Don’t Be Spock: The Case for Dumb Ideas in Smart Stories

We all know a Spock. Maybe you are a Spock. The one with the perfectly structured outline, the colour-coded Scrivener files, the spreadsheet of inciting incidents. And let’s be honest: there’s a certain safety in logic. But if your brilliant, well-planned story still feels flat… it might be time to get dumb.

Yes, really.

Recently, I had the pleasure of interviewing David Carson, creator of the Dumbify newsletter. He shared a simple framework that’s been stuck in my brain ever since: a quadrant of intelligence vs. self-awareness, mapped out with four fictional characters:

• Forrest Gump: dumb and knows it

• Homer Simpson: dumb but thinks he’s smart

• Spock: smart and knows it

• Columbo: smart but plays dumb

And here’s the kicker: only Spock looks miserable.

That’s not to say intelligence is the enemy. But rigid cleverness? That’ll choke the life out of your story.

The Columbo Effect: Outsmarting Perfectionism with Play

Columbo shuffles into a room, looks a bit lost, and asks a “dumb” question. But don’t be fooled. That underestimated question is what cracks the case. Columbo chooses to play the fool and that’s exactly what makes him so brilliant.

When writers dare to be playful, silly, or flat-out absurd, they unlock something electric. David calls this “weaponised dumb.” It’s not idiocy, it’s creativity unbound by self-censorship. It’s asking:

“What’s the most ridiculous thing my character could do right now?”

“What two genres should never go together... and what if I made them kiss?”

These are the kinds of questions that lead to Cocaine Bear. To Shaun of the Dead. To Pride and Prejudice and Zombies. To Kissing the Coronavirus. (Yes, that’s a real book. No, I don’t regret reading it.)

Why Writers Censor Themselves (and Why You Shouldn’t)

Spock-logic says:

“That’s too weird.”

“That won’t sell.”

“I should be taking this more seriously.”

But let’s flip it:

• What if “weird” is what makes your idea stand out?

• What if the thing that makes you laugh is the thing that makes your reader care?

• What if serious writing still needs surprise and delight to land emotionally?

When I coach writers in the early stages of Story Development, I expect dumb ideas. I encourage them. Because that’s often where the rocket fuel lives. A ridiculous “what if” is more useful than five beautifully organised, forgettable plot points.

And when writers start to stall halfway through their draft- when characters get boring, reactions get safe, and the spark’s gone - it’s usually because they’ve slipped into Spock mode.

How to Dumbify (Without Losing the Plot)

Not every absurd idea will work. That’s the point. But here are three exercises to help you loosen up:

1. Smash Two Ideas Together

Pick from three lists: tropes, creatures, settings. Werewolves + Enemies to Lovers + Corporate Retreat? Boom. That’s Moonlight Mergers, a workplace romance set in the Cotswolds during a team-building weekend between rival packs. (Yes, I made that up. No, I’m not sorry.)

2. Ask: “What’s the worst idea I can think of?”

Sometimes going against your instincts will free you up. Let your villain save the cat. Let your hero throw in the towel. Let your elegant romance get hijacked by a sentient hot tub.

3. Be the Fool on Purpose

Like the tarot card, The Fool represents endless possibilities. When you’re drafting, channel that energy. Don’t edit yourself before you’ve had a chance to be surprised.

Don’t Be Spock

Be Columbo. Be the Fool. Be the writer who plays with their ideas, takes the “bad” joke too far, and discovers gold under the glitter.

The writers who change the game - who finish stories that resonate - aren’t always the smartest in the room. But they are the most curious. The most playful. The most willing to look a bit ridiculous and try anyway.

You can be smart later. For now?

Get dumb.

Want to dumbify your story—in the smartest way possible?

My Story Development service is designed to take your messy, half-formed, too-silly-to-say-out-loud idea and shape it into a strong, structured, emotionally-resonant blueprint for a book.

You’ll get:

• A guided process to explore what your story really wants to be

• Support in pushing past self-censorship and perfectionism

• A blueprint that maps out your entire book and the confidence to write it

• Your first two chapters fully developed with feedback

If you’re stuck between clever and compelling, let’s play in the space where dumb meets brilliant. That’s where the real story lives.

Apply here to get started.