As far as my ideas go there are two camps.
There's a happy place where characters are friends, plot is clear and the blank page is, well, written on. This is familiar forest. Ah, how I love it like a warm blanket.
Then there is the other place. A dark and evil land I've dubbed the forest of new ideas.
What am I talking about? Stick with me, I'm heading somewhere. Promise.
Okay, I'm going all Stephenie Meyer here and admit I had a dream. A dream about a character, a flash of a plot, and an opening line. It was so vivid I woke up and wrote it down.
Yup, technicolour imagination overload. It happened to me before with the current MS. It woke me up, tortured me at inopportune moments, and was an overall schizo voice in my head. I HAD to write it. Now this one is screaming, and getting louder. Just like before.
So, after some debate and assistance (thanks to Operation Awesome) I've started on the shiny idea. Am I scared? Hell yeah.
I'm back in the spooky part of the forest of new ideas. I can't see my way. I've no map and compass. There are people people I don't know walking with me. Some of them don't even have faces yet. The page is blank. It's everything my Mum taught me to run away from. A stranger.
But it's kind of exciting at the same time.
It's like the rush of a first kiss, the first piece of chocolate, or that "Ahh" moment of taking off your shoes after a long day. Or meeting someone for the first time and knowing you'll become friends.
Because, after all, a new idea is a friend you don't know yet. :)
15 comments:
Wonder why new ideas always seem to spring forth when you're otherwise occupied with the 'old' ideas? Can't they wait in the wings until we're ready to deal with them? hahahaha
Love this! Throwing it in for our Friday round-up of best articles for writers.
Go with your scary idea. Run with it and don't look back. Those are the kind that either end up brilliant or flop. But I'm betting on brilliant.
Happy writing!
Martina
I'm with you . . . those first few chapters are scary. Will it go anywhere? Will you like your character? Will there even be a workable plot?
So many what-ifs, but definitely worth the plunge. Good luck!
go go go girl!!!!
happy writing!
Sounds fascinating, I love those beginnings!
Well said Lindsay! It is scary but also pretty exciting. Sounds like you're right in the thick of it.
Totally true. New ideas can be so scary...for me, I think it's because I don't own them yet--they're very much their own, untamed entities. But once I've spent some time there, the beauty and possibilities of that new forest have a special appeal.
Funny, this happened to me just this morning. You're right, new ideas are awesome but they're also extremely disruptive, knocking all our well laid plans out of whack. We just have to hold on and ride them out to wherever they're going.
Exactly! You explain this SO well. I love it when new ideas come out of the woodwork and knock you sideways - it's the BEST feeling.
You know I'm going to cyber-stalk you until you write the dream, don't you???? I love hearing stories like this, where a story bugs the writer until it's completed.
On behalf of Operation Awesome, I hereby pronounce you supported!!!
When the lure of a new idea pulls you that strongly in - you have to follow (scary or not). Good luck with it!
Good luck with your new idea. It is scary in the beginning, but I'm willing to bet it grows into something amazing! Sometimes you have to go with your gut!
Can't wait to see what you come up with!
Cool! This idea clearly has legs! i love the metaphor--it makes it sound like a fabulous read and if it feels that way to you...
so, so true! i couldn't agree more!
"The forest of new ideas" I love it!
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