Gah! It's been crazy around here, so I want to apologize for being kind of MIA with my blog posts. We just moved into our new place this past weekend and are still getting our bearings and unpacking, etc., etc. I must say that I LURVE our new place. A lot. So...that's nice and happy.
Anyway, something happened last night. The husband went to bed, and I stayed up to work on revisions for my WIP. I typed maybe 200 words and then stopped, because I just wasn't "feeling" it. I decided that I probably needed to start over again because it wasn't exactly how I wanted it, but I wasn't in the mood to delete so many words. So, instead I started typing something completely and utterly new. Something that had been simmering under the surface for a few months, just aching to be let free. I didn't write too much. I hadn't plotted at all and really had no idea what the story was even about. All I knew was the setting and the main character. I wrote a little snippet, quite pleased and excited with it, and then went to bed.
While I was laying in bed I was thinking about this new story and what the premise might be. I had this awesome setting, and this awesome character, but where, exactly, was it going? Then, to my utter surprise and delight, my brain decided to give me a gift. It TOLD ME exactly what this story was about. It told me about two more characters, and various complications for my main character, and what was going to happen. And I was like, ZOMG!! YES! And I literally did a little flail in the dark. This morning I jotted everything down, and now all I want to do is write write write this new story. It is CALLING to me. And let me tell you...it has a tantalizing call.
But then some other part of my brain is like, "Um, hello? Revisions? Current WIP?" And I'm like, "Uhhh, I knowwwwwwwww." Now don't get me wrong, I lurve my WIP. It's like an old friend. But my WIP is one of those stories where I know I'll have to make a zillion revisions before I get it right. I don't know why this is. It just IS. And the thought of getting it right makes me very, very excited, but I still don't know exactly HOW to make it right. But this NEW idea...it's already just SO RIGHT. And it's most definitely a standalone. One book, and then done. WIP is most likely a three book series.
I know, I'm babbling. Sorry. ANYWAY. So I'm thinking of possibly writing a teensy bit of this new story. Just a little, keep it casual, you know. I'm still married to WIP and all. WIP will be my priority, but I think perhaps working on the new story will get my creative juices flowing in a new way. Right? That makes sense? Or am I just fooling myself? Should I jot down new story's ideas and set it aside until I'm done with WIP?
I don't know, guys. Have you ever had this happen before? What did you do? Is it wise to start a new project while still revising a WIP? I'm thinking, MAYBE, of setting aside a minimal amount of time per week to work on the new story, just to placate myself. We'll see.
We shall see.
(*excited flail for new story!*)
I'm glad you're so excited about this new thing. It's great to get charged up about it. The tough question: work on it, or whip the WiP? That's a hard one. But chew on this a bit: if you put down the WiP, will you come back to it? Do you have a history of jumping from story-to-story, never finishing, or do you finish what you start, regardless of distractions?
ReplyDeleteNow, I think writing fresh and revising/editing are done with different 'aspects' of the mind, so you should be able to do both; it's a question of time, and whether you can actually work on both in the same day. Good luck!
@JeffO Thanks Jeff! I agree that drafting and revising require different 'aspects' of the mind, which is the only reason I think it might be possible to work on both. I don't think I'll fully commit to this new idea though, because I am the type of person who likes to follow through on things I start. I could never see myself abandoning my WIP. But this new idea is so intriguing...I might just play around with it a little bit, and hopefully that will be enough to let me put it down while I finish revising!
ReplyDeletehow about just having a notebook where you jot down ideas and/or scenes as they come up? maybe even in handwriting so that it's completely separate from, you know, a WIP.
ReplyDeletethat's what I do, it helps with the excitement without having it take over my current project :)