Is there such a thing as too much inspiration? Probably not. Inspiration is always good stuff. But I do find myself torn between two story ideas right now.
I have been planning for the last half year or so to write something that little dude can read. Something whimsical and fun and without all the angsty sexual tension that's in my current book. Wait, in about everything I've ever written since the age of 14 or so. So, something clean, probably more middle grade than YA.
But, there's also another story leaping about in my head, an adult story with a very loud voice. This one really speaks to me more clearly than the other one, but I already told little dude I was going to write one for him this year.
Soooo, I decided to start on the MG because that was the plan all along, and I'm not going to go back on my word. I actually starting writing a story about seven years ago that I had originally planned with adult characters, but realized is exactly the whimsical stuff I need for a younger audience. So, I'm going to adapt that one, minus the romance I'd initially planned. Though I may cheat occasionally and work on the other adult story :)
How about you guys? What do you do when you have competing stories? Do you ever skip between age categories?
Yes...it is happening to me now. A short story I had written sometime back (I blogged about it in my last post) is calling out to me. I am not sure what age I can adapt it for:MG or YA. At the same time I am working on what I hope may turn into a series.
ReplyDeleteI think it's great that you're writing a story for your kid. I just write and hope my daughter likes my stories (because she's one of my beta readers).
ReplyDeleteWhen I have stories battling for space in my head, I pick the one that's yelling the loudest and hope for the best. Meanwhile, I write down everything I can think of for the other one, so it'll be there with I'm ready for it.
I am currently working on the sequel to my epic fantasy and write 6 chapters at a time. Then I have a childrens book that has multiple request for more, I will add to that and it takes a week to write. I also have a novella. So I take turns. Now after I've written them, of course they go through critique, I make changes and then off to an editor and then more changes and a final read by someone else to make sure the spit and polish is correct. So though it takes less time to write some things, they still get treated the same professional way.
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N. R. Williams, The Treasures of Carmelidrium
I always have multiple ideas. I have notes going back years about different things I want to write. What I write is based on the amount of motivation I have to write a particular story including incentives. It's how I finished my first novel. I chose what I knew would have the most external motivation to finish it. Basically, I wrote it for my kids and read it to them as I went, so, if I didn't write, I had to deal with them about it. Strong motivation to finish.
ReplyDeleteSo far I've only had one idea at a time. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI've got a folder full of story ideas, some admittedly better than others, but I do try to stick to one at a time. I find that it's not easy to stay true to that one idea instead of trying out the new shiny. I'm sticking with my YA Fantasy at the moment, but I've another couple I can't wait to get on to.
ReplyDeleteThat's interesting Alexia- I don't think I've ever had an idea that was not a YA idea. I have no desire to write about adults, so I don't think I'll ever have that problem. Although I would like to dabble in MG someday. Good luck with your MG and really, if you are stuck on this, go with your heart and write the adult one for a while. Good luck :)
ReplyDeleteHmm... What I've been doing recently is to pay attention to the idea that's the loudest. I think it's ok to switch between projects every now and then - if that's what works for you!
ReplyDeleteOh, yes! In fact, having taken two writing breaks in recent years while expecting new babies, getting back into writing this is always something I struggle with. Except for me, it's a competition between old projects left unfinished, things I already have outlined but haven't actually written, and developing new ideas...
ReplyDeleteYou have to allow yourself some flexibility. I find if I'm too rigid in my writing rules, I just don't write. Even though this gig includes lots of hard work, you have to have your fun, too!
I tend to have one project that's my primary, and one I'm either editing or outlining. And then some days I write something else just because I love that freedom to express myself.
I always have ideas on the go in my head, but I try think in terms of what I should be writing... rather than just jumping head first in a new idea.
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