Writing FAST - Jeff Bollow 2012

5 Easy steps to harness the overflow
Harness your idea overflow
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Distractions sideline you, even if the distraction comes from your own great ideas. Here, then, are the five easy steps to harness the idea overflow.

1. Fix on the goal.

Know your outcome before you start. If you don’t, you’ll have trouble knowing which ideas are part of the chunk you’re working on, and which are distractions. If you’re clear, then when the overflow happens, you’ll:

2. Notice the stray idea.

It’s a stray idea if it doesn’t directly push you towards the immediate goal. It might only be a slight diversion. But if you want to write FAST, you’ll need to keep every distraction in check. Once you spot it, then:

3. Drop it in the BIN.

Always, always, always write with a BIN by your side. It could be a sheet of paper or another file. You don’t want to scramble to find one when an idea hits. Be prepared. Pop the stray idea into the BIN immediately, and then:

4. Shut it out and keep going.

Hold onto your original train of thought. Once your idea is in the BIN, it’s safe. You don’t have to think about it anymore. So don’t! Get right back into pushing towards your goal. Then:

5. Review your ideas later.

When you’re finished blasting through your pages, look for common themes in the ideas in your BIN. Grow your Idea Tree when you’re on a break, and plug those stray ideas into your Booster areas.

By planning for and harnessing your idea Overflow, you’ll quickly train your mind. You’ll send a clear message to your Idea Factory — that when you sit down to write, you mean business.

Stray ideas can be incredibly valuable. This technique will help you grab them, while you power through your pages.