Welcome back to another blog hop, with #OpenBook. Here’s this week’s prompt.
Do you get story ideas that you know you’ll never write?
Never say Never.
I get ideas all the time, one or two a week. Quite a few of them fizzle out or become a short story. Occasionally I will come back to them in another guise or they may reappear as a part of something else. More annoyingly, just as I’m finishing one story, I’ll get an idea for further adventures for the characters.
Because of this constant flow, I have several sequels that I’ve started and need finishing, to my stand-alone stories Life and Other Dreams, The Hitman and the Thief and Survive. Not forgetting The Sensaurum and the Lexis. I’ll probably get more ideas as (and when) I write them. And so on, which will eventually make them series.
Then there are the next parts of both the Balcom and the Horis Strongman series to attend to, as well as a possible fourth Dave Travise story. That’s seven and we’re only just counting the work I’ve made a start on. I haven’t included the short stories that I want to expand, there are several of those.
Some of them have been patiently waiting for me to get on with them. Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say I have been waiting impatiently for the story to come to me.
The longest of them is 20,000 words, some are just a page of scribbled notes. But they all want (need) to be told
Whether I will get around to finishing them also depends very much on the new ideas that keep coming in and distracting me from that task. To be honest, few people have asked for the above sequels, so there is not that much urgency about them.
Whereas the new ideas (as well as the ever-popular Andorra Pett series) are more likely to gain me some extra readers. So they take priority. Maybe that’s why the muse is so fickle?
I do try to have one new idea ready for a NaNoWriMo project every year. This year it’s My Sister Alex, the rest of them (new and old) just get a few more words written when I have a glimpse of where they can go next. I might spend a month on one, then a day on another, there is no real way of knowing.
Will I ever finish everything that I’ve started?
I’m determined that one day, every idea will come to fruition, either as a full novel or a short story. Always assuming that I can keep going for a while yet (I’m not in the first flush of youth).
Not that I wouldn’t want to get any new ideas, just so that I could get everything else finished.
Assuming things carry on as they are and based on my past performance, it’s possible that I might be able to catch up. In the last three years, I’ve managed to publish four novels a year, including a month spent exclusively on NaNoWriMo, so to get up to date, I will need three (or four) years. And a load of money for editing and covers. Which means sales.
Fingers crossed for that.
Let me know what you think about this week’s subject.
I’d love to get your comments, please leave them below. While you’re here, why not take a look around? There are some freebies and lots more content, about me, my writing and everything else that I do. You can join my newsletter for a free novella and more news by clicking this link.
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I’d love to get your comments, please leave them below. While you’re here, why not take a look around? There are some freebies and lots more content, about me, my writing and everything else that I do. You can join my newsletter for a free novella and more news by clicking this link.
Stevie Turner
Four novels a year? Wow, that’s awesome! I can only manage one.
Richard Dee
I need to get my skates on to manage 4 this year, 3 would be a good result.
Kendra Brooks
Hi there, I have book ideas I know I will never write, I know the feeling. hang in there! 4 novels a year is quite a run, i wish i could do that, i manage just 2. quite a feat there! that is awesome! stay strong!
Richard Dee
4 just sort of happens when everything in the process aligns. I have a feeling that this year will be quieter (maybe).
phil huston
Not that I wouldn;t want fresh ideas, but so I could get everything finished.
Amen.
Richard Dee
All I ask is a fighting chance to get ahead of the curve, please!!!!
P.J. MacLayne
I can’t imagine ever getting caught up. I’m not sure I want to!
Richard Dee
It’s a dream, like winning the lotto or becoming really famous. Something to spur me on. As long as I can keep the number down to a reasonable figure, I’ll be happy.
Leon Stevens
I also have many snippets of music (classical guitar), song lyrics, and story ideas. It’s not bad to have lots of ideas kicking around. Sometimes they they will match up with each other, other times they are just a reminder of our creativity.
Richard Dee
Everything’s connected. I’ve found a home for many paragraphs that I thought were destined to lie unused.
Roberta Eaton Cheadle
Four books a year is great, Richard. I only manage one, but I do work full time and have a family at home. I do write short stories for anthologies in between. I find you way of writing fascinating. I rarely find writing that easy. If no research is required, the story can flow quickly and easily, but most of my interests lie in history which requires time consuming research.
Richard Dee
I do research, Robbie, but only when I need to understand what the voices are trying to tell me.
Lela Markham
Staying ahead of ideas keeps us young, Richard!
Richard Dee
Indeed it does 🙂
Amy Miller
Rock those words! I look forward to seeing your future accomplishments.
Richard Dee
Thank you, inspiration is the gift that keeps on giving.