Progression of Story Ideas

Readers often seem amazed that I have no trouble coming up with story ideas. In truth, that's the easiest part of writing for me. I usually keep several in my mind all the time. Right now, I have ten, but sometimes there are fewer, and some of these ten might eventually fade before I get to writing them. If they do, that's fine because I would likely have had a rough time writing them anyway. I actually write the ones that stick with me no matter how long it takes to get to them. It's my way of weeding out and selecting the ones that I will be excited to write throughout the process.

When I begin a new manuscript, I often start with the one that's been in my mind the longest because I've usually worked it out more thoroughly. However, it's not all that usual to have one press its urgency on me, and I write it regardless of its order. When this happens, I have gotten to know the main characters well because I've already lived with them for months if not years. I have had individual scenes play out in my mind, and the writing goes quickly once I began.

Once, I had the scenes coming so fast and furious, I knew I had to get them down quickly, or I would never remember it all the way I wanted to. The problem was that I was working on another first draft at the time, and it is my rule to finish one before I begin another. This time, however, I broke my rule. I wrote down the beginning and just the urgent scenes I had for the new one. Then, I went back and finished the first one before returning to finish the newer one. It worked, but I've not had to do that again. I have just finished two novellas set in the Middle Ages and am now working on Unexpected, set in 1961. It has been in my mind for about eight or nine months. As I tell people all the time, having story ideas is not my problem; finding the time to write them all is. There're never-ending so I'll likely end this life with more than half a dozen story ideas rolling around in my mind.

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