My shiny new ideas, that is.
I'm halfway through revising my first novel, a 36,000-word middle grade fantasy. When I'm finished this revision, I'm putting it away for a good long while. Maybe a year. It, uh,
In the meantime, shiny new ideas are clamoring for takeoff inside my brain (Laurie Halse Anderson said recently on PW's Shelftalker blog that if you've seen popcorn popping you know what it's like inside her head -- I used to use the same analogy for my own idea-filled brain, but lately it's more like huge jets awaiting takeoff clearance).
So I have these shiny new (and somewhat noisy) ideas:
-- Another 1st-person middle grade novel
but a realistic, contemporary one
-- A chapter book mystery, in 3rd person
-- A YA, told in 1st person by a 16-yr-old guy.
How do I know which one should take flight next?
How do YOU decide?
(I'd also would like to welcome new followers Medeia and Amie.)
I've vote chapter book mystery! #2 - MG, #3 - YA.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Donna! I've been leaning towards that one, actually. Never wrote a mystery before, and I like the thought of writing for that age. Might be a real challenge.
ReplyDeleteHow's your writing going?
I'm leaning towards #3.
ReplyDeleteI'll have several book ideas simultaneously, but there's always one that stands out because I can envision the characters and plot clearly.
Thanks for your comment, Medeia! I can see the characters clearly at this point for the YA, but the plot is failing me.
ReplyDeleteSometimes you just have to go for it and start writing.
Wow, I think I would pull one out of a hat, and then see if I felt excited or a bit disappointed by what came out. Deep down in your gut, you must have a preference :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Corey! And welcome! I love your picture book HOP! PLOP! and enjoyed your guest post on Tara Lazar's blog.
ReplyDeleteDeep down in my gut -- you are so right! I'm already working on notes for the MG novel. But only after I posted this and thought about the three ideas. Wish I could write them all at the same time, but I'm not that crazy.
I always have the hardest time choosing too. Lately I just start writing one and then when another idea looks more exciting I switch to that one. I never get anything done!
ReplyDeleteI have a first novel tucked away too. It's too awful to even revise. So if you can even think about coming back to yours in a year I'd say it's probably pretty great.
Thanks, Natalie. Oh, whew! I'm so glad to hear I'm not the only one who has trouble deciding which shiny new idea to pursue first.
ReplyDeleteI'd bet your first novel isn't that bad... Have you showed it to your agent?
Heh heh. We'll see in a year if I feel like coming back to this one. I'm always heartened by knowing that Jerry Spinelli didn't publish his first novel. Nor did T.A. Barron.
But at least now I can start writing the second one. I have a lot of catching up to do, considering all those years I spent just reading and wishing I could write novels. Shoulda just tried writing!