For years I've kept a computer file with notes for writing. It contained brief story descriptions, character sketches and interesting lines, some salvaged from failed stories. The file grew to a few thousand lines, with some entries that were years old.
As part of my general decluttering I've now eliminated the file. I've taken out the ideas that suggest viable stories, moved some notes into works-in-progress and the rest are gone. I think that having the file was more of a distraction than an aid. Sometimes things were written in the file rather than take the time to write a fast draft and ended up never being written; other times I wrote things in the file rather than consider them properly at the time.
I'm very excited. I now have a set of short stories that are no longer hidden amongst weeds and rubbish. Over the next few weeks I'll see which ones grow into something interesting. Clutter is never good.
Wow. That’s pretty impressive. I have the equivalent (unfortunately in a non-digital form) in the shape of a filing cabinet. Although technically it’s just a cabinet – there’s not much filing in there. At some point I really ought to sift out the half-finished stories & poems in there and ditch the incoherent scribblings and old electricity bills and god knows what else. I bet there’s some gems in there. Right?
Glad you enjoyed the Glue Gunning… them’s some nice pictures! My photo-girl let me down this month but once we rescue the horse and Jerry we’re going to have a real proper photoshooot
See soon sir!