, nice to meet’cha!
January 5, 2019 at 12:32 pm
authorlaurablog
Thanks for another great post of inspiration! I was just rereading some notes I made from yesterday’s to add to my list of ideas. I’m at 11 and it’s only 1/5/19. Please excuse me while I go and do a happy dance.
January 5, 2019 at 12:32 pm
Carolyn Lucas
Thank you Mike. I have too many ideas scattered. I need to have one misfit journal.
January 5, 2019 at 12:35 pm
lchardesty
Umm…I totally want to read The Pickle Man. Just saying. This is great. Thanks!
January 5, 2019 at 12:36 pm
Katie Engen
I adore made-up words. Fun examples of other uses, too.
Also…this begs the question – Which would you rescue first, family photo albums or this journal?
January 5, 2019 at 7:59 pm
heylookawriterfellow
Photos. More misfit ideas will arrive to replace the old ones eventually.
January 5, 2019 at 12:38 pm
Alicia
Love it!
January 5, 2019 at 12:39 pm
Debra K Shumaker
OMG, love this and love your grandma. I have a journal of sorts, but probably “edit” it before I jot things down. This post has convinced me NOT to do that. 🙂
January 5, 2019 at 12:40 pm
Janie Reinart
Fearless Crazy and no edits! Awesome sauce 😊
January 5, 2019 at 12:40 pm
Sharon Langley
I guess there’s hope for my irreverent thoughts and comments. Thank you, sir.
January 5, 2019 at 12:44 pm
Diana Murrell
Okay so now the Candyman parody is stuck in my head! Thanks for sharing.
January 5, 2019 at 3:32 pm
heylookawriterfellow
You poor bugger.
January 5, 2019 at 12:44 pm
juliannahelt
Great ideas!
January 5, 2019 at 12:46 pm
angie9091
Your grandma is a hoot! Which reminds me that I should scribble down quotes from some of my more *ahem* colorful relatives.
January 5, 2019 at 12:49 pm
Janet Smart
Hi, Mike. Great idea! And I just got an idea looking at your Robo-Dragon Pie.
January 5, 2019 at 12:49 pm
Cindy
“Nothing is too stupid for the journal.”
Thank you for that. 😀 I wrote down a bunch of misfit ideas today and I think there just might be one idea I can work with.
January 5, 2019 at 8:01 pm
heylookawriterfellow
You’ll be surprised just how many misfit ideas become useful if you let them marinate long enough!
January 5, 2019 at 12:51 pm
Brooke Hollon
Fearless crazy is a great mantra to remember when brainstorming picture book characters and conflicts. Thank you for sharing how you use your journal for misfit ideas. Love it!
January 5, 2019 at 12:53 pm
Debbie Huard
This has literally been my focus for this storystorm. Just jotting down everything and anything that pops into my head that might make a good story. It might not, but the idea might morph into something else. I’m LOVING this challenge. Thanks for the insight!
January 5, 2019 at 12:53 pm
rjtraxel
Your grandma is a funny lady! Love that you embrace your weirdness!
January 5, 2019 at 12:54 pm
Val McCammon
Terrific — calling them “misfit” ideas gives us permission to make a note and know the “goodness and the badness will be sorted out at another time,” as you say. Thanks, Mike!
January 5, 2019 at 12:55 pm
leslievanzee
So awesome. Yesterday I was pondering whether or not to do a picture book about bag hair days. It at least deserves a notation I guess.
January 5, 2019 at 8:02 pm
heylookawriterfellow
Absolutely!
January 5, 2019 at 12:55 pm
marty bellis
I need to go fearless and create a journal as fun as yours. Great suggestion.
January 5, 2019 at 12:55 pm
Susan Halko
Ha ha ha! Thank you, Mike. Great post.
January 5, 2019 at 12:56 pm
Heather Crespin
Thank you for letting me feel free about quirky ideas. They go into my computer right now but I like the idea of a small journal!
January 5, 2019 at 12:58 pm
Lisa Billa
Ha! Need another journal now to round up odds and ends- an idea junk drawer. Thanks for a good reminder not to censor too soon.
January 5, 2019 at 1:00 pm
Janice Woods
Great post! Thank you for sharing!
January 5, 2019 at 1:00 pm
June Sengpiehl
These posts give different approaches and it is so interesting to see how other people work.
January 5, 2019 at 1:00 pm
Danna York
We’re all misfits – so great!!!
January 5, 2019 at 1:02 pm
nicolesalterbraun
Love it! I too, have a journal w/ crazy, bad ideas in it!
January 5, 2019 at 1:03 pm
Louann Brown
Thank you Mike. The Island of Misfit Toys is one of my favorite haunts. Who isn’t one at one time or another! So much more interesting than all those perfect toys.
January 5, 2019 at 1:08 pm
Sue Heavenrich
I love the idea of an entire journal devoted to misfit ideas… mine are on scraps of paper tucked hither and yon. would be great to put them all in one easy-to-find place.
January 5, 2019 at 1:09 pm
Mary Jane Muir
Thanks Mike! Great post. I am going to look through my journal for a few goofy ideas. I’m certain they are in there.
January 5, 2019 at 1:13 pm
Danielle Dufayet
Thank you for sharing, Mike. I agree, the imagination is wide open and we need to let things fly -crazy or not!
January 5, 2019 at 1:17 pm
Lori Dubbin
Thanks for shoving me to write my weird ideas down. The ideas turn out to be precious and your grandma is, too.
January 5, 2019 at 1:17 pm
Martha
Thanks for the chuckle. I like having a private place with no fear of criticism or reprisals. Purity of thought in a safe place: the journal.
January 5, 2019 at 1:18 pm
Brian Yanish
Great post Mike. Love the idea of mining for gems within the journal.
January 5, 2019 at 1:18 pm
Jill
I, too, keep journals with all types of ideas. Some have led to manuscripts based on them but most often serve as a way to keep my mind thinking about writing, just like you mentioned. Thanks!
January 5, 2019 at 1:18 pm
Moon Bishop
YES! I have about a hundred little notes squirreled away with these crazy misfit ideas. Now I have an excuse to create a home for them all to live. Thanks!
January 5, 2019 at 1:21 pm
Heather Erquiaga
I have such trouble stopping myself from pre-screening my ideas. Thanks for permission to let the quirky fly!
January 5, 2019 at 1:23 pm
Shelly Hawley-Yan
what a fab idea!!!
January 5, 2019 at 1:24 pm
Garnett Natasha
The Journal may be private today but how cool for someone (your child, your best friend, your fan) to peruse some day. Thanks for the post.
January 5, 2019 at 1:25 pm
saralakron
Working on this already.
January 5, 2019 at 1:27 pm
Prairie Garden Girl
Every writer needs a journal, or two or more! Thank you for sharing a humorous, fun post filled with inspiration, Mike.
Suzy Leopold
January 5, 2019 at 1:29 pm
Anjali Amit
A very FIT idea!
January 5, 2019 at 1:29 pm
Rinda Beach
No judgement here, but I love the idea of the misfit journal. Thanks!
January 5, 2019 at 1:30 pm
Kristin Wauson
I think you might be the first person to ever use the word “sluttiest” in a blog post about children’s books and now I want to read everything you’ve ever written. Thanks for the great post! Off to find a blank journal to brain dump all my misfit ideas into. 😂
January 5, 2019 at 3:36 pm
heylookawriterfellow
Nothing “slutty” in my published works— but I hope you’ll like them regardless!
January 5, 2019 at 1:31 pm
Judy Cooper
“The Journal of Misfit Ideas” – Love it!
January 5, 2019 at 1:31 pm
Nancy Colle
My collection of pb ideas currently reside in a box. Maybe I should corral them into a journal. Can’t wait to check out Mike’s books. He’s hilarious 🙂 thank you
January 5, 2019 at 1:31 pm
Emily Patriquin
Writing unfiltered, misfit thoughts sounds like an excellent exercise!
January 5, 2019 at 1:36 pm
Manju B. Howard (@ManjuBeth)
I love your idea! And I’m anxious to read your misfit dragon stories.
January 5, 2019 at 1:39 pm
bookfish1
Thanks for the information. I have always loved the land of misfit toys and I love how you tied that into a journal for crazy ideas. Good stuff. It makes me think about having a journal for ideas and then a journal for those ideas which I try to make into a story.
January 5, 2019 at 1:42 pm
Jodi Mckay
Oh my gosh, your grandma rocks! Great post, thanks for sharing your journal ideas.
January 5, 2019 at 1:43 pm
teacherwriteracker
Love when a peek in someone else’s mind is as wacky as mine.
January 5, 2019 at 3:37 pm
heylookawriterfellow
Wacky minds are fun, aren’t they?
January 5, 2019 at 1:46 pm
Antje
Since you are friendly, I’d like to say “hi” and thank you for your post and journal idea.
January 5, 2019 at 3:38 pm
heylookawriterfellow
Oh, hi, right back atcha!
January 5, 2019 at 1:46 pm
karengreenwald2985
Great idea! I am going to get a journal going myself! (hmm…excuse to go spend time in that aisle at Target…) A non-writer friend of mine keeps a small journal on hand wherever he goes and it has become an amazing diary of thought. Thanks for the post:)
January 5, 2019 at 1:48 pm
writersideup
You know, because I don’t carry a cumbersome pocketbook, I need to make a habit of keeping a tiny spiral notebook on me at all times because I will jot ideas on anything that’s within reach. I have all the ideas in one spot, but I do think book form might be more useful, so THANK you, Misfit Mike, for at least making that more obvious to me, enough that I will actually DO it lol
And a BIG thank you for a LITERALLY tear-inducing laugh on a morning I needed it! It’s apparent you inherited your very ticklish funny bone from your grandmother 😀 And I’ll bet YOUR “bottom” dollar that both of those quotes will end up in your writing somewhere someday, even if just here or on your blog. Miss you! oxox
January 5, 2019 at 8:05 pm
heylookawriterfellow
Glad I gotcha laughing, Donna! Don’t be a stranger, now!
January 5, 2019 at 1:52 pm
leeanimator
This was a great article!!!! Now I know my family isn’t the only one with quirky sayings and comments about each other. Thanks so much for the idea of a misfit journal and the laughs!
January 5, 2019 at 1:52 pm
jamhartman
I often feel like I live on the land of misfit writers. I love the idea of misfit ideas. It completely takes away any judgment on an idea and serves as a perfect free space. One never knows when one of those misfit ideas will become famous. Thank you for your post!!
January 5, 2019 at 8:05 pm
heylookawriterfellow
All writers are slightly misfitty, I think.
January 5, 2019 at 1:53 pm
wpdrey
haha! I text myself odd ideas (sometimes in the middle of the night) and later can’t make heads or tails of them. I think a notebook is a much better idea 😉
January 5, 2019 at 1:56 pm
storyfairy
Great post! I love any story or idea that has to do with misfits. 🙂
January 5, 2019 at 1:59 pm
Cinzia V.
Thanks for the laughs and the insights!
January 5, 2019 at 2:03 pm
Sheri Radovich
I love the ideas in this post and your grandmother’s sense of humor. I wish I had written down my grandparents funny comments. I only remember a few.
These help with wild crazy ideas which only come occasionally. Thank you for making me laugh while I think of a new idea.
January 5, 2019 at 2:05 pm
deborahholtwilliams
Love this post, and love your grandma, too! My mother-in-law commented on my 70’s mini dress “Looks like 50 pounds a sh** in a 25 pound sack.” Illrevisit mymisfit ideas. Maybe there’s hope for my talking bottles of nail polish after all…
January 5, 2019 at 3:40 pm
heylookawriterfellow
Tactful lady, your mother-in-law.
January 5, 2019 at 2:08 pm
Lynne Marie
YES, exactly! I had a misfit idea about a Goldilocks-inspired character named Moldilocks and it’s coming out from Sterling this year, in MOLDILOCKS AND THE 3 SCARES. Thanks for the inspiration. Your grandmother’s a riot!
January 5, 2019 at 3:41 pm
heylookawriterfellow
Oh, that sounds awesome! Congrats on your almost book birthday!
January 5, 2019 at 10:48 pm
melissamiles1
That’s awesome! I can’t wait to read it.
January 5, 2019 at 2:09 pm
Jane Serpa
Thank you for sharing.
January 5, 2019 at 2:11 pm
8catpaws
Your post encourages brainstorming (or brain implosion!)– i.e. play with the word “misfit”: “Miss Fit” (female athlete); MISF IT (Marine Industries of South Florida Information Technology)…perhaps this game will lead somewhere interesting…or if not, perhaps it will lead somewhere else…
January 5, 2019 at 2:12 pm
Aurora K
Mike, this is a super tip. A journal of misfit ideas ❤️❤️❤️ Yes, definitely no idea should be to crazy to inspire writing. Thank you for sharing it.
January 5, 2019 at 2:14 pm
Dayne Sislen, Children's Book Illustrator
Thank you Mike, great idea I need a book for my misfit and stray ideas.
January 5, 2019 at 2:16 pm
Nicole Vuong
I have the same type of journal! Everything you said was so spot on. I sometimes wonder what someone would think if they opened my journal and read it… O______o
January 5, 2019 at 3:42 pm
heylookawriterfellow
That’s why I keep my misfit journal to myself!
January 5, 2019 at 2:17 pm
Amanda Malek-Ahmadi
Love it! Thanks for the inspiration and the tips. It’s nice to have a place to just put down everything.
January 5, 2019 at 2:17 pm
Karan Greene
What a fantastic idea! I’m looking for an appropriate notebook right now!!
January 5, 2019 at 2:19 pm
Buffy Silverman
Everyone should have a grandma like yours… Love the idea of a journal without judgement.
January 5, 2019 at 2:21 pm
newfordfan
I’ve always encouraged my writing students to keep a writing journal. Love your take on that with “misfit” idead!
January 5, 2019 at 2:21 pm
BrookeVS
Haha this had me laughing out loud–thankfully no one is around to bear witness 😂 Thank you for these tips! Now to get a misfit journal
January 5, 2019 at 2:24 pm
Alice Carty Fulgione
I get ideas from movies & conversations too & I always carry my idea journal with me. Thanks for the post!
January 5, 2019 at 2:26 pm
matthewlasley
It is not difficult to come up with misfit ideas/characters. What is really crazy is finding a story to put them in!
January 5, 2019 at 2:29 pm
Beth Gallagher
So first of all, giant high five for his pen name!!! 😂 Also, I’m glad to read that someone else (and someone successful, too) keeps a misfit journal. Thanks, Mike, for the inspiration!
January 5, 2019 at 2:30 pm
ptnozell
I love the Island of Misfit Toys & I think it’s a brilliant idea to keep a misfit idea journal. And cheers to your not-quite-kidlit-ready grandmother: such a perceptive lady.
January 5, 2019 at 2:31 pm
supermario6
Rudolph is a strange cartoon! Thanks for the inspiration.
January 5, 2019 at 2:34 pm
Anne Bielby
My takeaway for today. ” Indon’t pre-edit my thoughts. I don’t let the Journal decide what’s a bad idea or an inappropriate idea. The goodness and the badness will be sorted out at another time, after I’ve written it all down. The Journal’s only goal is to safely take in every stray without judgment—much like The Island of Misfit Toys does.”
January 5, 2019 at 2:40 pm
Caren Cantrell
You’ve inspired me to gather all my ideas and put them in one place. Currently, they reside in notebooks, on scrap papers, and in random folders of stories half-started. Thanks!
January 5, 2019 at 2:42 pm
Cortney Benvenuto
Thanks for the laughs and inspiration Mike!
January 5, 2019 at 2:42 pm
Kirsten Leestma (@missleestma)
Yeah, why WAS that doll a misfit? Thanks for your post!
January 5, 2019 at 2:47 pm
Gabi Snyder
Thanks for the humor and the inspiration, Mike! And now I’m singing “We’re on the Island of Misfit Toys…” Next I’ll be singing “There’s always tomorrow…”
January 5, 2019 at 2:47 pm
Anne LeBlanc (@AnneLeBlanc2)
What a great idea! Keeping a journal of ideas is good but accepting ALL ideas is great. We blame others for being too “judge-y” but we are often that way ourselves.
January 5, 2019 at 2:47 pm
Leah Leonard
I love the idea of a misfit idea journal!
January 5, 2019 at 2:53 pm
teresa.mi.schaefer
Roy L. Hinuss — ❤️ it!
January 5, 2019 at 3:00 pm
Erika Henkart
Thanks for the reminder to not pre-edit ideas. It is helpful and freeing!
January 5, 2019 at 3:02 pm
sarahheturadny
Nice! I have a similar journal….you’re right; best not to sensor…otherwise you’ll miss the golden nugget among the 💩. Not that any writing is 💩- it’s all part of the process!!!!
January 5, 2019 at 3:03 pm
Elizabeth C Steiner
I write quotes I hear from people around town and have mounds of little papers stuffed into drawers. I think putting them in a journal is a much better approach:) Thanks!
January 5, 2019 at 3:07 pm
shiela Fuller
The first line of The Pickle Man made me LOL. You might have something there. LOL
January 5, 2019 at 3:08 pm
Lizzy Rizzi
I want to meet your grandma! What great lines! Ha!
Loved this post! Thanks a lot.
January 5, 2019 at 3:13 pm
Tempy
LOL!
Thanks for the reminder that the ideas notebook is for raw unfiltered ideas, not just good ones.
January 5, 2019 at 3:15 pm
Jessica Potts
Loved this post today!!
January 5, 2019 at 3:15 pm
Melanie Ellsworth
I always wondered about the doll on the island of misfit toys, too. Thought maybe her hair couldn’t figure out if it wanted to be in braids or ponytails and ended up in a weird combination of both, which got her sent to the island. Maybe there’s a picture book in that…
January 5, 2019 at 3:18 pm
Li’vee Rehfield
Thank you Mike…yes sir re-bob cat tail fizz…
Misfits are everywhere…
January 5, 2019 at 3:20 pm
denarose
Thanks for this wonderful post! I keep an idea-a-day book, but now I’m tempted to rename it my “misfit idea-a-day” book, grin! Thanks for inspiring us and encouraging us!
January 5, 2019 at 3:20 pm
Laura Purdie Salas
Love this–I think I self-censor too much in my ideas journal. Maybe if I call it my Bad Ideas or Misfit Ideas journal, I’ll feel free to be more outrageous…
January 5, 2019 at 3:20 pm
Lori Mozdzierz
The fun grandma! Yep, that’s yours!! Your story had me laughing out loud. My cat was like what’s up with you?? I like your journal idea! When I’m stuck on an edit I twist my story line to be not-fit-for-PB. Amazing how it clears the brain cloud. LOL!
January 5, 2019 at 3:27 pm
Sara A
Thanks for journal idea-and the laugh!
January 5, 2019 at 3:28 pm
Sensibility and Sense
Mike! I’m so glad I’m not the only one who wonders what exactly is wrong with the doll on the Island of Misfit Toys!!! I’m also glad it’s OK to put down every idea- good, bad, very bad and kind of OK- in a safe idea journal. Great idea! Thanks for sharing! Patti Richards
January 5, 2019 at 3:30 pm
Sharon Nix Jones
What a great way to contain all those ideas!
January 5, 2019 at 3:33 pm
jenabenton
LOL! That pen name on the chapter book series! LOL! That had me laughing for a good while. =D
January 5, 2019 at 3:46 pm
heylookawriterfellow
Yay!
January 5, 2019 at 3:34 pm
Mirka
I love your sense of humor.
January 5, 2019 at 3:47 pm
heylookawriterfellow
T’anks!
January 5, 2019 at 3:37 pm
Amy DiMouro
I also keep a journal of ideas although mine is digital rather than physical
January 5, 2019 at 3:39 pm
claireannette1
I want to meet your grandmother!
And, I’m going to start a journal of misfit ideas.
January 5, 2019 at 3:39 pm
saputnam
Great post, Mike! Gotta love your grandmother!! What a hoot!! She sounds very much like an old-time Vermonter.
Brain drizzles!! I loved it when you said you enter all your “brain drizzles” into your Journal of Misfit Ideas. I don’t have a journal but keep all my brain drizzles in a folder on my computer. I have small pads of paper everywhere, in my pocketbooks, tote bags, kitchen, bedroom, bathroom… you never know when inspiration will kick in
January 5, 2019 at 3:43 pm
fireurchin
SO SO FUNNY! I wish I’d had a grandma like that… I think. Or someone else’s grandma who I was around to scribble it all down.
I like that this journal of ideas is titled in such a way as to free up the mind and even focus on some confused, mixed-up, off-base, wacky ideas – because they are valued and welcome, not merely excuse them, and send them to the basement… hmm.. maybe an idea is brewing..
thanks for sharing your approach!
bonnie fireUrchin lambourn
http://fireUrchin.com
January 5, 2019 at 3:44 pm
Steve Schwartz
Thanks for the fun ideas and for having such an amusing grandma!
January 5, 2019 at 3:45 pm
Sue Frye
Great ideas!
January 5, 2019 at 3:47 pm
Bethanny Parker
Your grandma sounds like a hoot! I keep my idea journals in computer files: one for picture books, one for other writing, and one for business ideas. Using a physical book might be nice, though. I could sit and look through it on the couch or anywhere. P.S. You just did use those two quotes in your writing!
January 5, 2019 at 3:49 pm
bbkb
Like grandmother, like grandson. Love what your journal says and does. Some of those drizzles turn into sizzles.
January 5, 2019 at 3:51 pm
mona861
I’m a walking, talking example of misfit ideas. Maybe somewhat like your Grandma. Guess I’d better start recording in a journal so I can look back at them. Thanks for this fun post!
January 5, 2019 at 3:51 pm
Alexandra Hinrichs
Oh man, your quotes from your grandmother made me crack up! Thank you for sharing!
January 5, 2019 at 3:55 pm
angiecal76
You are one hilarious guy! I’d really like to meet your grandmother, by the way.
January 5, 2019 at 3:58 pm
tamaragirardi
I was just at Staples and fell in love with a tiny notebook that will fit in my purse or pocket. Now I know how to use it! Great post!
January 5, 2019 at 8:12 pm
heylookawriterfellow
Awesome! May your misfitty ideas be many!
January 5, 2019 at 4:02 pm
Barbara Farr Renner
I LOVE your idea. I’m going to start my journal TODAY!
January 5, 2019 at 4:02 pm
bgonsar
Sounds like some comic gold minds in that book. Great post!
January 5, 2019 at 4:06 pm
chardixon47
I love the idea of getting a little crazy without fear. Your grandmother reminded me of my mom-LOL She could roll off lots of crazy sayings. I need to start my own journal even if her sayings aren’t printable 😉 Thank you for the inspiration, Mike.
January 5, 2019 at 4:07 pm
seschipper
It is a dreary, rainy day in Merchantville, NJ!! This post brought out the giggles and sunshine!! Thanks! Loved the entire post but especially the pen name…”Roy L. Hinuss” 🙂
January 5, 2019 at 8:14 pm
heylookawriterfellow
I’m a New Jersey person, too! Stay dry, my friend.
January 5, 2019 at 4:08 pm
Kim Wilson (@AuthorKimWilson)
Yes! I have my new notebook ready!
January 5, 2019 at 4:11 pm
Meghan Burch
yes! I will try to keep my ears more open and my notebook always at the ready to record noteworthy comments and mind rambles!
January 5, 2019 at 4:15 pm
Brenda Miller
I would love to win! Thanks for this great post.
January 5, 2019 at 4:15 pm
Debra Katz
All writers should brainstorm ideas without censoring themselves, and this post is a great reminder of how that can be of benefit. Loved the pen name for the chapter book series.
January 5, 2019 at 4:16 pm
writeremmcbride
Your journal sounds hilarious – and certainly would be helpful for thinking outside of the box! Thank you for these good reminders!
January 5, 2019 at 4:17 pm
Jenifer McNamara
Enjoyed you post. Liked the mis-fit journal to a PB fit.
January 5, 2019 at 4:22 pm
Jennifer G Prevost
I haven’t giggled this much reading a blog post in a long time! I love it… everything about it, thanks for sharing, Mike.
January 5, 2019 at 4:29 pm
Sara Matson
Sounds like you have one funny grandma! 🙂 Thanks for sharing.
January 5, 2019 at 4:37 pm
Stephanie Shaw
My misfit ideas are tucked away on my computer under the labels “PiBoIdMo” and “StoryStorm”. Some published books have come from those lists. Some best labeled “Things A Trusted Friend Should Delete In The Event of My Demise.” Great post!
January 5, 2019 at 8:15 pm
heylookawriterfellow
I’ll probably request to be buried with my misfit journal.
January 5, 2019 at 4:39 pm
Pam Miller
Thank you Mike for reminding me that words are all around us. Capturing the essence and forming the the scenes and story that make them live on is the best challenge ever.
January 5, 2019 at 4:42 pm
Maggie Brown
SO OBSESSED WITH THIS! I love strange, quirky ideas. Thanks for giving me a reminder to entertain them!
January 5, 2019 at 8:16 pm
heylookawriterfellow
Woo! I like your spunk!
January 5, 2019 at 4:45 pm
M Lapointe Malchik (@imartytweet)
Love your post, Mike, for so many reasons. I like the reference to strays & to misfits.I also love that being in a writerly place can be fostered by thumbing through your journal. Thank you for all the ideas about ideas and for participating generously in Storystorm this year.
January 5, 2019 at 4:51 pm
Heather Gallagher
Ooh, I’m stealing this idea! I have loads of misfit ideas that I abandon but give me a good laugh! Here’s the chance to put them somewhere 😀
January 5, 2019 at 5:00 pm
karammitchell
This is glorious, Mike! Who is the sluttiest Mennonite? I’m dying to know!
January 5, 2019 at 8:17 pm
heylookawriterfellow
She’s whoever you want her to be.
January 5, 2019 at 9:10 pm
karammitchell
Oh…alright.
January 5, 2019 at 5:01 pm
Sharalyn Edgeberg
Thanks for sharing! I really zoomed in on that your journal of misfit ideas must go with you everywhere. I also liked that you peruse it often.
January 5, 2019 at 5:10 pm
Deslie English
A journal of misfit ideas gives your brain permission to juggle strange ideas together or just capture the ones that land there. Thanks!
January 5, 2019 at 5:12 pm
Cynthia Hawthorne
Your post was such a delight to read, Mike. I especially connected with the sentence “I’ll thumb the pages when I’m looking for an idea or when I’m too tired to write, but still want to be in a writerly frame of mind.” What a great way to use your journal. Congratulations on your successes.
January 5, 2019 at 8:20 pm
heylookawriterfellow
Thanks, Cynthia.
Writing is about so much more than the act of typing. Sometimes it’s about giving your mind permission to wander.
January 5, 2019 at 5:14 pm
Carmen White
I have a file on my computer titled “Stories, drafts, and nonsense’ for stuff like this. ❤
January 5, 2019 at 5:17 pm
Latasha Vernon
Hilariously said! Thank you. I needed that.
January 5, 2019 at 5:29 pm
Kathy O'Neill
A super helpful idea for keeping all sorts of story, character, and dialogue ideas we all need! Thanks!
January 5, 2019 at 5:32 pm
Debbie Meyer
Ha! My Dad said the same thing your Grandma said, except he said, “Fart sideways” not crooked. 😉 You’ve got some funny things written in your journal. I’m going to take a que from you and try not to only write ideas I think are good, and just write down ideas! Who knows where that will lead me. Thanks for the inspiration!
January 5, 2019 at 5:41 pm
Marge Gower
I giggled, when I read the line, “Nothing is too stupid for the Journal. Nothing.” I’m 72 in a few days and can’t tell you how many journals I have started, but never finished. I didn’t want anyone to get ahold of my journals. Come to think of it, do you know how confused they would be. Hmmm Maybe I’ll start a new one. Thanks for your post.
January 5, 2019 at 8:23 pm
heylookawriterfellow
Don’t censor your inner weirdness, Marge! Who cares what those non misfitty people think? Onward!
January 5, 2019 at 5:43 pm
Monica Harris
Fabulous way to let your muse just ‘spew’ in a journal with no pressure to ever do anything with it. (Although, if you do, she’ll take credit, I guarantee) . Funny that a similar thing happened with me for my picture book, WAKE THE DEAD. My grandmother always told me to be quiet, otherwise, I’d “wake the dead”. When I heard myself saying it to MY kids, a lightbulb went off. What if the kid DID wake the dead? How would he get them back to sleep? It was a silly idea, at first, but man…..playing with all the puns was a blast!
January 5, 2019 at 8:24 pm
heylookawriterfellow
That book sound amazing!
January 5, 2019 at 6:02 pm
msvukidlit
I don’t know what I’d do without my journal. It has all my misfit ideas as well as some starts and stops and language play. Great to see that some ideas escape the journal and become part of something new. Thank’s, Mike, for this affirmation of the journal.
January 5, 2019 at 6:02 pm
Tanya T Shock
Thank you for sharing! 🙂
January 5, 2019 at 6:05 pm
Susan Johnston
I love the idea of a journal for misfit ideas!
January 5, 2019 at 6:07 pm
Jennifer B Wright
Excellent post Mike! You are so right that the writers journal should let their imagination and creativity run free and then sort out the ideas or build upon them later. Very well written!
January 5, 2019 at 6:09 pm
Mel Copeman
I’d like to have a misfit journal but don’t want to fill a nice notebook with bad ideas, but also needs to be nice enough for me to want to carry it around a lot. Dilema!
January 5, 2019 at 8:31 pm
heylookawriterfellow
You’re overthinking it, Mel. Here. A compromise. Carry two notebooks: a gorgeous one for perfect, fully-formed brilliant ideas, and a crappy, crummy, cheapo notebook for everything else.
The best part of this plan is that the gorgeous notebook will always remain gorgeous because you’ll never use it because no idea ever arrives perfect, fully-formed and brilliant.
Problem solved!
January 5, 2019 at 6:10 pm
martina.franklin.poole
Grandma has an impressive skill at capturing grandparent culture with linguistic finesse! I have journal, where sometimes my creativity is reduced to a freewriting flow of nonsense rhyme an rhythm.
January 5, 2019 at 6:11 pm
Patty Militello
I love journals!! I have a huge collection of them – finished and unfinished. I also have two teenage boys who hate that I give them a new journal at the beginning of every year. Thanks for the post. It was a very entertaining read and great info.
January 5, 2019 at 6:12 pm
Lucretia
What a laugh-out-loud funny post! For me, it started with the brain “drizzles”– the naughty Mennonite and hilariously clever pen name brought on laugh showers…by the time I got to Grandma’s quotes, it was pouring hysterical rain! Thank you for extending the “judgement-free” zone from the gym to our writing journals. Great post, Mike! Your robot-dragon-pie hybrid sounds like a wonderful MC…is his best friend a unicorn-ballerina-cupcake?!
January 5, 2019 at 8:33 pm
heylookawriterfellow
No, but his mortal enemy is a space ninja cow. (And that’s true.)
January 5, 2019 at 6:14 pm
Kari Gonzalez
I took keep writing notebook, lord help me when I come up with an idea and jot it down in the middle of the night…most often I can’t read it in the morning, but I am always sure that one was a golden nugget! Thanks for sharing!
January 5, 2019 at 6:16 pm
Janet Frenck Sheets
I have to admit, I’m always worried that someone will see the really, really stupid ideas I put in my writing journal. Fortunately, no one’s actually interested.
January 5, 2019 at 6:17 pm
Tina Cho
Love this journal idea! You had me cracking at those Grandma quotes!
January 5, 2019 at 6:19 pm
alishagabriel
I like the idea of giving ourselves permission to write the crazy thoughts we have, and your examples of mining for treasure in your journal are great!
January 5, 2019 at 6:20 pm
phyllischerry.com
Misfit ideas for misfits fits me to a T and I’m so glad you told us about them. You are definitely an original and thank you for what you are.
Happy New Year and that is a real wish for you.
January 5, 2019 at 6:22 pm
Shelly
I love misfit ideas! I know I have a winner if I run it past my teenagers and one of them rolls their eyes and says, ” Mom, that is so wrong. Just… wrong.”
January 5, 2019 at 6:27 pm
Jocelyn Rish
I type up any stray idea I have in a text file and store them in my Story Ideas folder (one file for each idea), but now I wonder if I would have a better connection to the creative part of my brain if I were scribbling them in a journal? Harder to find/keep organized, but more organic?
January 5, 2019 at 6:30 pm
Rachel Anderson
Thank you for sharing. My “so-called good” ideas just went to the wrestling mat with the misfits!
January 5, 2019 at 6:32 pm
Debbi G
I want to meet your Grandma!
Your journal of misfit ideas is a great inspiration to write all ideas down & not worry if they are good ideas before recording them.
January 5, 2019 at 6:34 pm
Amy McCoy Dees
Fantastic read. I can hear a little 7 year old boy saying he needs “Chapstick on his butt because it is cracked!” Kid humor!!
January 5, 2019 at 6:39 pm
Chambrae Griffith
I’ve always loved the misfit toys! This post is just what I needed. I often edit my thoughts before recording them in my idea journal, I love the idea of jotting everything down. Thanks for the inspiration!
January 5, 2019 at 6:41 pm
catpledger
You have given me the courage to save some of my crazier ideas!
January 5, 2019 at 6:44 pm
Elizabeth Brown
Great post! Thanks so much!
January 5, 2019 at 6:44 pm
Darcee A Freier
I never liked the Island of Misfit Toys (or the whole Rudolf show), but now you’ve taken that idea, and made something of it. Journal of Misfit Ideas – how great! And I like that you visit them regularly and even find them homes. Now that’s inspiring!
January 5, 2019 at 6:46 pm
asfperrott
I have a few journals like this, though it would probably help if I consolidated them into one. 🙂
January 5, 2019 at 6:48 pm
Jessica Nims
I love this.
January 5, 2019 at 6:52 pm
Carol Gordon Ekster
Your grandmother sounds like a hoot. I think you got your creative genius from her! Hoping many more of your journal entries turn into fantastic books!
January 5, 2019 at 6:57 pm
Ellen Sirianni
What a great idea! Thanks for sharing.
January 5, 2019 at 7:02 pm
Kaye Baillie
I like this a lot.
January 5, 2019 at 7:05 pm
K.A.Steed
Thanks for the journal idea!
January 5, 2019 at 7:18 pm
Rebekah Lowell
This is exactly why Storystorming is so helpful! I treasure my little notebooks from each year and when I want to dive in to write another story, I’ll always turn to them to see what I can glean.
January 5, 2019 at 7:19 pm
Megan Whitaker
I’m glad no one ever looks at my notes section on my phone. I’d be super embarrassed…but maybe someday they’ll come in handy! Thanks!
January 5, 2019 at 7:22 pm
Andria Rosenbaum
To journal without judgement. Here’s hoping we can live up to the challenge!
January 5, 2019 at 7:28 pm
betlw - Elizabeth
Hi Mike, your grandma sounds just like my husband’s gram. She said some of the weirdest things but was the neatest lady. I’ll bet your journal is fun reading. Thanks for the ideas. I’ll try to look out for the weird and wacky.
January 5, 2019 at 7:30 pm
Valarie Giogas
LOVE Grandma’s sayings!!
January 5, 2019 at 7:32 pm
ruthschubert
I love the idea of a journal that is so free range. My “writing journal” takes itself too seriously 🙂
January 5, 2019 at 7:37 pm
moviemommie
Your post is a thoughtful extension of the storystorm ethos. Thanks. (However, the misfit idea about the female Mennonite doesn’t feel irrational or in the spirit of the misfits you shared with us. It feels mean and wrong.)
January 9, 2019 at 11:20 am
heylookawriterfellow
Perhaps it is, but that’s why the misfit journal is private. Sometime you need to wade through a wrong idea to arrive at a right one. The creative process is often messy and unregulated. You got to get those ideas out without judgement (at least initially).
January 9, 2019 at 1:25 pm
Jenna Courtney Feldman
I agree!
January 5, 2019 at 7:39 pm
Laurie Goodluck
Now here is a good reason to become more structured with my many journals I start and stop. I’ll label one just for “misfit” ideas. Thanks!
January 5, 2019 at 7:48 pm
Frances Kalavritinos
To quite Dr. Seuss, “Why fit in when you were born to stand out!” May we all embrace our “misfittedness” in the interest of a good story idea!
January 5, 2019 at 7:53 pm
hdening
My preschoolers were hysterical over a journal they gave me. It’s made from 100% recycled paper made from elephant poo. I’ve been wondering what to do with it. Now I know! No more composition notebook or collections of paper scraps for my writing ideas. My elephant poo-paper journal will be perfect for all the unmufflered and mis-fit ideas. I’ ll smile and maybe laugh out loud every time I pick it up. Sometimes we need to be reminded that craziness is good. Thanks, Mike.
January 5, 2019 at 7:55 pm
Susan Burd
😂love it! Re-cycled poo book!
January 5, 2019 at 7:57 pm
Susan Burd
Hey-now there’s an idea for a book!
January 9, 2019 at 11:23 am
heylookawriterfellow
I know about elephant poo paper. One of my bloggy friends sent me a homemade Christmas card made from it!
I believe you found the perfect Misfit Journal.
January 5, 2019 at 7:54 pm
Susan Burd
Ok! So now I will write down all those crazy bits of ideas I have in a ‘Misfit Journal’ rather than on bits of paper that I’ve tried to keep in order! Now why didn’t I think of this before?! And I received a stack of small writing journals last month-the first one’s got a title:)
January 5, 2019 at 7:55 pm
awritersdream41
Great post. Thanks for sharing.
January 5, 2019 at 8:01 pm
Stephanie Williams
reminds me of larry david’s idea book
January 5, 2019 at 8:02 pm
Nancy Ramsey
Funny and inspiring! Great post- Thank you!
January 5, 2019 at 8:06 pm
jeanjames926
I love the idea of a fearless journal. Great post and advice, thanks Mike! P.S. You have one super cool Grandma!
January 5, 2019 at 8:07 pm
Rene` Diane Aube
Thanks for the reminder that even our seemingly misfit ~ crazy ideas are worth keeping. Happy storming!
January 5, 2019 at 8:07 pm
Jim Chaize
Thanks, Mike, for sharing about your journal of Misfit ideas. Might start my own and see what happens.
January 5, 2019 at 8:08 pm
Poupette Smith
ah, if only development flourished as readily as misfit ideas…
January 5, 2019 at 8:22 pm
Arlene Schenker
thanks for the reminder to not pre-edit story ideas when they’re just ideas.
January 5, 2019 at 8:25 pm
Lucy Staugler
Mike,
LOVE this journal idea!! This made me laugh out loud!!
January 5, 2019 at 8:31 pm
doreenrobinson
Mike, I loved this post and the thought of keeping a journal of misfit ideas! I can’t wait to get started…. and crooked farts….. OH MY GOD, I want to be inside that grandma’s head!
January 5, 2019 at 8:33 pm
SARAH Meade
Love this. Thanks for sharing and for your entertaining examples!
January 5, 2019 at 8:34 pm
Maria Marshall
“The Journal’s only goal is to safely take in every stray without judgment.” I love this statement. Just before Storystorm started, I looked at my old (PiBoIdMo) journal. Yep I have one of the original ones. It was fun to see ideas I hadn’t seen in awhile. Many ideas that will never be books – at least as they are. I think I’ll put that sentence on the cover, it’s a great reminder not to police my ideas (for writing).
January 5, 2019 at 8:35 pm
celticsea
Thanks Mike! It seems all I do is pre-edit my thoughts so I will try very hard to follow your advice and just right any misfit idea down.
January 5, 2019 at 8:47 pm
Susan Macartney
What’s not to like about the idea of a private writer’s document that encourages fearlessness, some craziness and best, unconditional acceptance until… a later date?! Refreshing – thanks Mike!
January 5, 2019 at 8:54 pm
Sandy Foster
Thanks for the great ideas. I love the idea of having a journal for any and all ideas!! I wonder…do you have a system for categorizing the ideas in any way?
January 9, 2019 at 11:28 am
heylookawriterfellow
I don’t. Reading wildly different thoughts and ideas right nex to each other, I think, can lead to unexpected creative inspiration.
January 5, 2019 at 8:57 pm
Amalia Reef
A MUCH better idea than my notes flying all around!
January 5, 2019 at 9:01 pm
Jennifer
I love this idea and I LOVE the way you write. Going to find your blog now…
January 9, 2019 at 11:29 am
heylookawriterfellow
Yay!
January 5, 2019 at 9:07 pm
Carolyn Farina
There’s no way that underqualidate isn’t a real word. 😄
January 9, 2019 at 11:29 am
heylookawriterfellow
It was my son’s invention. And I agree with you!
January 5, 2019 at 9:08 pm
picturebookplaydate
I love this idea. I’ve been meaning to keep a journal with me to start writing down ideas when they come to me but I like how all-encompassing this method is. Thank you!
January 5, 2019 at 9:14 pm
Deb Cushman
I love the idea of misfit ideas!
January 5, 2019 at 9:24 pm
Gayle Veitenheimer
Love the journal of misfit ideas! Great thought!
January 5, 2019 at 9:26 pm
Hélène Sabourin
I guess it’s not so much the ideas but it’s what you do with them
January 5, 2019 at 9:28 pm
Della Ross Ferreri
Thanks for the fun journaling idea, Mike!
January 5, 2019 at 9:36 pm
Ashley Franklin
I love journals!
January 5, 2019 at 9:43 pm
Mary Warth
Thanks for the great image Mike!
January 5, 2019 at 9:50 pm
michelemeleen
So, where do we buy replica journals? Lol!
January 5, 2019 at 9:53 pm
cravevsworld
The truth is, your ideas aren’t crazy at all. They are natural and instinctive. Looking forward to reading your organic imaginative brilliance. Thanks for motivating us!
January 9, 2019 at 11:30 am
heylookawriterfellow
Thanks for the kind words, good sir!
January 5, 2019 at 9:58 pm
Rona Shirdan
Great idea! Journals are awesome tools!
January 5, 2019 at 10:11 pm
jshaklan
No idea is too crazy to write in a journal! You never know where it might lead…
January 5, 2019 at 10:17 pm
Cathy Stenquist
I’ve collected about 25 ”gram-isms” and we keep remembering more! I often wonder what I say now that my grandkids will remember 😊
I love the idea of a journal for misfit ideas. The challenge is to not be critical and analyze them. Thanks so much!
January 5, 2019 at 10:17 pm
Michelle Kashinsky
Brilliant!! Thank you!!
January 5, 2019 at 10:23 pm
Linda KulpTrout
I love the idea of having a journal of misfit ideas!
January 5, 2019 at 10:24 pm
Leah Coleman
LOVE it! As someone who struggles with the ever-present inner critic, this is a great idea for censorship-free idea building. Thanks!
January 5, 2019 at 10:32 pm
Alexis Ennis
I love the idea of a misfit journal! Thank you.
January 5, 2019 at 10:42 pm
Natalie Lynn Tanner
MIKE: No apologies necessary–I LOVE “Rudolph the Red-nose Reindeer”; it happens to be one of my muses as well! I LOVE your idea journal being a “home for misfit ideas.” Personally, I think you have some real winners there: The Sluttiest Mennonite and The Pickle Man–I CAN’T WAIT to read/hear them! 😉 PS: Your grandma is a FANTASTIC snarky character. I look forward to meeting her in one of your books! THANK YOU for the inspiration (oh, and getting certain Christmas songs stuck in my head RIGHT AFTER I FINALLY GOT THEM OUT! Much appreciated! 😉 )!!!
January 9, 2019 at 11:32 am
heylookawriterfellow
I hum Deck The Halls year round. Fortunately my wife loves me too much to kill me.
January 5, 2019 at 10:50 pm
RebeccaTheWriter
Love it! Thanks for sharing!
January 5, 2019 at 10:50 pm
Cheryl Malandrinos
Funny and creative–love it. That Christmas movie remains one of my favorites. I was singing the song from the Island of Misfit Toys while reading your article. Thanks for the inspiration.
January 5, 2019 at 10:51 pm
melissamiles1
This is great! I wish I’d written down all the things my son (who’s on the autism spectrum) said in class when he was a kid. It seems like I’d hear them from his teachers every time I walked into the school. 🙂
January 5, 2019 at 10:54 pm
tiffanydickinson
Fantastic article. Great ideas. And what about that misfit doll? We still haven’t figured it out. I would love to have met your grandma. Thanks!
January 5, 2019 at 10:57 pm
dew
Your journal that gives you space to be Fearless Crazy is a great idea!
January 5, 2019 at 11:24 pm
Lisa Marie Murphy
I have my own version of the Misfit Journal. It’s awesome! Love being able to scrawl down my musings! Thanks Mike x
January 5, 2019 at 11:27 pm
Annie Cronin Romano
Thanks for sharing your inspiration!
January 5, 2019 at 11:53 pm
Lisa Robinson
Thanks for your post!
January 5, 2019 at 11:55 pm
susanzonca
Genius! Would like a self destruct feature if I check out, though. 😉
January 9, 2019 at 11:33 am
heylookawriterfellow
As would I!
January 6, 2019 at 12:00 am
Susanne Whitehouse
I love my journals! They sound very much like yours…every idea goes in without judgement of being “good” or “bad.” I get so much inspiration from reading back thru these from time to time. Thanks for the post. And funny thing…I teach with your cousin’s daughter and she was just telling me about you and your books the other day at recess! And now here you are popping up in my e-mail as a guest blogger!
January 6, 2019 at 12:00 am
CJ Penko
This. Is. Just. AWESOME. It’s a great reminder that you have no idea when those “brain drizzles” 😆 are going to come in handy! Fantastic post!
January 6, 2019 at 12:01 am
Susie Sawyer
I’m going to dedicate one of my journals to misfit ideas! Crooked fart ideas need a safe place with no judgment! Thank you for the idea and the laughs, Mike!
January 6, 2019 at 12:02 am
Tania Russ Hebert
This is a awesome idea. I never thought of putting misfits in a journal. Mines are just floating up above in some cloud out there. Thanks for the tip.
January 6, 2019 at 12:16 am
Marie Sanderson
Hi Mike,
Thanks for the encouragement to write down ideas that are not ready for prime time! I think revisiting them will help them to get fully formed. I have a lot of misfit ideas and I appreciate the thought that they may develop into something good.
January 6, 2019 at 12:20 am
Cynthia Harmony
Thanks for the laughs and great advice!
January 6, 2019 at 12:22 am
Heather Kelso
Thank you for your sharing your misfit journal. You never know what weird, crazy, awful ideas could lead to a finished book.
January 6, 2019 at 12:24 am
viviankirkfield
Sounds like an awesome way to break out of the box and save those quirky ideas! Thanks so much, Mike!
January 6, 2019 at 12:25 am
carol w Munro
Wow. I could barely read to the end of this post. After “…farted crooked,” I laughed ’til I cried and everything else was blurry. I’ve never been a journal keeper, but I’m starting a misfit journal now!
January 6, 2019 at 12:26 am
annjex
Perfect idea for brain dumping–and especially unedited! This is a great idea for collecting all those stray thoughts, thank you
January 6, 2019 at 12:44 am
Julia Dworschack
I’m starting my Misfit journal today!!!!!!
Thanks, I needed that!!!🤪
January 6, 2019 at 12:49 am
Keila Dawson
Oh my goodness, how fun and silly. And his grandparents! Proof there’s something we can take away from even the most ridiculous thoughts.
January 6, 2019 at 12:54 am
sunwalker2013
Endearing, to think I (a major misfit in this CPB world) could have a welcoming home. LOVE this journal of nonjudgement).
January 6, 2019 at 12:54 am
Artelle Lenthall
Thanks Mike, your Grandmother is hilarious
January 6, 2019 at 12:56 am
Terri Sabol
I love the idea of adding quotes and non-perfect ideas to my journal. Thanks!
January 6, 2019 at 12:57 am
Emily Wayne (@heyemilywayne)
I love the idea of a Journal of Misfit Ideas!
January 6, 2019 at 1:01 am
Heather Stigall
I have a place to write down things I’ve heard & crazy thoughts, & I look at it sometimes (often during StoryStorm month) for inspiration. Love the quote from your grandparents!
January 6, 2019 at 1:09 am
Lori Alexander
Great suggestions! I like how you sort idea goodness from badness at a later date. Thanks for the tip!
January 6, 2019 at 1:11 am
Jennifer Hunt
This is awesome-made me giggle! And the title for the journal-genius! So fitting!
January 6, 2019 at 1:16 am
Nancy Riley
Your journal is a forever StoryStorm! Thanks for feeding my imagination!
January 6, 2019 at 2:01 am
stephaniewildman
Thank you. Very liberating
January 6, 2019 at 2:06 am
Liz Healey
Today’s Idea: Ms. Fits Outfits, Oohlala!
January 6, 2019 at 2:33 am
Patrese Fischer
Great motivation to not edit ideas or dismiss things that aren’t perfect or conventional. Write it down and accept it as is. Who knows what that could inspire in the future. And PS … I think we all would want to hang out with your grandma!
January 6, 2019 at 2:54 am
Michelle Kogan Art, Illustration, & Writing
Good idea to return to our journals for story seeds–it’s there waiting for us… Thanks!
January 6, 2019 at 2:55 am
Helen Matthews
Thanks Mike, can never reminded enough of the importance of the uncensored journal. Was reminded of it by my 9-year-old too – they now teach that at her school!!!
January 6, 2019 at 4:06 am
Johnell DeWitt
Well I don’t feel so bad about some of my journal entries now either :).
January 6, 2019 at 4:36 am
freda lewkowicz
Thank you.
January 6, 2019 at 5:27 am
Clare Juliet Clare Bell
Time to rename my book with ideas in. I officially now have a Journal of Misft Ideas! Thanks.
January 6, 2019 at 5:32 am
David Bernardy
Thanks, Mike. I love sketchbooks and notebooks, seeing how people work through their initial ideas. It’s like the archeology of creativity.
January 6, 2019 at 5:36 am
Juanita
I need to get back to my morning journaling. I’m so here for this.
January 6, 2019 at 8:14 am
Mardi Edwards
Thanks for the encouragement to journal those wonderful misfit ideas. Time to get silly.
January 6, 2019 at 8:29 am
Laura Hancock
Great reminder of the purpose of the journal-all ideas…the good, the bad & the ugly. Love your grandmas use of language.
January 6, 2019 at 8:34 am
Katie B
Thanks for sharing! Who wouldn’t want to read Everybody’s Favorite Book now? Lol
January 6, 2019 at 8:42 am
Deborah Cuneo
I love the idea of a journal where I can just brain dump whatever. And…I would have loved to meet your Grandma! Thanks for sharing!!
January 6, 2019 at 8:55 am
aliciaminor
Yes, listen to what everybody says because you never know what idea will come out of it. May we welcome ourselves to your world of misfit ideas where all the fun things begin…
January 6, 2019 at 9:00 am
jheitman22
Thank you for permission to write down anything, no matter how dumb or crude or weird it seems at the time!
January 6, 2019 at 9:06 am
Connie L Van Horn
Love it! Thank you!
January 6, 2019 at 9:19 am
Alicia
Love this! Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
January 6, 2019 at 9:27 am
Shel ledrew
Thanks for the freedom.
January 6, 2019 at 9:52 am
Carolyn Currier
Thank you for sharing your misfit ideas. Robo-dragon-pie sounds fascinating. I have always loved the island of misfit toys.
January 6, 2019 at 10:00 am
Kay lalone
great post
January 6, 2019 at 10:11 am
justinrcolon
I have a similar journal of ideas, though it’s name isn’t as cool… Okay, so the cover isn’t as cool either. Hopefully the ideas are though.
January 6, 2019 at 10:18 am
Rebecca Colby
Your grandmother should be cloned! And love the misfit ideas journal! Thanks for sharing!
January 6, 2019 at 10:30 am
Natalie Banker
I love everything about this post! Thank you, Mike :0)
January 6, 2019 at 10:37 am
Nadine Poper
Thank you for the laugh, Mike!!! I am an elementary librarian and your books are going on my next book order!
January 9, 2019 at 11:37 am
heylookawriterfellow
Thank you!
If your school’s in New Jersey, I’ll sign them for you.
January 6, 2019 at 10:41 am
Jen Kraar
I welcome a reason to embrace my misfit ideas – I love this process! Thanks.
January 6, 2019 at 10:42 am
Ana Crespo
Love the journal idea!
January 6, 2019 at 10:42 am
LaurenKerstein
I love the idea of writing without judgment– of setting aside fear and writing every idea down in the Misfit Journal to have and to hold forever. Yes! encouraging our brains to go in weird and unexpected directions is a wonderful thing… well, except when you’re sitting in a dark movie theater watching Mary Poppins and suddenly ideas fly into your mind like dry leaves in the wind. There is nothing quite like pulling out a pad of paper and writing ideas down in the dark. I think I missed a bit of the movie, but it was worth it!
January 6, 2019 at 10:54 am
Midge Ballou Smith
Thank you!
January 6, 2019 at 11:01 am
mlflannigan
LOVE your journal 🙂 Thanks for sharing!
January 6, 2019 at 11:18 am
Meilssa Chupp
I love the comment about not pre-editing or overthinking!
January 6, 2019 at 11:24 am
colleenrkosinski
Love your grandma’s quotes!
January 6, 2019 at 11:24 am
Linda Norman-Lyman
I love the idea of writing everything down, good or bad. It just sparked an idea. Thanks!
January 6, 2019 at 11:24 am
Kaylynn Johnsen
Nothing is too crazy, love it. A safe space for ideas. 😂
January 6, 2019 at 11:28 am
chrisynthia
Your grandma sounds amazing! Looking right now to order Everyones Favorite book. Thanks for making me chuckle this morning.
January 9, 2019 at 11:38 am
heylookawriterfellow
Hooray! Thanks!
January 6, 2019 at 11:36 am
Therese Kay
I love this idea! I got like five blank journals for Christmas. One is about to become a misfit!!
January 6, 2019 at 11:45 am
Ashley Bankhead
I love this post so much! I was very inspired after reading this. Thank you for sharing how you collect and get some of your ideas. I’m now ready to collect my own misfit ideas!
January 6, 2019 at 11:50 am
Laurie Bouck
I love your idea of calling it “The Journal of Misfit Ideas”! It will remind me that anything goes and no one else will see it. Thanks for sharing!
January 6, 2019 at 12:07 pm
megcason1
I absolutely love this perspective!!
January 6, 2019 at 12:13 pm
Zoraida Rivera
I journal, but I never saw it this way! I need to send my critic away…and I have the beach so near! I did send an unwanted character to roam my island on a poem. There’s so much to see!
January 6, 2019 at 12:18 pm
KRISTINA CASTILLO
My journal feels the same way.
January 6, 2019 at 12:45 pm
Pat Miller
Who knew wacky and misfit could be my next story? Thanks for the entertaining post.
January 6, 2019 at 1:21 pm
LeeAnn Rizzuti
Your Misfit Journal idea is great, Mike. But your grandma is a genuine hoot.
January 6, 2019 at 1:27 pm
Gail Hedrick
Fearless Crazy seems like a great start for a year-thanks for a super post, and congrats on your continued success!
January 6, 2019 at 1:35 pm
krbatti
It is easy for a journal to become too precious and too edited, so I love the acknowledgment that any idea can and should live in it.
January 6, 2019 at 1:36 pm
sallie wolf
I love the idea of a journal of misfit ideas. I keep a notebook of story ideas and have sometimes challenged myself to think of a truly bad idea. Sometimes these are the most productive.
January 6, 2019 at 1:49 pm
Jarmila Kurucova
Neurones on the loose! Love it! 😉
January 6, 2019 at 1:50 pm
setwiggs
I’m starting a Journal of Misfitt Ideas today! I hope I win one of your books filled with crazy and delicious characters!
January 6, 2019 at 2:22 pm
jaclynsmiller
Misfit ideas. Fun!
January 6, 2019 at 2:59 pm
Vicky Howard
Yes, yes, yes–nothing off limits!
January 6, 2019 at 3:09 pm
kathydoherty1
I like Mike’s advice to get a bit crazy and outrageous! Will do!
January 6, 2019 at 3:17 pm
Anna Levin
Love the journal idea. Just might start my own. Thanks!!!!
January 6, 2019 at 3:31 pm
Joan Swanson
Your grandmother had a real sense of humor! Thanks for the wonderful idea of jotting everything down, no judgement, to later use.
January 6, 2019 at 3:42 pm
Cathy Ogren
I would love to read your Journal of Misfit Ideas!
January 9, 2019 at 11:39 am
heylookawriterfellow
You may not! 😉
January 6, 2019 at 3:57 pm
Kaitlyn Leann Sanchez
Bahahahahha! I love the ideas, especially the Candyman song for pickles, I Lol-ed! I especially enjoyed the lead up to the story that did come from journal, nice!
January 6, 2019 at 4:15 pm
Rhonda Whitaker
Just got a great idea from your post! Added it to my growing list. Thank you!!! ☀️
January 6, 2019 at 4:37 pm
Le Anne Brown
I like the NAME of your journal. It fits. 🙂
January 6, 2019 at 5:17 pm
Dayne Sislen, Children's Book Illustrator
Love your misfit ideas. Your grandmother sounds like my hilarious mother-in-law, we never knew what was going to come out of her mouth either. Got to love um.
January 6, 2019 at 6:00 pm
Sarah Noble
So fun! I like to do this with the notes app on my phone.
January 6, 2019 at 6:17 pm
Genevieve Petrillo
I think you’re smart to keep that Misfit Idea Journal private. Just sayin’. Did the Dragon Robot switch from part pirate to part PIE? I see pie. I love pie.
January 6, 2019 at 6:21 pm
Brittney Kauffman
I can’t wait to start my journal! I’m sure I’ll have PLENTY of ideas to put in it
January 6, 2019 at 6:51 pm
Amber Webb
Not editing my ideas is the HARDEST thing for me. I defeat myself before I start. But perhaps, if I titled my journal something more like misfit ideas instead of something more formal, I could just get them out on paper without struggle and edits! Thanks for the idea!
January 6, 2019 at 7:37 pm
debbiemccue
Thanks for your suggestion. I love your idea of keeping a journal of misfits and crazy ideas.
January 6, 2019 at 7:54 pm
Chelle Martin
Keeping a book for story ideas is great. I started doing that after writing things on pieces of paper and little note pads. Now they’re all in one spot.
January 6, 2019 at 7:56 pm
Robin Robb-Kraus
I enjoyed reading your blog entry and The Island of Misfit Toys immediately came to mind before I read that was where you were heading =>) I think this is such a great idea to use in the classroom with students too…. for all subject areas! Today I went boating with my hubby and Doodle dog and came up with some nautical misfit story ideas! Thanks much!!
January 6, 2019 at 8:01 pm
Vicki Wilke
Taking in every stray without judgement! Yes. Love the misfit journal – got a couple of ideas for mine! Thanks Mike
January 6, 2019 at 8:05 pm
Bettie Boswell
I love that your journal is a place for for misfit ideas to find their home. I will keep this practice in mind as I journal.
January 6, 2019 at 8:14 pm
Maria J Cuesta
Great post. I have a messy box with ideas. A journal sounds nice to have.
Thank you!
January 6, 2019 at 9:14 pm
Susan Schade
Day 5: Brainstorm journal! Thanks for sharing!
January 6, 2019 at 9:20 pm
Elizabeth Kuelbs
I hope your grandmother writes books too:) Thank you for the inspiration and laughs!
January 6, 2019 at 9:34 pm
Robin Perkins
We are like souls. I, too, keep a book of quirky things, weird observations, and oddly compelling fart comments. But I’m not very practiced at setting them free to become stories. Thanks for the inspiration!
January 6, 2019 at 9:37 pm
Judy Sobanski (@jkspburg)
Your grandmother’s comments made me LOL! I love the idea of a no-holds- barred journal of ideas!! Definitely going to try it!
January 6, 2019 at 9:40 pm
Nicole Loos Miller (@beautify_life)
Oh mu goodness – thank you for sharing your grandmother’s comments with the world. And your insight on ways to get ideas out there without judgement!
January 6, 2019 at 11:08 pm
Krista Maxwell
Thanks for the tip!
January 6, 2019 at 11:14 pm
Stephen S. Martin
There are no bad ideas except the decision not to write down all ideas.
January 6, 2019 at 11:33 pm
Carol Angels Khan
Dear Mike, your Grandma made me think of Billy Crystal’s Grandma. He (Said he) was young and visiting with his new wife and they all had to share the bed. Gran let one go and they were trying to suppress their giggles when she said “and that don’t smell like roses.” Obviously a treasured memory of wonderful, honest, uproarious bonding that remained in his memory. You have a great gift in your gran. Thanks for sharing. xx
January 6, 2019 at 11:35 pm
Rani Iyer
This is so much fun! Thanks!
January 6, 2019 at 11:41 pm
Christine Pinto
Thanks for the great post! I finally have a place to put all those things my father in law says!
January 7, 2019 at 12:02 am
DB Cote
I liked your statement, “Nothing is too stupid for the Journal. Nothing.” Thank you.
January 7, 2019 at 12:02 am
Katie Giorgio
Thank you for sharing!
January 7, 2019 at 12:04 am
Teresa Robeson
I wish I had a grandma as funny as Mike’s 😂 But I do have my own version of a Misfits Journal.
January 7, 2019 at 12:31 am
Sara Fajardo
Thanks for sharing your grandmother’s quips, a hysterical reminder to capture it all, anything can be an inspiration for a story.
January 7, 2019 at 12:40 am
Loralee Petersen
I rely on my journal, too. It seems to be the place where all my stories begin. As well as a whole lotta unusable stuff, but oh, well.
January 7, 2019 at 12:47 am
Jabeen Chawdhry
Thank you for sharing!
January 7, 2019 at 1:49 am
Dawn Prochovnic
I’m usually pretty good about writing down my wacky ideas, but not nearly as good at writing down things people around me say or do. I need to make a point to get better at this. Thanks for the post!
January 7, 2019 at 7:20 am
Meli Glickman
I am loving your grandmother’s nuggets of wisdom! And her grandson has a huge batch of wisdom nuggets, too… even more picture book ready! Many thanks for sharing and for sharing with such fun humor!
January 7, 2019 at 7:52 am
vijikc
Time to find a journal for my missfit ideas! Thank you
January 7, 2019 at 8:33 am
Jo Jo
Oh what fun! A Misfit journal(: Great idea!
January 7, 2019 at 9:16 am
Helen
Fantastic idea, thanks!
January 7, 2019 at 10:15 am
Lynn Baldwin
Your grandma sounds like a hoot!!
January 7, 2019 at 10:16 am
Writer on the run
Well I’m a little backwards and am finally getting to this post on Day 7. Travel just upends everything. But, thank you so much for reminding me to get back to writing down all those random, strange ideas as well as comments. My daughter has a quote book that she writes in religiously, and then publishes on social media at the end of the year. I can forego the publishing part, but I hope in December I can page through my journal and have a good laugh!
January 7, 2019 at 10:22 am
tanjabauerle
You had me in stitches when I read your grandma’s quotes. Love it. Thank you for a great post. T
January 7, 2019 at 10:28 am
Nicole Turner
I love the misfits journal idea. Brain drizzles is a fabulous phrase. Thank you so much for your post.
January 7, 2019 at 10:45 am
marsha e wright
You identified me, Mike. Right now, I’m a “misfit.”I just ended my “normal career path” (if there is such a thing). I’ve retired from teaching public school and being the English Department Head at our local college and from working as an educational developer for the former Frank Schaffer Publications. Now I’m in the Retirement Twilight Zone of my years. My heart has always beat louder when I’ve been writing, so I’m in my first year diving headfirst into the publishing pool. I can paper my walls with rejection letters. Yet at a SCBWI Regional Conference KS/MO, Alistair Heim REALLY liked one of my PB manuscripts! Soooooo….I continue to dog paddle my way to publishing. Thank you for your journal ideas, recording without censorship. Brilliantlyfreeing idea!
January 7, 2019 at 10:45 am
Vicky Ford
Brilliant!! A journal just for my brains wonky wanderings. Thanks for that one!
January 7, 2019 at 11:12 am
andreesantini
I am starting my misfit journal today. Thanks for sharing
January 7, 2019 at 11:21 am
mariagianferrari
Great post, Mike!! It’s so important that we don’t censor our thoughts, even if they’re bizarre–you never know!
January 7, 2019 at 11:21 am
storycatcherpublishing
I like the idea of a misfit journal and “Fearless Crazy” conjures up all sorts of picture book ideas…lol…
Great post!
January 7, 2019 at 11:22 am
alisongoldberg
Great post! Thank you!
January 7, 2019 at 11:23 am
nadinesyummies
What a fun way to record ideas. I’m sure I could come up with a few of my grandmother’s quotes to start mine off!
January 7, 2019 at 11:44 am
Penny Parker Klostermann
Thanks for the inspiration, Mike! I keep a similar document. Everything goes in! Everything AND the kitchen sink!
Love the humor in this post!
January 7, 2019 at 12:06 pm
Tracey Brown
“I don’t pre-edit my thoughts.” Love this line. Thanks for the post, Mike!
January 7, 2019 at 12:11 pm
Rebecca Van Slyke
Finally! A place for my “What WERE you thinking??” ideas to live!
*runs to get journal*
January 7, 2019 at 12:21 pm
Kassy Keppol
Thank you
January 7, 2019 at 12:50 pm
Margaret Greanias
I love the idea of a journal of misfit ideas. I’m definitely going to start my own. Thanks for the inspiration!
January 7, 2019 at 12:51 pm
Jenny Boyd
I love:
A. the phrase “brain drizzle.”
B. your grandma’s comments.
C. this journal in general.
D. all of the above.
(The correct answer is D.)
January 7, 2019 at 12:59 pm
Angie
And NOW…the song for the Island of Misfit Toys is stuck in my head! Oh, no! Other than that, great MISFIT journal ideas! 🙂 Thanks!
January 7, 2019 at 1:01 pm
Daryl Gottier
Love it! And I want to meet Grandma!!
January 7, 2019 at 1:09 pm
David Bernardy
Thanks so much. I’m a notebook-sketchbook keeper, too, and though there are times I feel like I am writing complete rubbish, there are always real treasures lurking just under the surface of those pages. Sometimes it takes a little distance, or time, or a change of setting or mood to bring it out.
January 7, 2019 at 1:16 pm
Shawna J Tenney
I love this. I need to not be afraid to write down my messy misfit ideas and all the funny things that go on around me. I need to remind myself that mess1y ideas that aren’t fully formed may lead to good ideas. Thanks for this post
January 7, 2019 at 1:29 pm
Elizabeth Saba
I never titled my notebooks before but thanks for the ideas. I look forward to reading your books.
January 7, 2019 at 1:57 pm
Anna E. Jordan
Thanks for this.
January 7, 2019 at 1:59 pm
Jennifer Parker Raudenbush
Hilarious post! Thank you
January 7, 2019 at 2:02 pm
naturewalkwithgod
We watched all of *Rudolph* this year, not the edited for TV commercials version. Suddenly, the Misfit toys make a lot more sense. 🙂 Hope I can say the same for the misfit ideas you inspired me to start documenting. Thank you! –Kim
January 7, 2019 at 2:06 pm
Brittanny Handiboe
Yep! Sketchbooks are great for doodling ideas too :3
January 7, 2019 at 2:19 pm
Jackie Kruzie
I love the concept of not pre-editing thoughts. I do that too often. I struggle to simple let ideas flow without examining each one for suitability. A misfit journal sounds like something I need in my life. Thank you for your advice!
January 7, 2019 at 2:22 pm
Kathryn Jean Hagen
I love the idea for a misfit journal where I purposely don’t over think ideas that pop into my mind. Thank you!
Kathryn
January 7, 2019 at 2:38 pm
Jen Bagan
Thanks Mike! Think I might start my own misfit journal (yeah, and what the heck WAS that doll’s issue?)
January 7, 2019 at 2:49 pm
sandrabyrdlawson
Great post!
January 7, 2019 at 3:03 pm
Patti Ranson
Time to give those ideas a home outside of my head!
January 7, 2019 at 3:41 pm
Susan Orton
I love your idea of a misfit journal! It sounds fun, healthy and a great way to build your ideas. Thanks so much!
January 7, 2019 at 3:48 pm
CindyC
Wow – what an interesting post! Hope someone wrote down “overqualidate” in their idea journal this weekend.
Cindy
January 7, 2019 at 4:13 pm
RaeMcDonald
Oh my gosh…you just snapped me back to remembering what fun kids and authors find in books and in ideas that make their way into our journals. This is a must: FUN for kids! Thank you!
January 7, 2019 at 5:02 pm
Teresa Klepinger
My Storystorm journal just got a page called “Misfit Ideas.” Thanks!
January 7, 2019 at 5:03 pm
Tracy Molitors
Thanks, Mike -speaking as one who is chock full of misfit ideas, I appreciate the title (and the validation)!
January 7, 2019 at 5:04 pm
Carolyne Ruck
I like the idea of a home for wayward thoughts! And humorous conversation. Thanks so much.
January 7, 2019 at 5:27 pm
Sue Niemann
Thanks for the inspiration with some Robo-Dragon Pie on top!
January 7, 2019 at 5:58 pm
gingermeurer
And now I want to read about The Pickle Man! Thanks for giving us a glimpse at your journal.
January 7, 2019 at 6:01 pm
Jilanne Hoffmann
You, sir, have way too many ideas to fit into a single journal. I’m thinking you’re the Encyclopedia Brittanica of ideas. Just sayin’….
January 7, 2019 at 6:01 pm
Amy Newbold
Love the idea of keeping a journal for all of those “misfit” thoughts. Thanks for the insights.
January 7, 2019 at 6:15 pm
Donna Gwinnell Lambo-Weidner
Priceless! Would you also ask your grandmother to come live with me a few days and rain her priceless wisdom on me? Thanks for sharing.
January 7, 2019 at 7:00 pm
Christine Fleming McIsaac
Thanks for sharing a peek of your journal! It helps to know we’re not alone in our misfit ideas.
January 7, 2019 at 7:31 pm
Francoise
From one Misfit to another – thanks!
January 7, 2019 at 7:36 pm
Elizabeth Duncan
I would love to meet your Grandmother.
January 7, 2019 at 7:55 pm
laura516
No censoring! Got it. 🙂
January 7, 2019 at 7:58 pm
lorisherritt
Love Grandma’s quotes! Every misfit fits somewhere!
January 7, 2019 at 8:58 pm
Trine Grillo
Hilarious! The misfit journal idea is golden. And yes, there must be several stories waiting to be written on the Island of Misfit Toys.
January 7, 2019 at 9:37 pm
Diana Calio
Ha! Now you’re making me wonder what my German grandmother was muttering when we were just out of earshot! Thanks for the Misfit Journal idea, Mike 🙂
January 7, 2019 at 9:44 pm
ThisKidReviewsBooks
This post is gold – I always carry around a small notebook full of ideas. I’m glad to know I’m not the only crazy one! 😉
January 7, 2019 at 9:59 pm
writeforapples1
Thanks for sharing!
January 7, 2019 at 10:30 pm
Monica Stoltzfus
Mike!
What a post- thank you for the inspiration and courage to jot down the ridiculous comments heard throughout my day… 🤪
January 7, 2019 at 10:37 pm
Lydia Lukidis
Great ideas!
January 7, 2019 at 10:59 pm
Sheila Hausbeck
I know just the notebook to use for my new idea journal, thanks!
January 7, 2019 at 11:09 pm
Tiffany Painter
I love the pen name, your Roy L. Hinuss.
January 7, 2019 at 11:19 pm
Chris M. Regier
You had me at “The Sluttiest Mennonite.” Hah!
January 7, 2019 at 11:36 pm
Patricia Toht
I love the freedom of your journal, Mike. I often self-edit before an idea even gets jotted down on the page, so I definitely need to loosen up!
January 8, 2019 at 12:39 am
Cindy E. Owens
The Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer movies are my FAVORITE part of the holiday season. I love, love, love Rudolph! He’s so cute!
I love your Misfits journal. 🙂 And, your grandmother is hilarious! She sounds like she’s a spunky grandma. 🙂
January 8, 2019 at 1:03 am
Michelle Sumovich
Wow. Ideas really are everywhere. Like a pb ms about Mennonite women fighting the patriarchy.
January 8, 2019 at 2:28 am
kimgjolly
This post is great- Now I know what all my late night drafts are called! Including my rewritten nursery rhymes to current events like hurricanes and whatnot. Farting in the bathtub had been called a “Dirty bubble” since my daughter was 2.
January 8, 2019 at 2:42 am
Nancy Kotkin (@Brave_New_Words)
A unique twist on the writer’s journal.
January 8, 2019 at 10:08 am
Lisa M Griffin (@LisaMGriffinArt)
I need to have tea with that Grandma! 🙂
January 8, 2019 at 11:44 am
jessica shaw
Ha! Your grandma is a funny lady, Mike! Thanks for this fun post!
January 8, 2019 at 12:07 pm
Jay
Clever idea, love it!
January 8, 2019 at 12:27 pm
Carrie Kruck
“Fearless crazy” – that’s a great goal!
January 8, 2019 at 12:44 pm
joyceschr
I keep a folder in Evernote on my phone for my misfit ideas. Always handy. And my phone doesn’t judge me. 🙂
January 8, 2019 at 1:58 pm
Beth Stewart
I used to have a notebook of ideas. Now when they come to me (often in the car), I dictate a note into my phone. It doesn’t always translate properly 😳 but perhaps there’s a whacky gem in one of them!
January 8, 2019 at 4:29 pm
rachel
Thanks for the delightful idea. ☺
January 8, 2019 at 4:29 pm
Sandy Perlic
I love this idea! I have a Storystorm notebook for every year I’ve participated, but other ideas throughout the year often end up in random places. It would be great to have one place for all those ideas. Thanks for a great–and witty–post!
January 8, 2019 at 5:21 pm
Maria Bostian
I love journaling. Tried an Excel document last year, but wasn’t for me. Going to back to pen and paper and wild, crazy ideas for 2019! Thanks for the inspiration.
January 8, 2019 at 5:59 pm
Diane Tulloch
So hilarious! Would love to meet your Grandma Mike! Love the Weird ideas journal.
January 8, 2019 at 7:53 pm
kjerstenhayes
It’s like a journal full of Brainstorm. Love it! Thanks.
January 8, 2019 at 8:16 pm
Christine Irvin
I think I need a journal of misfit ideas, too!
January 8, 2019 at 8:36 pm
jennagrodzicki
This post had me cracking up! I have a similar journal I take everywhere, so I have a spot to jot down ideas when inspiration strikes.
January 8, 2019 at 10:56 pm
Amy Bradshaw
I journal everywhere – but not in one place. Maybe I need to gather all of my ideas and put them in one notebook. Great idea!
January 8, 2019 at 11:12 pm
Becky Scharnhorst
Thanks for the laugh, Mike! And for the great advice. 🙂
January 8, 2019 at 11:24 pm
Joannie Duris
Mike, love your journal of misfit ideas. It’s like a junk drawer for our brain. You never know what might be the spark for our next story. It might even be stranger than the adventures of a Robo-Dragon Pie character. Although that will be tough to beat.
January 9, 2019 at 12:35 am
kmajor2013
I have several notebooks with ideas, sketches, and all sorts stuff. I plan on pulling them out to help with this challenge. Thanks for reminding me, Mike!
January 9, 2019 at 6:30 am
Angela De Groot
Thanks for sharing your journaling process, Mike.
January 9, 2019 at 11:01 am
Anne Appert
I carry around a notebook with me at all times (and sometimes 3 or 5 notebooks, ha!). My favorite is one that actually fits in my pocket. I just got pocket sized pens to go with it too! Thank you for this humorous post. It’s a good reminder to take the notebook out of the pocket to write down stray thoughts and ideas!
January 9, 2019 at 12:05 pm
aidantalkin
Love this – get it down, let it all in… editing is for later. My notebooks of Storystorms/PiBoIdMos of past years has grown into a tower of unedited misfit ideas kept year-round – and what a treasure!
January 9, 2019 at 12:52 pm
cath jones
thanks for sharing your method. What one overhears is a gold mine!
January 9, 2019 at 1:14 pm
Anita
Thank you for the notebook reminder!
January 9, 2019 at 3:57 pm
Wendy
I need to belong to a funnier family. Hug your grandparents for me. Thanks for reminding me to jot down the gems that I usually forget.
January 9, 2019 at 4:30 pm
Sara Pistulka Weingartner
Oh my gosh, your post is so funny!! Thank you for taking the time to write and share, and reminding me to write uncensored somewhere… just to get out whatever is floating around in there.
January 9, 2019 at 6:10 pm
Marcie Rinka Wessels
I love that you’ve given me an excuse to indulge in my notebook obsession!
January 9, 2019 at 7:38 pm
Kathy Sholtys
Wow, you’re grandma gave you many colorful phrases! Lucky you:)
January 9, 2019 at 10:00 pm
Karen Lawler
My mothers words keep coming out of my mouth even though I swore ,as a kid, they never would! Good words for story starters
January 10, 2019 at 12:01 am
Tasha Hilderman
Journal of misfit ideas? Brain drizzles? The sluttiest mennonite? I discovered things in this post I never could have anticipated. Thanks!
January 10, 2019 at 9:45 am
kaleegwarjanski
I love my idea journal
January 10, 2019 at 11:45 am
Melissa Stoller
I love the idea of a misfit journal with no judgement at all! Great post!
January 10, 2019 at 12:59 pm
LAUREN BARBIERI
Just love it!
January 10, 2019 at 3:00 pm
Lisa Riddiough
I think my journal is already the journal of misfit ideas, I just didn’t realize it. Thanks for this, Mike.
January 10, 2019 at 4:19 pm
rgstones
“Take in every stray without judgment.” I love that.
January 10, 2019 at 9:13 pm
Naomi Gruer
I have a box for misfit ideas. Names, ideas, thoughts on scraps of paper–lots of scraps of paper!
January 10, 2019 at 11:26 pm
Dani Duck
I love that you have all that in your journal. I do have a lot of weird things in my journal, but I need to put more in there. Thanks for all the great ideas!
January 11, 2019 at 12:05 am
Sensitive and Extraordinary Kids
Oh my goodness, you’re grandmother! What a great source of inspiration she is. Thank you for this great post. I will, from this day forward, unleash my strangest ideas and allow them to live in the pages of a secret journal. They deserve at least that much.
January 11, 2019 at 12:33 am
topangamaria
FEARLESS CRAZY is a lovely place to kickstart brain drizzles. INSPIRING!
January 11, 2019 at 6:28 am
Linda Hofke
I love the idea of a Journal of Misfit Ideas. I have so many of these sort of ideas. I just may start my own Misfit journal.
And your grandma sounds like lots of fun.
Thanks for sharing.
January 11, 2019 at 7:35 am
Mindy Alyse Weiss
I’m still laughing at the things your grandma said. I’m glad you jotted them down! Now you need to write upper MG or YA so you can use them. 🙂
Thanks for the misfit journal info. It’s a great idea! I jot down all my Storystorm ideas in January, but when ideas hit during the rest of the year they usually end up on scraps of paper that I find when I stop writing, revising, and critiquing long enough to clean my desk (which kind of isn’t too often).
January 11, 2019 at 4:09 pm
Julie Rand
Same here, Mindy! And I cleaned my desk on Jan 3rd, but apparently it’s a magnet for paper as it’s covered again. Lol
January 11, 2019 at 9:32 am
Sarah Maynard (@SarahDMaynard)
This is fantastic! No judgement, just ideas/thoughts. Perfect.
January 11, 2019 at 9:48 am
Nicole Strangman
I have my own run-on list of PB “ideas”.Thank you for honoring even the most random ones.
January 11, 2019 at 12:35 pm
shanah salter
love idea journals!
January 11, 2019 at 4:07 pm
Julie Rand
I wish I could keep one journal with my at all times but for some reason my journal becomes separate pieces of paper. Sometimes it’s even a Mc Donald’s bag. It works. Congratulations on your books.
January 11, 2019 at 7:11 pm
Carrie Finison
Yay for journals. Boo on judgement. Thanks for the reminder!
January 12, 2019 at 9:58 am
Johna Nicole Rossetti
Mike, those wild and crazy “misfit” ideas can lead to some fun book ideas; you are proof of that! Thanks!
January 12, 2019 at 12:10 pm
Maritza M. Mejía
Great idea about the journal. Thank you, Mike!
January 12, 2019 at 5:28 pm
Melissa Mwai
I love misfit journal idea too . Thanks for sharing mike!
January 12, 2019 at 7:58 pm
Janet Halfmann
Love the idea of a misfit idea journal.
January 12, 2019 at 11:27 pm
Jennifer Broedel (@JBroedelAuthor)
I have one of those catch-all journals, too! God bless it, it takes in every stray that escapes my mind.
January 12, 2019 at 11:28 pm
Stephanie Lau
I laughed out loud when I reached “The Sluttiest Mennonite” – you should turn it into a novelty picture book for adults.
January 13, 2019 at 12:26 am
Erin Le Clerc
I’ve picked up a journal and I’m raring to go 🙂
January 13, 2019 at 2:03 pm
KATHY Z.PRICE
Thanks Pickle man
January 13, 2019 at 2:10 pm
Barb Ostapina
What a fitting misfit idea, Mike! Thanks
January 13, 2019 at 5:04 pm
Shereen S.
LOL Grandma is sassy! And The Sluttiest Mennonite! Sounds like a TLC reality show. Oh my word…this post was funny. Thank you.
January 14, 2019 at 2:28 pm
Judy Bryan
I’d love to meet your grandma! I journal my ideas all the time. I like that you read them when you’re too tired to write but want to stay in a writerly frame of mind. Great idea!
January 15, 2019 at 12:06 am
Carolyn Kraft
Love the Journal of Misfit Ideas! Thanks for the inspiration. Also, please write a book about your Grandma, PLEASE!
January 15, 2019 at 3:02 am
Susan Cabael
Chapstick on butt crack? Now there’s an image that’ll be stuck in my head for a while! 😀
January 15, 2019 at 2:00 pm
Anne Young
Cracking ideas in your journal.
Fearless crazy is a great concept.
January 16, 2019 at 12:14 am
Kelly Rice Schmitt
I love the title of your journal– it’s a keeper! And you certainly get some of your wit from your Grandmother. She’s a gem! Thank you for sharing your process and a bit of your lowpoints too — we all have them.
January 16, 2019 at 12:15 am
Andrew Lefebvre
I love this! I try to jot down all ideas- even those admittedly nuts. This might only be funny to me but they also may shift into something else.
January 16, 2019 at 11:49 am
Susan Tuggy
Such a great journal! I love the thought of re-reading TJOMI for your own amusement.
January 16, 2019 at 2:08 pm
Lou
Maybe this will help me sail away from the island of misfit unpublished writers…
January 16, 2019 at 4:12 pm
Janine Johns
Thank you for this post. Sometimes I dismiss ideas that seem too wacky. Not anymore!
January 17, 2019 at 1:38 pm
Cassie Bentley
I love your grandmothers quotes. I think I’ll use one in conversation and see what happens. A no-judgement idea journal is a great idea.
January 17, 2019 at 11:25 pm
Jill M Proctor
I love your journal idea – and your misfitting ideas! Thanks for the idea!
January 18, 2019 at 12:39 pm
imagination4lf
Oh wow! I can’t wait to start a Journal of Misfit Ideas and have a good laugh when I need inspiration. Thank you.
January 19, 2019 at 2:24 am
aturner513
Thank you for a great post. I have a lot of misfit ideas I think
January 19, 2019 at 4:51 pm
readstuffnwrite
I have a lot of misfit ideas that end up in written in weird places. Maybe I should start a book like this!
January 20, 2019 at 10:41 am
cantsing1
Definitely fun! You should have heard my grandma!
January 20, 2019 at 11:43 am
dlapmandi
Such a wonderful idea not to edit our ideas, scribbles and dialogue in our journal.
January 20, 2019 at 1:10 pm
Dianne
I love the Island of Misfit Toys! Thanks for reminding me of it. Love this idea.
January 20, 2019 at 2:56 pm
Doris k Stone
I’m excited to give a misfit journal a try. Thank you, Mike
January 20, 2019 at 3:26 pm
thesheilster
After reading your post, I feel more freedom to write anything in my notebook. Thanks!
January 20, 2019 at 4:22 pm
donnacangelosi
Thanks for this fun, inspiring post! I have so many misfit ideas!
January 20, 2019 at 11:46 pm
Lori Z
I have the same kind of journal, but like your name much better 😉
January 21, 2019 at 12:32 am
Angela H. Dale
Your grandmother sounds great! I think I’ll channel my grandmother and see where that takes me – she would have written one crazy journal, that’s for sure.
January 21, 2019 at 6:56 am
Rick Starkey
Love the misfit ideas idea. Thanks for sharing part of your process.
January 22, 2019 at 12:49 am
Hillary Homzie
Calling it a misfit journal takes the pressure off! Love it!
January 22, 2019 at 2:21 am
thedandelionzoo
Thanks for the great idea to name my idea journal!
January 22, 2019 at 5:01 pm
Paula VanEnkevort
Great journal idea. Thank you!
January 22, 2019 at 11:05 pm
Rebecca Herzog
I Love This Idea! I have a place I keep all my ideas, but I seem to change it up every Year. I need to try to keep it all in one place
January 22, 2019 at 11:45 pm
sharongiltrow
I have lots of journals but I like the idea of just having one journal for misfit ideas :-).
January 24, 2019 at 9:09 pm
annettepimentel
Wow. I need a journal like this.
January 25, 2019 at 6:11 pm
J.D. Silverwood (@jdsilverwood)
I’ve kept my journal on my phone but I really should use a physical journal like yours. Thanks for sharing!!!
January 26, 2019 at 10:26 pm
Robyn Campbell
You crack me up. But I also have found an idea from a Christmas cartoon.Great minds think alike? At least yours is. Thanks so much.
January 29, 2019 at 12:39 pm
Marie Powell
I keep a journal and this post inspires me to do more with it — or rather, in it. Thanks!
January 29, 2019 at 1:07 pm
hannahtuohyillustration
Thank you for sharing, I do need to focus on not editing my journal/sketchbook ideas. Maybe something great will come out of a misfit entry!
January 30, 2019 at 11:36 am
Kelly Vavala
Love the misfit journal idea and your Grandma too. Farts crooked lol that’s one to remember! Thank you for sharing! Oh and by the way, always been my favorite part of Rudolph!
January 30, 2019 at 11:49 am
Aunt Elaine
I”m still laughing at the thought that my sweet little friend came up with such unique comebacks. She certainly was a far cry from my grandmother.
January 30, 2019 at 2:42 pm
Danielle Hicks
I have found that one of the things I struggle with the most is editing myself too much in the prewriting phase. I love how you said, “Fearless Crazy is sometimes where the best ideas come from.” There is so much truth in that statement. I think I’ll be hanging that quote up my desk, right by my own journal of misfit ideas. Thank you so much for the inspiration!
January 31, 2019 at 9:57 pm
higherthanrubies
This sounds more like my husband’s thoughts, so it might be harder for me to do this, but I am going to give it a try. Thank you!
January 31, 2019 at 11:43 pm
Laurie Swindler
Nice to know there’s a place where misfit ideas can flourish. Thanks.
February 1, 2019 at 9:27 am
McCourt Thomas
Great ideas!
February 1, 2019 at 10:13 am
Lauri Meyers
We’re all just a bunch of misfits anyhow. Love it Mike!
February 3, 2019 at 2:45 am
charmaineweston
Great idea! I like to scribble down random ideas!
February 3, 2019 at 9:07 am
Sheri Dillard
Fun post! (I think you should give Pickle Man a chance… 🙂
February 4, 2019 at 5:05 pm
loelmu
Cute post! Great idea!
February 5, 2019 at 11:57 am
Becky Shillington
Your Grandma sounds hilarious!! Great post–thanks so much!
February 16, 2019 at 12:16 pm
Janet AlJunaidi
Thank you Mike! LOVE this hilarious post!
And what about that grandmother! 🙂 What a way with words! (not to use cliche)
January 26, 2020 at 4:35 pm
teachom
I think pie is the obvious choice for the friendliest dessert. I can’t wait to read your book to see if this holds true when combined with a dragon.