Wednesday, August 19, 2009

A four leaf clover tattoo, three old friends; 1 guy, his sister, her best friend, a business, a heartfelt promise, a late night phone call, a quick plane ride, a plush office and ...nothing.

Does any of that mean anything? Nope. Its just gibberish, or at least to anyone who isn't a writer it is. To me and to probably those of you who write a story is already starting to take shape. I've had these phrases, these snippets of scenes floating in my head now for weeks and they are driving me crazy. If I wasn't a writer; I'd be worried.

As writers, we're used to ideas hitting us from literally out of nowhere. We're used to hearing "voices" in our heads and seeing movies play out in our minds before we ever put the first keystroke down. For me, the frustrating part isn't where to get ideas but rather how to find the time for all the ideas I've got. I've learned, through trial and error that when an idea hits, no matter what else you're working on, you have to at least take some notes, put down the scene on paper and get it out of your head or you'll never get any rest. Certainly, you'll never get back to the manuscript you're supposed to be working on.

I'm supposed to be hard at work on the fourth book in the Double B series. I'm supposed to have it all wrapped up before the holidays so it can get into edits and release in early 2010. I'm trying. Honest. But the reality is this "four leaf clover tattoo story" as I refer to it is driving me half insane. I wake up in the middle of the night and think about it, driving in the car, I think about it. There doesn't seem to be a time when I'm not thinking about some part of this story.

Its becoming an obession. Somebody has a story; it needs to be told and apparently I'm the lucky writer. Sigh. I just wish I knew....the rest of the story.

Hope your writing is going better than mine today.

3 comments:

Emma Lai said...

You have my sympathies, Roni! I completely understand your dilemma. What I want to know is why do ideas seem to appear when you're supposed to be working on something else? I can go days without a new idea, but the minute I start working on edits or finishing a WIP...BAM!...a new idea hits.

Good luck!

Mary Ricksen said...

Sounds like the beginning of a story to me Roni. If you are a plotter, get plotting, a panster, get writing!

I sometimes get these inspirations in the middle of the night. Right next to my bed is a pen and paper, just in case. In the morning I can decide if it was anything worth acting on.

When the ideas hit you and you know they are good, then you have to write. You never know what will happen unless you give it a try.

Roni said...

The story won; I started writing. I am definitely a panster and had to put my fingers to the keyboard. I'm not happy with what I've written but at least its out of my head - somewhat. lol.