What I need is few ideas to complete my first book, some ideas for the second and third would be helpful too. What I don’t need is ideas for new books. In the past few weeks I’ve had ideas for another two books not contacted to my original series, thanks brain!
Now you might think I’m being ungrateful but bear in mind I’ve not published anything yet. Every time I get a book idea I scribble down as much of it as I can, hoping to get back to it. So now instead of the pressure of one book and a sequel I need to get on with. I now have about six book I need to finish or even start. I don’t even know if anyone will want my first one.
Why can’t inspiration be nice and orderly and come along at the right moment?
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Argh I hate it when this happens! Inspiration is a cruel mistress. By the way, I will get back to you about the short story you so kindly sent me, I’ve not been home much so not had a chance – but I certainly haven’t forgotten!
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Yep, it’s not easy.
Especially the feeling that nobody will even want to read the book you’re working on.
I spent about eight years writing “Children of the Wise Oak”.
At around 52,000 words, that’s a writing rate of something like 17 words a day!
Most of those days though, I didn’t even think about the book because what I thought about it was “this is awful”
On Saturday at Green Man, Ben Blake was asked by a young autistic ADHD man if he (Ben) would consider ghost writing his ideas as novels. Ben, as you no doubt know, has rather more ideas about what to write than half a dozen authors could ever hope to turn into finished novels.
I’m in a similar position, with four WIP “Men of the Wise Oak”, “Dr Gnaw” “Time Tunnel to Ironbridge” and an untitled Victorian memoir.
Good luck with the next step
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I definitely feel your pain on this one, when inspiration strikes… but it’s for completely the wrong thing! I have it happen with different mediums too, for instance I’ll be trying to invest as much time as I can in writing and my brain will say “Hey, wouldn’t it be great to go take some photos and learn a new photography style?”.
I find it’s best to make your notes, like you are doing, and try to just power through. Writing something else, something you’re less invested in, can be great for overcoming writers block. Struggling with your ‘first novel’? Why not write something from one of your unconnected ideas, where there’s no pressure, and if its rubbish it doesn’t matter. It can often shed a bit of light on your main piece, whilst also providing a foundation to come back to later on!
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-grin- Inspiration is fickle. Just be grateful that your store of ideas is growing. One day it’ll be a treasure chest for you to dip into. 🙂
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Eric, as Olli said, I have a bucket load of ideas piled up in the file. Well, I say file. What I mean is there are notes scattered around my writing desk and probably in boxes in the store cupboard too. I worked out a few months ago that if I write three books every two years, it will take 12 years to finish them all.
Don’t worry about it. When the ideas stop coming… that’s when to worry.
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Inspiration is fickle. It is also a trickster. The minute you sit down to write that ‘great idea you had’ inspiration takes a vacation in the Bahamas and laughs at you from a beach chair under a cabana, sipping Mai Tais and cooling in the surf.
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