I love ideas, don’t you? I love the flash of a new idea that makes me stop short and take out a pen and paper to write it down so I don’t forget. Ideas can be wonderful things, but too often people want to horde them it seems. Try getting some writers to talk about a work-in-progress and you know what I mean. I wonder if they are worried that ideas can’t be copyrighted, only their tangible or fixed forms. Whatever the case, I have a quote by Howard Aiken today for anyone who is afraid of people taking their ideas:

This is one of my favorite quotes that I’ve come across while reading this year. I’ve found it to be so true in work and in creating. Everyone says they want something new, unique, the next great idea. But, often, you’ll have to hit the same people over the head with a large volume of an encyclopedia to get them to pay attention once you have a great idea (and have done something with it).

This quote reminds me of two things: 1) Don’t worry about people stealing your ideas (most people don’t care, won’t do anything with them, don’t understand, or all of the above) and 2) Keep working on making your ideas real, even if no one does care or understand except you. Maybe, one day, they will. But if they don’t, you’ll still have your work and that’s a pretty good thing, too.

I hope you have a lovely rest of your week full of creating things and finding great ideas for your next project! 🙂