Well, if you have a deadline for a publication, start with the idea for that first.

Otherwise, find a way to prioritize. So if it’s for a personal blog, which piece will be most relevant first. For example, if you are looking to put up a post for back-to-school shopping you know you want it no later than the beginning of August, so that post would take precedence.

If the topics are various and the time frame is flexible then you have to set a “personal priority” system. Which idea means the most to you, right now. The others can be captured in a notebook for later use. I know some people don’t like to stop writing, but I hate letting an idea go, so my notebook is my go-to. It’s open next to me as I type and when another thought flutters in I make a note of the thought and get right back to the current piece.

I recently heard listened to an interview with Gretchen Rubin (author of The Happiness Project) and she had a lovely idea! While working on whatever her main project is she keeps another document tab open for when ideas come to her. Her example was Winston Churchill. If she’s writing about boats and a thought of Winston pops up she puts it in the open document. Throughout the course of the day other thoughts will go through and she’ll add notes, type of person, lifestyle, health, etc… When she’s done she names the file Notes Winston Churchill. She does this for other ideas that crop up to.

First this system serves as a catch-all for her ideas. Second, the more notes she has on one subject shows her where she’ll want to head next.

Sorry this was so long, but I hope there’s something helpful there. Keep writing, sounds like you are, though 🙂 The more we write the more the ideas fly.