The opposite of writer's block! Help?

[Mab]

I think I have the opposite of writer's block right now, by which I mean I have TOO MANY ideas. I feel disorganized and scattered and it's preventing me from getting anything down on paper. ALL I WANT TO DO is make zines right now, as I'm feeling especially inspired after being at Philly Zine Fest, and I have plenty to write about, but nothing comes out clearly, everything feels forced, and nothing meshes into any central theme.

Other than freewriting, which I've tried, anyone have any ideas of how to make myself more organized so that I can actually WRITE something? I don't think I've ever had this problem before. It's usually the opposite, lol.

[NicoleIntrovert]

Mab - i hear ya. I am consumed with so many ideas a lot of the time i get exhausted. I also overextend myself getting really excited about a lot of projects.

If you find a cure, let me know.

Though, it is a common ailment after a zine fest, so it seems.

[incurable hippie]

When I'm in that situation, I find that writing everything down that I'm thinking of, in note form, helps to clear it out of my head so then I can start to focus on the individual ideas.

Just jotting down the rough ideas so I know I won't forget them, for me is the key. Similarly when I can't sleep because I'm preoccupied by thoughts.

[W. Alan Fare]

I tend to write ideas down on whatever I have handy at the time, then re-write them in a notebook to keep them together. When I have some free time I go to a park near where I live to read what I collected and work out the ideas. I like going to this specific park because it's huge, and it has a nice pond with a calming fountain. Just getting away from the world for a bit with my collected thoughts written down helps me to sort out my ideas.

[tim scannell]

um..., STOP...take a long walk in nature...rain/snow/sun
then make a list...on sheet...#s 1-25...
(single words reflecting brain...)...STORM
take another long walk
clean house
rake leaves
go to list....NEXT WEEK...select ONE ITEM
(do a whole mini-zine...longhand and
scissor/glue pictures/ads...1 sheet 8.5x11 folded twice)

then NEXT ITEM on list your eye carches...should BREAK LOGJAM

[Maranda Elizabeth]

I write a lot of point-form notes and quick little ideas when I'm feeling like this, both for zine stuff and for fiction. Eventually, my head feels a little clearer, and I can focus on working on just a few of my ideas at a time, finding out how they connect, and so on. But I definitely make a mess in the meantime, scrap papers everywhere, disorganized notebooks, illegible writing... It's fun.