Writing vs thinking about writing
A reader recently asked children’s/YA author Dee White how important it is to write every day, or whether just thinking about writing is enough some days. I agree with Dee’s answer, that what works for one writer may not necessarily work for the next.
What I enjoyed most about her blog entry on the topic, however, was the list of answers from various writers she polled. I’ve always enjoyed reading about how other writers work.
My main problem is that I get ideas for writing projects all the time, and having to pick and choose between them is a challenge. This may seem like a wonderful thing, but I’m well aware that I’d make much more progress if I just chose one or two projects and focused on those.
My current solution: whenever I get ideas that aren’t directly related to the projects I’m actively working on, I stick them in Zengobi’s Curiounder the appropriate folder (MG novel ideas, YA novels, picture books, etc.). I figure this cooling off period will also help give me some perspective — almost ANY idea seems fantastic when it first hits me. A week later, however, I may take it out and think, “What the HECK was I thinking?”
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Ha ha, yeah I get lots of ideas that aren’t really good ideas, but are disguised as good ideas. I have some very strange things written on notecards. That Gilligan’s Island redo never managed to gel.
I’ve never seen anything like that Zengobi’s Curio. Looks interesting. I’m dealing with a similar thing in that I now have a new idea so I want to abandon my old wip and start with something new. It’s hard to keep focused!
I find that the ideas I end up writing about are the ones I keep coming back to — there’ll be notes that are related in some way, and they’re really part of the same idea. I also have some random thoughts that will never develop into anything because I have no clue what they mean!