Good news: by this point, I am about ninety percent sure I will not be tackling the second novel project that invaded my brain.
Why this is good news is because I really didn't want to be writing two novels simultaneously, or to end up in the situation I am currently, with two books to edit at once. (And I still haven't touched the other one ...) I just looked at the novel and realized that while everything in the story appealed to me, I wasn't doing anything new and I was treading a lot of cliches.
Bad news: I didn't come to this decision until after I finished the world and character work for the project. Hopefully, I'll come back to it and it's not wasted ...
You never know, sometime down the road you might think of a different story that's even better for those characters and world that you built.
ReplyDeleteOf course, a few hours after I post this, I'm reconsidering ... ;-)
ReplyDeleteYou're smart to prioritize your projects. Getting through edits and revisions is always a harder struggle when the creative side of your muse is tempted to work on other stuff. And all the prep work you've done won't go to waste; it'll be waiting for you when you're ready to proceed. Best of luck with all your projects!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I've been doing a lot of treading water lately - grump.
ReplyDeleteHi, Lindsey, I came to your blog from Nicole's post because I liked your comment about sometimes letting things incubate. I also have found that to be very helpful sometimes. I usually go with an idea with it's hot, and I work at it sometimes even when it's not. But sometimes I really do just scribble a note on it ("let it cook") and leave it alone for awhile. When I come back to it, a lot has been resolved and the story progresses much more easily.
ReplyDeleteHi, Elizabeth! Good to "meet" you. Nice to know someone else works that way. It took me a while to realize that now and again, I procrastinate as a defense against an idea that isn't fully cooked. Discerning the difference between that and real procrastination is the trick. ;-)
ReplyDeleteYes, the first comment (Diana) is exactly what I wanted to say.
ReplyDeleteIn my case, this always happens, and it happens for a reason, and the reason is inspiration - the outburst of subconscious mind after the "right moment". :)