Many ideas come from our conscious observations of the phenomenological world, obviously. Still, we must remember that in the selfsame moment that we consciously observe said phenomena, the unconscious mind also reflects on the experience. As such, we cannot speak about where ideas come from unless we seek to grasp the stream of the unconscious.
In a sense, the Greek myth of the Muses holding court on Mount Helicon serves as a metaphor for the unconscious mind and all the ideas that come from that aspect of the psyche. In addition, the Greek myth of the Muses very much jibes with ancient Greek culture’s fascination with dreams. The concept of the unconscious mind goes hand in hand with the concept of dreams because a dream itself is little more than a glimpse into the stream of one’s unconscious thoughts. What is miraculous is that when we awaken, we sometimes remember that glimpse into that otherwise unknown milieu.
A writer should always seek to learn from his or her dreams. This follows from the fact that our unconscious mind thinks for itself and stores its own knowledge and makes its own decisions. If a writer considers his or her dreams and unconscious impulses, the writer will be a better person—and the writer will present ideas that have the potential to be that much more worthwhile to the reader.
The reader, too, must consider his or her dreams and unconscious mind—even if said reader never writes anything. Think about a man like Johnny Appleseed. Conventional wisdom tells us that he traveled the land planting apple trees as a process of sublimation. Unlucky in love, his conscious thoughts and unconscious impulses convinced him to wander about planting the beautiful, sensual trees. That’s what writers do, albeit in their own way. In short, if your mind is healthy, your unconscious mind only wishes to serve your needs and help you to be all that you can be. So, your unconscious mind sends you helpful ideas.