A way to capture those fleeting thoughts

For a long time, I've made notes as I read (which probably says something about my ability to focus on my reading). 

It has always meant getting up from my recliner, going to the desk in another room—or on another floor—and writing down my thought. That's enough of a challenge that (a) I skip it rather than make the effort or (b) bringing a pad and pen to the recliner to anticipate inspiration. Because inspiration strikes so unexpectedly, (b) has seldom happened, and I've lost numerous possibly useful thoughts to (a).

Although I've owned an iPhone for several years, I only recently realized it contains a "Notes" app. That means I can recline in my recliner and whenever I have a thought I can type or dictate the note right into the phone, which I keep handy. The next morning I can import the note, or notes, into my iMac where I can incorporate it into the work in progress. It is, to coin a phrase, easy peasy.

My subconscious apparently responds to different books differently. Sometimes I read the book and simply enjoy it for what it is. Other times I have to stop virtually every page or so because the prose has triggered an idea about something I'm writing. This blog post was inspired by such a book, Catherine Newman's Wreck. It provoked a wealth of ideas that you can see from the attached picture. These are both general and specific ideas about my current manuscript.

As many authors will tell you, writing is hard. I am delighted I have discovered a way to make it slightly easier. A way to read, be inspired, and painlessly capture the inspiration for another day.