Colman Domingo’s recent move to co-write the live-action Princess Tiana movie reminds us that storytelling isn’t only about the final product—it's also about the spark of creation. When Domingo crafts a script, the endless drafts, wild ideas, and loose scenes may never all reach the audience, but each note serves a purpose. This is a useful way to rethink our own note-taking habits, especially when reality bites: most of our notes will never be reread.
In a world buzzing with constant information, our notes often turn into cluttered sidecars of thought, scattered reminders, or fleeting “aha” moments. Instead of agonizing over perfect organization or the idea that every jot must survive for years, imagine approaching note-taking like a playwright preparing endless dialogues. Some notes will fade, some get transformed, and some moments are simply a rehearsal for something bigger.
Rather than aiming to archive every detail, focus on making notes vivid and self-explanatory snippets—mini-scenes in your mental script. Domingo’s work thrives on strong, evocative moments that spark the imagination, even if a scene later changes or disappears. When you write notes, ensure they capture that essence: a memorable character, a surprising quote, or a sharply outlined idea that could trigger more creative connections later.
This mindset is especially freeing if you’re juggling daily mental clutter. Instead of drowning in digital note mountains, embrace the impermanence of most scribbles. Use your notes like Domino uses drafts—as raw material for inspiration rather than as permanent archives. The aim isn’t to reread every note but to make each capture count for your brain’s next leap.
Think of a note like a line of dialogue in a play: it doesn’t need to stand alone forever, but it should be alive enough to fuel a scene. This approach cuts through the anxiety of “keeping everything” and helps you write with intention amid chaos. You can imagine yourself as the director of your own mental production, deciding which notes get the spotlight and which quietly exit stage left.
So next time you jot something down, try this: write it like Colman Domingo might write a story draft—bold, evocative, and ready to inspire, but not burdened by the need to be perfect or permanent. Your notes don’t have to be a neat archive; they just have to be sparks that keep your thoughts moving forward, even if most are never reread.