Overcoming Choice Paralysis: How to Manage an Overflow of Ideas in Writing

 

Overcoming Choice Paralysis: How to Manage an Overflow of Ideas in Writing

"Start writing, no matter what. The water does not flow until the faucet is turned on." — Louis L'Amour

Pen poised over a blank page.



Hey everyone, it's the Relatable Scribbler here, back again to continue our conversation on uncertainty in writing, writer's block, and effective strategies to overcome them. In the last post, we talked about what to do when faced with a blank page and a blank mind—a common challenge in getting past choice paralysis in your writing. Today, we’re flipping that on its head and diving into the opposite problem: not a blank mind, but one so full of ideas that you’re hit with choice paralysis. You know, that moment when you’ve got so many ideas streaming through your brain that you just can’t decide where to go or what to write next.

Beating Choice Paralysis in Your Writing Process

This issue of handling an overload of ideas in your writing can strike at the start of a new project or smack you in the middle of one when you’re moving along, and suddenly—bam—you’re overwhelmed with possibilities. You’ve got all these directions you could take, but the sheer number of options leaves you stuck. Sound familiar? Yeah, me too.

As F. Scott Fitzgerald wisely said, “You don’t write because you want to say something, you write because you have something to say.” But when you have so much to say that it all comes at once, figuring out how to start can feel overwhelming.

Why Idea Journaling is Essential

A lot of well-known authors have dealt with this and come up with strategies to manage the overload. One effective method is idea journaling. It’s like keeping a regular journal, but instead of writing about your day or your feelings, you jot down those random sparks of inspiration. These could be potential stories, plot hooks, character concepts, or just a clever line of dialogue that popped into your head while you were doing the dishes.

As E.L. Doctorow put it, “Writing is an exploration. You start from nothing and learn as you go.” Idea journaling helps you start that exploration by capturing those initial sparks and giving you a place to return to when you’re ready to dive deeper.

Julia Cameron, in her book The Artist’s Way, introduces the practice of “Morning Pages,” a form of stream-of-consciousness writing done every morning. This practice is similar to idea journaling in that it helps clear your mind and make space for focused creative work.

How to Keep an Effective Idea Journal

I’ve given idea journaling a shot myself, and it really helps clear the mental clutter. But how do you keep an effective idea journal? Sometimes, you don’t have a notebook handy, right? That’s why many writers suggest always carrying one with you—yes, even when you’re out and about. You never know when inspiration will strike, and you want to be ready to capture it before it slips away.

Decluttering Your Mind for Better Writing

When you sit down to write, sometimes the sheer volume of ideas in your head can be paralyzing. That’s where the idea journal comes in. By regularly offloading those ideas, you free up mental space, making it easier to focus when it’s time to write. It becomes a habit, a ritual, to jot down those thoughts as they come. Then, when you sit down to write your blog post, story, or novel, you can do so with a clearer, more focused mind.

As Stephen King famously said, “The scariest moment is always just before you start.” But once you’ve cleared your mind with your idea journal, that start becomes a lot less daunting.

Elizabeth Gilbert, in her book Big Magic, discusses the importance of embracing creativity without letting fear or the overwhelming nature of too many ideas stop you. This mindset shift can be crucial in managing choice paralysis.

Getting the Words Down

Of course, that first draft might still be messy—that’s okay! The key is getting the words down. And the same goes for your ideas—get them out of your head and onto the page. If you don’t, they’ll just clog up your thoughts, making it harder to write effectively. As writers, we need to manage this mental clutter so we can do what we love: write.

In The War of Art, Steven Pressfield discusses the idea of resistance and how it often manifests as a block to creativity. Journaling your ideas regularly can help break through this resistance by making it a habit to unload your thoughts.

Structuring Your Idea Journal for Success

An organized desk with journals, pens, and a cup of coffee.

Now, about the practical side: You can keep your idea journal organized by structuring it into sections. Instead of just jotting everything down in one continuous stream, try marking the date when you wrote each idea. Then, divide it by category—story ideas, plot hooks, character concepts, settings, and so on. The more organized your journal, the easier it will be to pull it out and find inspiration when you hit that inevitable blank mind moment.

Austin Kleon, in Steal Like an Artist, suggests that organizing your ideas and influences is crucial to being able to access them later. Your idea journal can be a living document that evolves with your creative process.

Why an Idea Journal is a Lifesaver

An idea journal isn’t just for managing an overflow of ideas; it’s also a lifesaver when you’re figuring out how to manage an excess of ideas in your writing or overcoming choice paralysis. The beauty of writing, especially fiction, is that you have the freedom to tell your story your way. Organizing your thoughts in an idea journal can be a vital tool, helping you stay focused and allowing you to write the story you want to tell.

Share Your Strategies

I’d love to hear how you handle an overload of ideas or how you keep track of them when they hit. Do you keep an idea journal, or do you have another method that works for you? Share your thoughts and strategies in the comments—we can all learn from each other’s experiences.

As always, take care, stay happy, and keep writing. I’ll pen you later.

References

  1. Cameron, Julia. The Artist’s Way: A Spiritual Path to Higher Creativity. TarcherPerigee, 1992. Available at Amazon.

  2. Gilbert, Elizabeth. Big Magic: Creative Living Beyond Fear. Riverhead Books, 2015. Available at Amazon.

  3. Kleon, Austin. Steal Like an Artist: 10 Things Nobody Told You About Being Creative. Workman Publishing Company, 2012. Available at Amazon.

  4. Pressfield, Steven. The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles. Black Irish Entertainment LLC, 2012. Available at Amazon.

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