Where do ideas come from?

Ideas are all inside and outside of you; they are everywhere. The question is really how do ideas come to you? Do they just pop into our minds or do ideas come as a result of lots of small things happening which when a good connection is made creates a new idea pathway, so that a bit more of that idea is known?

In every moment, we consume information through our five (or six) senses. These are laid down in your mind map using your language and coding structure waiting to be fertilised with another germ of an idea. All waiting to be joined by that one all important connector, which creates the spark and drives it to the forefront of your mind until you get that eureka moment.

If you provide yourself with the opportunity to become creative by giving yourself space, people to collaborate with and time to reflect, you will be able to exchange and borrow ideas in order to cultivate new ones. Ideas can be incubated for years, but appear in what seems a moment with the right stimulus.

How to find ideas for your book

Part one - notice what you notice

• What are people asking you?
• What keeps popping up?
• What surprises you about the questions you are asked?
• What kind of people are asking you questions?
• What feels like the right idea?

Only by become aware of what is going on will your filters change and you will start to get those little flashes which are trying to tell you what this book could be about.

Part two is to create an ideas book

Start a journal or get an A3 artists book and / or get a roll of brown paper and keep putting your ideas down. Every day during this process do something with your ideas book.