I know I’ve talked about how I consider myself lucky that I have more ideas than I’m ever going to be able to write. I’ve also mentioned that I feel like the way I get my ideas is entirely unprofessional, like I should be able to totally train up that whole idea generating part of my brain.
Nope.
Not a chance.
See, when a shiny new idea strikes, it just plows me over.
There I am driving down the road, and BAM! Shiny New Idea, one fully formed
novel downloaded into my brain from the Zeitgeist. Seriously, I stopped to
write the query letter synopsis for it.
It really was that fast. One minute no idea. Next second, a
fully formed novel complete with protag, antag, sidekicks, and minor villains.
The WHOLE THING! Like seriously, how can I even think a whole novel in a second? It’s
completely impossible.
And yet, I’m now penciling in appointments with Alicia
Rodriguez (my MC, who comes complete with a full background story including
exs, college and an overbearing grandmother who just wants her to marry a nice Latino
boy).
Did I mention I’m currently in the process of writing about
pirates! I don’t have time for a news reporter with a black belt in Judo!
*sigh*
And then, my new MC has the gall to suggest she get upped in
the queue. Umm, no, sweetie, I’m finishing with the pirates. Then you. I
promise you’ll get your turn.
So yeah, pluses: I never have to worry about where next idea
comes from.
Draw backs: I might need a stick to beat my Shiny New Ideas
into line.
How about you? Do you nurse your ideas along, or do the
stalk you down dark alleys for inappropriate times (like just before job
interviews)?
You are lucky, Rena! Can I borrow your brain for awhile? My ideas creep into my mind, then they bake for awhile. If they keep needling me, I'll let out what time affords me. :)
ReplyDeleteI agree, I'm absolutely lucky. My only concern is that when these novels do download into my brain, the only response I seem to get from agent types is "I've seen ten of these this week, what makes yours so special" (#ProTip, if you don't answer that question in your query letter, forget about requests, even if your writing is spectacular).
DeleteBut I can say that it really is true, the more you write, the more these ideas come to you. I don't know how or why, but they just keep coming. So there it is in a nutshell, write and your ideas will come (oh, and no one can tell if they are the lightning strike or the simmering kind, so don't worry about it; just write!)
Man, I would love it if that happened to me! My ideas never hit me that fast, or with so much detail!
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely an idea omnivore, but when they nail me like that, I have to take notice. On the plus side, I've heard from plenty of readers that they can't tell the difference. Execution of the idea is everything.
DeleteI get stalked. Though it's usually the characters that stalk me rather than the stories.
ReplyDeleteI love the idea of being stalked by your characters. Mine don't usually show up until I start typing.
DeleteI've had it happen both ways. :) Some ideas hit and are strong right away, some simmer in my brain with new details coming up all the time. And some I have to figure out as I write. :)
ReplyDeleteMore and more I'm seeing that there are so many ways to get ideas. I'm just pleased that the big deal is in the execution of the ideas.
DeleteJinx! I should so totally buy you a Coke!!
ReplyDeleteI get ideas like that. I have a whole notebook with plot summaries. Problem is, I can't write them fast enough! But I have found, purging the summary into the notebook keeps the voices at bay for a while. The real conflict comes when I finish a novel and think, what next...so I put all the MC names in a hat, say a prayer, and let God decide.
Yeah, the writing them fast enough bit is hard.
DeleteAnd I love how you choose which one is next. Sometimes I try for the prognostication of cookies to help me decide. So I get some Chinese food for lunch and see if there is any wisdom in the fortune cookie (so far, not much).
That's why I keep a portable voice recorder in the car with me. I never know when an idea is going to strike me.
ReplyDeleteYou know, I should start doing that. Luckily, when my ideas hit me like a run away train, they stay with me long enough for me to pull over and write something down.
DeleteI LOVE shiny's! I'm with you on the never-ending list of waiting projects. Had a new one tumble out of my dreams last night, and I'm like, "Dude, you're awesome, but get in line." So many stories, so little time... *sigh* I'm thinking about investing in Dragon Speaking Naturally to speed up the process.
ReplyDeleteLucky you! My ideas definitely need nursing. I get the idea, but I still need to straighten out a few details before I write. I wish I had everything all at once and it would just work. That would be awesome.
ReplyDeleteI have this same problem. 5 new ideas are murmuring to me right now. I'm like, wait it out, somehow I'll find the time :)
ReplyDeleteWhenever I have a new idea, that's the one I want to work on - they really wouldn't queue up patiently for me. If I had your idea rate, I'd either be working on many things at the same time or have a house littered with the first two chapters of books. You seem to have a handle on them all, so that's really cool, and you'll never be short of something to write!
ReplyDelete