Hi everyone!
Welcome to Insecure Writer's Support Group. We are a group writers who share our doubts and encouragements. I'd like to thank Alex Cavanaugh and this month's hosts. Learn more about the group here.
I started a new novel. Actually, I'm revisiting an old idea with a new twist. You see, while I was working on Entangled, book three in my Embrace Series, Nikki, the main character in an idea I had several years ago, popped into my thoughts. She wanted to know when I was going to get to her story. I can't call her impatient. She's been waiting at least three years for me to revisit what I had written all those months ago. Checking my draft, that was around 10,000 words. I only had to read a few pages to remember the different problems I had with the story. One being that I wasn't sure the plot was right for a teen audience. Nikki was kind enough to agree and push me to come up with a fix, because she was definitely a teen character. Not really helpful, but she successfully got me thinking about her again. That's when this guy poked his head into my thoughts and pointed out that I hadn't started the story in the right place, and that my dual point-of-views weren't from the right two people. Sure, Nikki's has to be there, but so does his.
The point of this post, and how it ties in with insecurities, is that sometimes it's necessary to put an idea away for awhile. Stew over the plot. Get a better idea of who the characters are. This way, when you come back to the story, you'll be ready to roll up your sleeves and write the story.
Hopefully my new found energy for this story will last for at least 60,000 words.
Do you talk to your characters? Ever revamp an old idea into a new story?
Sometimes, it's definitely necessary to put aside ideas for a while. I find when I come back to it, I can see with clear and fresh eyes—makes a big difference!
ReplyDeleteAnd I talk to my characters all the time. Occasionally, they even talk back, but mostly I think they're mad at me for being so mean to them. =)
Happy writing!
I figured a lot of writers talk to their characters. I suppose some people might think we're crazy, but we know better. =)
DeleteYes, other people think we're crazy. Our characters know we are. All the while we assert everything's just fine with us, eh? How come nobody listens without rolling their eyes, though, I'm wondering.
DeleteOh yeah, I've definitely got to let stories stew in my head for a while before I can get to writing out the whole thing. I'm supposed to be laying out the plot for a RomCom type story but the MC keeps getting too damn serious on me, so maybe it's time to work on something else while she learns how to lighten up.
ReplyDeleteOh! Talk your MC to take a chill pill. Or maybe she could use a glass of wine. =)
DeleteI have finally accepted that it is OK to put a book idea away for awhile. I used to think this drained my energy for the plot and characters, but have discovered that exactly the opposite happens!
ReplyDeleteI'm hoping that works for this story. This is a YA contemporary novel with no paranormal element in it. I'm excited to be working on it.
DeleteI began editing / rewriting Forbidden a year after it had begun. That was enough time for the seeds of a better ending of the plot to germinate. It was thrilling to discover a new twist. Normally I suffer from impatience, which could be the reason for the need for a rewrite. I've accepted its my style to write madly for the first draft, then glean out the diamond on the rewrite.
ReplyDeleteI like to get my first draft done before I revise, too. =)
DeleteYep. After floundering around with a YA fantasy for about a year, I finally decided to set it aside and move on to another story that had been pestering me for a while. I will get back to the first story, but only after I've let it stew on the back burners for awhile.
ReplyDeleteWait to you get on a roll with the new story, your YA mc will start to talk to you. =)
DeleteThat's why I knock around an idea for a long time before even creating an outline. Sometimes it just takes time to come together.
ReplyDeleteI usually do that, but this one just didn't work when I first tried it. But I think I got it now.
DeleteI like revamping old ideas with new twists . . . when I'm not feeling frustrated, that is! lol But yes putting an idea away for a while does help :)
ReplyDeleteS.K.Anthony: IWSG
It's fun to see where the story might go. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteI believe that our minds work on things whether we think about them or not. Leaving some writing until a later date has worked for me more than once. When I come back to the story and begin writing the most brilliant ideas present themselves.
ReplyDeleteThe relief can be overwhelming. :-)
Anna from Shout with Emaginette
That's very true. I do my best writing when it's an idea I've been thinking about for awhile.
DeleteThat's definitely true. I've had more than a few ideas that were better after they brewed for a while.
ReplyDeleteGlad it's not just me. =)
DeleteI like how my characters have turned out more flavoursome after I let their stories stew for a while (and sometimes it's a long while, like maybe five years). Putting their stories aside is necessary, for it could be time needed for me to get to know what they truly want, or it could be time needed for me to grow as a writer in order to write their stories out as best I can.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure it's been a little of both on this story. Thanks for stopping by.
DeleteMy favorite part of this post is how you "talk" with your characters. I do the same thing. They have a kind of running dialogue with me at times to help guide me in the right direction. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteElsie
I've had some good conversations with my characters. Although, they tend to do most the talking, but I'm okay with that. =)
Delete"Ever revamp an old idea into a new story?"
ReplyDeleteYes, many times.
All but one of the new stories I worked on this last year are old ideas that kept nagging me to revisit. I have no doubt that had I written them when they first appeared and I jotted them down in my idea book, they would not have been the same stories.
It's nice when they don't change. This one is turning into something very different, but I think that's needed. .
Delete