If you consider yourself a good writer or just a writer wannabe, you probably have a place to save your good ideas of started but not finished work. Notebooks serve this purpose, or perhaps folders and files on your computer.
Stephen King says good ideas don't have to go in a notebook. You can use your good ideas to get started, but if that doesn't lead you to where those good ideas can help, just put them away and revisit them later. The good stuff will stay with you.
This seems like good advice, but we still face the question of what to do if the good ideas don’t lead somewhere; where do you store them? My vote is still for a notebook.
King’s advice fits well with his other writing advice about ensuring the good stuff makes it to publication. He said that even as an established writer, he depends on a good editor and listens closely to them so he won’t hang himself in times square, figuratively. He also added it was Hemmingway that said you have to be ready to kill your darlings. He said he is cautious and tries to limit it to a few of them. Good writing advice is great to read.
