How do you keep this under control?

[Burst]

Okay, so when I'm writing a story (or trying to) ideas pop into my head about something totally unrelated to what I'm writing and I go off to write about that idea instead of finishing what I'm writing. I think I have writer adhd or something haha... so how do you guys keep this under control?

 

[T.Allen.Smith]

Ideas come as they will... I usually keep a 2 other documents open while I'm writing just to log ideas.

One document for ideas that pertain to the current story, 1 for ideas that a different.

 

[Penpilot]

I wouldn't worry about controlling it. It can be literary gold. But do as T.A.S. said write the ideas down and in detail. I think pretty much every writer has this happen, so it's pretty normal. Some authors will stop writing a novel because they have to write the new short story idea out of their system first.

 

[Steerpike]

Yes, write them down. And if the ideas really strike you and you just have to switch over to working on them, do it while the muse is with you.

 

[JCFarnham]

Well, everyone's already said it... But I'll say it once more just because it's so impotant.

Write all ideas down, no matter when they come.