Story Radar
My friend Peter H. Reynolds once gave me a great image for cultivating ideas. He said he had “story radar”… and I loved it so much, I borrowed it. Now I have story radar too.
“Story radar” isn’t about stealing ideas – or forcing anything. It’s about listening, and noticing, and being ready to capture an idea when it floats past.
What Activates Your Radar
Pay attention to:
- Moments that make you feel something.
- Questions children ask that don’t have neat answers.
- Images that repeat across drafts or years.
How to Capture It
Story radar works best with a tracking system.
I use the Notes app on my phone. But you can use a notebook, scraps of paper, your hand… The key is catching it when it passes by, and making note of it for later. This doesn’t have to be useful yet.
Trust the Accumulation
As your notes build, you may notice threads:
- Similar themes
- Recurring emotional questions
- Characters who echo one another
That’s not coincidence. That’s your work talking to you. And the more you listen, and make note – the more fine-tuned your radar will become.
