A Little Man in Swindow
John Cleese was once asked where he got his ideas from and replied that he used a little man in Swindon. So I contacted this man to find out how he gets his ideas.
His name is Brian and he's a jolly man, overweight and very friendly. He's hoping to retire soon, leaving the ideas business to his son Simon.
After a cup of tea, a genial chat about the nature of humour and the relative merits of American spelling, I asked him how to get ideas.
"There are several ways, most of which I keep in the family. No point in being an ideas man if you let everyone know how you do it. But, there is one method I share with everyone."
Instead of telling me, he asked Simon to bring 'the folder', which he dutifully did. (Simon is as jolly as his father, though very skinny)
From the folder he removed a postcard sized piece of paper and handed it to me. On it were written the following instructions:
I looked at the list, then at Brian. He was grinning. As if anticipating my question, he said, "All books have similar themes, be they adventures, romances or whatever. The only differences are the characters and their personalities. Oh, and what kind of writer you are."
I looked at the piece of paper again, then smiled. "Thank you." I stood and said it was time to leave, then thanked him effusively for his time.
"Pleasure," he said.
At the front door, after shaking my hand, he said, very quietly, "Let me tell you one more thing. Another way of generating ideas. It's been in the family for generations and was learned by an ancestor who helped Chaucer."
He told me something fascinating and eye-opening. "But you mustn't tell anyone."
And I'm not going to.
His name is Brian and he's a jolly man, overweight and very friendly. He's hoping to retire soon, leaving the ideas business to his son Simon.
After a cup of tea, a genial chat about the nature of humour and the relative merits of American spelling, I asked him how to get ideas.
"There are several ways, most of which I keep in the family. No point in being an ideas man if you let everyone know how you do it. But, there is one method I share with everyone."
Instead of telling me, he asked Simon to bring 'the folder', which he dutifully did. (Simon is as jolly as his father, though very skinny)
From the folder he removed a postcard sized piece of paper and handed it to me. On it were written the following instructions:
- Think back to a good book you've read recently
- Identify a theme that struck you. Just one
- Using a numbered checklist, write down the key moments of the book
- List the three main characters
- Place all of these items in a new setting.
- Start writing
I looked at the list, then at Brian. He was grinning. As if anticipating my question, he said, "All books have similar themes, be they adventures, romances or whatever. The only differences are the characters and their personalities. Oh, and what kind of writer you are."
I looked at the piece of paper again, then smiled. "Thank you." I stood and said it was time to leave, then thanked him effusively for his time.
"Pleasure," he said.
At the front door, after shaking my hand, he said, very quietly, "Let me tell you one more thing. Another way of generating ideas. It's been in the family for generations and was learned by an ancestor who helped Chaucer."
He told me something fascinating and eye-opening. "But you mustn't tell anyone."
And I'm not going to.
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