How to Organize Writing Ideas: Tools for Authors

When I finally decided I was actually going to write my book, the excitement was undeniable—but so was the overwhelm. How do I store and organize writing ideas? I wondered. I had my topic nailed down, but the thought of starting from scratch felt daunting. That’s when I remembered something that energized my whole process: Evernote.

One morning, I was lying in bed, feeling inspired with a story that needed to fit into the book somewhere. I opened my app to create a new note, and stumbled upon a treasure trove I’d forgotten about—random thoughts, quotes, and resources I’d saved over the past year. Ideas I’d jotted down on while brainstorming a mini course content had quietly collected, waiting for me to rediscover them. Suddenly, what felt like a foreboding blank page turned into a canvas with a foundation to build on.

Here’s the reality: inspiration ebbs and flows.

Some days, you’re bursting with ideas, and others, you feel like your creative tank is on empty. That’s why creating an “idea bank” is a fundamental habit for a writer. When you’re in the flow, you capture those golden nuggets. When you’re not, you can revisit your collection and dig deeper, finding inspiration you didn’t even know you had.

Then, the next challenge is knowing where you find the ideas when you need them!

In this post, I’m sharing simple, effective ways to record and catalog your ideas—whether you’re a pen-and-paper purist or a digital diehard. Between my own experience, listening to what works for other writers, and good ole Chat GPT’s suggestions, I’ve compiled a fascinating array of options to spark your own system for how to organize ideas for your book.

Low-Tech (Non-Digital) Ways to Organize Writing Ideas

1. Notebooks and Journals

• Use for: Spontaneous ideas, daily reflections, brainstorming.
• Tips:
  • Keep a small pocket notebook with you for jotting down ideas anytime—it’s perfect for capturing fleeting thoughts on the go or at 2am. You can even find some waterproof ones for those ideas you get in the shower.
  • Dedicate a larger notebook for brainstorming and organizing thoughts, allowing you to expand on ideas in detail.
  • Use sections or tabs for different books or aspects of your book to make it easier to find ideas when you’re ready to write.

2. Index Cards

• Use for: Categorizing smaller ideas or quotes that can later be rearranged.
• Tips:
  • Write one idea per card to keep things flexible and allow for easy reorganization during the writing process.
  • Use color-coded cards for themes, characters, or chapters to visually group related ideas at a glance.

3. Bulletin Boards, Whiteboards or Idea Walls

• Use for: Visual thinkers who benefit from seeing their ideas spread out.
• Tips:
  • Pin handwritten notes, quotes, photos, or sketches to create a physical “mood board” for your book.
  • Organize by sections of your book, themes, or questions to explore, making it a dynamic tool that grows with your project.

4. Sticky Notes

• Use for: Quick, spontaneous notes that can be reorganized later.
• Tips:
  • Stick them to a whiteboard, notebook, or wall for easy rearrangement as your ideas develop or shift.
  • Get quality sticky notes or they’ll fall off the wall or board.
  • Use different colors or sizes for categories like chapters, tips, anecdotes, and quotes.

Simple Digital Tools to Collect and Organize Writing Ideas

5. Voice Recording Apps

• Examples: Voice Memos (iOS), Recorder (Android).
• Use for: Capturing ideas on the go without needing to type or write.
• Tips:
  • Organize recordings by labeling them with descriptive names like “Character idea – Nov 15” to make them easy to find later.
  • Review your recordings regularly to expand or categorize the ideas further.

6. Digital Notebooks

• Examples: Evernote (free & paid options), Microsoft OneNote (free)
• Use for: Creating separate notebooks or pages for different ideas.
• Tips:
  • Use voice-to-text or attach photos of handwritten notes for a hybrid approach that merges analog and digital ideas.
  • Create tags for themes or projects to streamline searches later.

7. Basic Note Apps

• Examples: Notes (iOS), Google Keep (Android & iOS).
• Use for: Quick, accessible idea storage.
• Tips:
  • Use tags, folders, or checklists to organize ideas into manageable categories.
  • Sync the app across devices so your ideas are always within reach.

Advanced Digital Tools (Paid) to Organize Your Writing Process

8. Scrivener

• Use for: Comprehensive idea organization, writing, and project management.
• Features: Drag-and-drop organization, index cards, chapter ideas, character profiles.
  • It’s perfect for authors who want to manage all aspects of their book project in one place.
  • It’s not as great for writers who want to record random ideas on the go.

9. Trello or Asana

• Use for: Visual organization of ideas, especially if you like boards or checklists.
• Tips:
  • Create columns for brainstorming, drafting, and revising sections to track your progress easily.
  • Use labels or tags to categorize different types of ideas, such as scenes or research.

10. Notion

• Use for: Advanced organization, combining text, images, links, and task management.
• Tips:
  • Set up templates for brainstorming, character development, and chapter outlines.
  • Embed links to external research or upload relevant files for easy reference.

10. Scrintal

1. Use for: Visual note-taking and mind mapping tool to help get clear in your thinking
2. Tips:
   • Use as an online whiteboard where you can visually organize, group and connect your thoughts.
   • See both the high-level overview and details of your notes at a glance in one place. 

11. Ulysses

• Use for: Focused writing and organization in a minimalistic interface.
• Tips:
  • Useful for taking notes, linking ideals with a visual canvas
  • Export your ideas directly into organized drafts when you’re ready to write.

Hybrid Ways to Organize Writing Ideas

Kudos to ChatGPT for these; I wouldn’t haven’t thought of these methods of idea collection for writers. Let me know if they work for you!

12. Photo Albums or Scanned Notes

• Use for: Combining handwritten notes with digital organization.
• Tips:
  • Take photos of your handwritten notes and store them in categorized photo albums for easy access.
  • Use apps like Google Photos to tag or label your scanned notes by topic.

13. AI-Powered Apps

• Examples: Notion or Mem.ai.
• Use for: Advanced idea cataloging, including search functions and smart organization.
• Tips:
  • Start with a simple setup and expand as you get comfortable to avoid feeling overwhelmed.
  • Let AI suggestions help you connect and organize related ideas you may not have linked.

---

Spontaneous Ways to Collect Writing Ideas

14. Voice Memos

• Use for: Writers who prefer speaking over writing.
• Tips:
  • A simple recorder can capture ideas anytime, anywhere.
  • Use a smartphone app such as Otter.ai to record and/or transcribe your ideas.
  • Dictate your ideas on a Google doc.

15. Texting Yourself

• Use for: Quick idea capture when no other tools are available.
• Tips:
  • Set up a dedicated thread or folder to revisit later, so all your ideas are in one place.
  • Add keywords to your messages for quick searches when you’re compiling ideas.

16. Idea Jars or Envelopes

• Use for: Writing ideas on slips of paper and storing them for later exploration.
• Tips:
  • Label each jar or envelope by theme, section or book, like “Characters” or “Themes” or “Examples”.
  • Pull ideas randomly to spark creativity when you’re stuck.

Intentional Idea Brainstorming and Organizing Research Notes

17. Mind Mapping

• Tools: Pen & paper, or apps like MindMeister, Miro, Scrintal or Canva whiteboard.
• Use for: Structuring your ideas visually.
  • This method is great for seeing connections between themes, anecdotes and steps.

18. Guided Journaling

• Use for: Intentional prompts to draw out book ideas.
• Prompts:
  • “What message do I want to share with the world?”
  • “What are the key moments in my life that align with my book’s theme?”
  • Use these prompts to uncover personal stories or insights that shape your book’s core.

19. Dedicated Idea Sessions

• Set Up: Block regular time to sit with your ideas, whether it’s with pen and paper or digital tools.
• Tips:
  • Focus on quantity first, quality later—it’s about capturing ideas, not editing them.
  • Set a timer to help stay focused and make the most of your session.

Final Thoughts About Organizing Your Writing Ideas

The best tool for capturing your book ideas is the one you’ll actually use. Whether it’s a trusty notebook or a sleek digital app, the key is consistency. Ideas can come at the most unexpected times, so having a system—or a combination of systems—that fits your lifestyle is essential.

Experiment with different methods to see what resonates most with you.

You might find that jotting notes in a journal sparks your creativity, while a digital tool like Evernote or Notion helps you organize and expand on those ideas later. Maybe you have a scattered approach which you prefer to organize visually. Or maybe you prefer linear, methodical tactics. A hybrid approach often works best: combining a low-tech option, such as index cards or sticky notes, with a digital backup and search feature ensures your ideas are both safely stored and easily accessible. Think of it as your creative safety net—capturing the magic of the moment without fear of it slipping away.

Remember, your idea bank is more than just a collection; it’s a resource you’ll return to again and again. Whether you’re brainstorming your next chapter or choose which book to focus on writing, having a system in place can transform the way you write and create. Choose a simple option for now so you can start collecting those book ideas start!