Capturing Ideas

Step 1: Ideation

Most of us aren’t short on ideas. We’re short on reverence for them.
The Faucet Isn’t Dry. We Just Turned It Off.

We get an idea, maybe jot it down, mention it to a friend…and 12 hours later we’ve talked ourselves out of it.

Apathy creeps in. “Was that dumb?” ”Eh, that won’t work”

The holy faucet starts to slow…down.

Those “little ideas” are invitations. There is something that wants to come through you.

What the pros do:

I’ve interviewed countless creatives. COUNTLESS. And hands down the number one thing they ALL do? They have a practice of capturing ideas.

→ Matthew Dicks (multiple StorySLAM wins) captures daily
→ Matthew Luhn (Pixar Writer) treats tiny observations as seeds.
→ Adam Rose (millions of followers) has a repeatable capture process.

Different tools, same habit: they don’t let ideas pass unrecorded.

My momma calls that the Holy Spirit. My comedian friends call it the Muse.

When you get still, something speaks. You don’t have to agree on language to agree on practice. Treat ideas with reverence (even the silly ideas…esp. the silly ones)

When you write an idea down, you’re telling your mind and spirit: this matters…please send more! I take this idea seriously.

When you ignore it, you’re training yourself not to listen. Over time, the flow narrows (not because it’s gone, but because you’ve stopped opening the valve).

THE IDEATION PRACTICE
(SIMPLE & REPEATABLE)

• Step 1: Pick a Home for Your Ideas

  Decide where you’re going to store your ideas: the notes app on your phone, paper cards in a small file, voice memos, or (my favorite) a simple spreadsheet (sorry, Type A’er here). Make it frictionless: one place only. You want to be able to find things easily.

• Step 2: Capture Daily
  Practice “micro-noticings” every day. Not “brilliant ideas”—just real observations: a line you overheard at the coffee shop, a feeling during your run, the way a tree swallowed a fence. Matthew Dicks calls this “Homework for Life,” and he does it at the end of every day. I capture mine in the moment—if something moves me, I immediately open my ideas spreadsheet (yes, it’s as nerdy as it sounds). Most days, it’s open on my screen.

• Step 3: Review Weekly
  I do this on Fridays: scan, promote an idea or two into a next action (script, outline, shot list). More on that next week.

• Step 4: Do Something With One of Them
  If you don’t use it, you will lose it…trust me.

You don’t need more. You aren’t “missing anything”.

The crazy thing about life is that everything we need is already right here — we just have to get better at paying attention.

Hope this helps.

—Heather

PS. Plug in with me. Would love to get to know you better. Here is how:

NERD CORNER (for Storytellers)

I recorded a short video series on exactly how I capture ideas for short-form content and how I use a spreadsheet to organize “whispers.” If you want the mechanics, I’ll drop it below. Go there now →

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Okay ready….?

NERD CORNER (for Storytellers)

The first step in creating impactful short-form content is ideation. While it’s tempting to jump straight into filming and editing, the foundation of great content lies in the thought and effort you put into the ideas and writing process. This is where you have the most control and can make the biggest impact.

Instead of worrying about external factors like posting times or hashtags, focus on making your ideas so compelling that they stand out regardless of the platform or timing. As Steve Martin famously said, “Be so good they can’t ignore you.”

Here is how I do it…

Key Takeaways

1. Document Ideas Consistently

   • Train yourself to notice “sparks”—those small moments that catch your attention during your day. Document them in a central hub, like a spreadsheet or notes app, to revisit later.

2. Centralize and Organize Your Ideas

   • Use tools like spreadsheets to store and organize ideas. This makes them easy to search and reference later. Highlight ideas you’ve used, but don’t delete them—you might find new ways to reuse them.

3. Capture Inspiration on the Go

   • When inspiration strikes—whether you’re listening to a podcast, reading, or at the gym—jot down the key details (like timestamps or quotes). Create a habit of transferring these notes into your central hub weekly.

4. Focus on What Moves You

   • Instead of chasing trends or hacks, pay attention to what resonates with you personally. If something sparks your curiosity or emotion, trust that it has potential for your content.

5. Embrace Imperfection

   • Your documentation doesn’t need to be perfect. Misspellings, shorthand, or incomplete thoughts are fine, as long as the ideas are captured. This is a tool for you, not for public display.

Tips for Ideation

• Homework for Life: by Matthew Dicks in Storyworthy, this practice involves identifying a 60-second story from your day. Over time, you’ll develop a catalog of micro-moments to draw from for your content.

• Be a Collector: Save podcast clips, quotes, or anything else that inspires you. Even client feedback or random conversations can provide valuable insights.

• Revisit Weekly: Spend 30-40 minutes weekly organizing and reviewing your ideas. This discipline ensures your creative bank stays full and accessible.