Finding Fodder
Yesterday, Joe of Working at Home on the Internet reminded me of my days going to press runs, when he was talking about his experience as a printer.
Immediately my mind flashed to this story.
I was in the car with my friend KB on the way to a press run. We’d worked 12 weeks straight living in the Marriott New York East Side. Now we’d flown into Chicago and were driving into one of the suburbs. She was driving. I was looking out the window. I was taking in all of the signs of the restaurants and stores as we passed by them.
Then, suddenly out of the blue I heard, “Will you . . . .SHUT UP!”
It seems I had been reading every sign out loud.
“I don’t really need you to read me every sign we pass,” she said. “What was that?”
“Sorry,” I said. “Fodder.”
Finding Fodder
You see, we had turned off the interstate, and we were nearing our hotel. I knew once we got there, the next thing on the agenda would be for us to find a decent restaurant. I’m not the best one for them picking out. I always feel like I have too many choices and not enough information. So I had been using the ride in to collect data.
It’s the same process for collecting data for future ideas. I call it finding fodder. Answers. com offers three definitions for fodder . . . One applies more than the others.
fod÷der
n.
Feed for livestock, especially coarsely chopped hay or straw.
Raw material, as for artistic creation.
A consumable, often inferior item or resource that is in demand and usually abundant supply: romantic novels intended as fodder for the pulp fiction market.
Whenever I go anywhere alone, I spend a good deal of time just taking in what I see, knowing that later when I need ideas that raw material will come back to me. I read words. I look at details. I imagine store fronts as blog pages. I wonder how they got put together and how the idea came to be. Then I continue on my way.
A few months later when something related comes up, one of those store fronts will represent itself from my fodder database, just when I need it. It works like that story about us driving to the hotel. It came to mind when I was thinking about writing something about fodder.
If you consciously place details and ideas in your head for future reference. They have a way of bubbling up just when you need them. We’ve already talked about the scientific reasons for that. Everywhere I go, I’m off finding fodder. It’s productive and keeps me wondering.
Ever had something pop up from your mental database like that?
–ME “Liz” Strauss
Related articles
Critical Skill 3: Fluency: with Ideas
See the Thinking Outside of the Box Series on the SUCCESSFUL SERIES PAGE.
‘Ever had something pop up from your mental database like that?’
Yes, all the time, to an overwhelming level. The problem I have then is trying to focus on one idea well enough to be able to write about it. In the end I sometimes end up with a post that is just kind of boring, just retelling the facts of a story. Its something I need to work on.
Hi Trisha,
Then you’re not having a problem with ideas — you’re a lucky one there, Your problem is focus and organization. What they call letting go of the “little dearies.” I have a couple of posts you might read in the Writing Power series. Let me see if I can find them. 🙂
Try this one.
Got the Idea. Now What Do I Do with It?
Let me know if it’s not what you’re looking for. I’ve got some others. You might also look through the Successful Series Page in the sidebar.
smiles,
Liz
I’ve been having a horrible couple of days. Everything I write – I hate! I started four posts last night and finally settled back on something that I’ve “preached” for over a half dozen years. It was the only thing I felt I could get a hold of – and it’s not any easier today.
Why is it that sometimes things just come together and other times they don’t?
I’ve been reading, watching, commenting, and it was like all of a sudden my brain exploded! I almost think I need to walk away for 24 hours or so and regroup – any suggestions?
Yeah, cut yourself some slack for one. 🙂
I think I’d probably start with an image–a picture.
Let me go find you a post. or two.
Writingââ¬âUgh! 10 Reasons to Get Jazzed about Writing
Start in the Middle 1: Write a Three-Course Meal
Monkey on Your Desk? Morph It, Mosh It, Write It Up
Eye-Deas 1: Have You Started Seeing Things?
Perils of the perfectionist blogger – there’s a title for one of your posts! 🙂
I think the post you named is a good one. I’ll have to write it. Meanwhile tell me if none of those works I have others. I think the second is the one that will work for where you are. I like the line “Put a sock in it Julie.”
Actually – I like your idea about images. Sometimes when I feel this way I go over to Trée’s place and look around. It usually helps relieve stress and then my brain starts working again. I do like the second post. What I try to do when I’m stuck is do the “stream of consiousness” thing (just start typing everything and anything that occurs to me on the topic). Then I walk away and come back and start molding – and finally editing. Thanks for finding these – I’ll read them all!
Read the second one. I just read it. It’s the one that you need. it could have the title that you just gave me. 🙂
Yes, I need to focus and organize. That article should help, I take too long to get my thoughts together.
Ann – I have a problem with perfectionism too. I can’t quite focus to actually get the writing done, but I feel like I have to get a new post on my blog, so I end up getting something written, but its not so good. Usually anymore, since I know I have to do something, I’ll go ahead and post what I’ve written. But sometimes I’ll look at it for a while not liking it and trying to figure out what to do with it.
I wonder if it would help to write what I would imagine saying to someone if I were talking to them instead? Talking tends to be easier than writing for me. And that way more personality would show through in my posts too, rather than just a repitition of facts.
Trisha – I think that’s a great idea. You can always edit it later if you find you go too far. But conversation is a great catalyst. I’m almost done with my post for tonight and it’s based on a conversation I had with a friend of mine today. I’ve distilled it to 130 words or so – now I’m worried it’s too short!!!! Will worries ever cease?!
I doubt it. Actually, as long as I don’t tie myself in a knot (which usually only happens about 3 or 4 times a year and doesn’t often last more than a day or two) – worry is good – keeps you sharp and reflective and open to new ideas!
Trisha,
I often collect several ideas first — on the weekend. Then I know what I’m going to write about. I think about what I’ll write in the morning before I go to bed at night. When I’m stuck I get up and walk around.
I also do all of these things:
Why Dave Barry and Liz Donââ¬â¢t Get Writerââ¬â¢s Block
Ann
I so love your positive energy. You could make a lead balloon float. I sweat you could!
I’m blushing!
Good night, dear. I need to post, talk to my husband for 10 or 15 minutes (or he starts to think I like the computer more than him), and go to sleep before midnight (ET).
Sweet Dreams!
Sleep Well!
90 words now – i’m done stressing about it! good night!
smile 🙂
ideas are nothing more then random thoughts, they come n go, so if you want to get any benifit from them then either try to remember them all(next to impossible) or write them down. thats what i do, i keep a notepad to write down every small idea that rings a bell.
AH Jack,
My idea guy, As I recall, last time I saw you, you were running away to do just that.
One idea I’ve been toying with is to simply fire up audacity or some other sound recorder and start talking about the subject – and then rewinding it after a while and see what I had to say on the subject.
I haven’t tried it myself yet, but it feels like it could be handy for brainstorming with yourself or at least clarify what you’re thinking to yourself.
What do you think?
AdLib,
I think that’s one of those things that will either work really well or not work at all. It depends on the person’s response to the microphone. Some of us get really self-conscious around such things and aware that we’re talking to ourselves, which then, of course, defeats the whole purpose. I would tell anyone to give it a try, especially if you could use a headphone when you were involved in some other mindless task. 😛
Your story reminded me about the time my wife went down to the Everglades on a panther capture project. The vet she was riding with read every single sign out loud as they passed it (and not just the restaurant signs). Since he was her boss, she didn’t say anything.
But it was the longest 8 hour ride she’d ever been on.
Of course she also said the adrenalin rush of actually catching panthers made it all worthwhile…
Hi Chris,
I wonder whether he was collecting fodder or just practicing his reading lessons. 🙂
I think it’s a case of one of those truely brilliant folks that doesn’t realize when he is thinking out loud. I don’t see how he could ever need that much fodder!
The thing with fodder is that you don’t try to sort it into what you will need and what you won’t. Of course, you don’t have to be collecting fodder all day long every day of the week either. I try to do it on my own time, not with other people.