As writers, we are constantly on the lookout for new ideas. And, if the Muses are kind, they come to us eventually. I've been thinking lately about the different ways that these idea arrive. Here are a few I've met.
The Go Nowhere
I begin with, arguably, the most common type of idea. Maybe it was a dream that was particularly memorable, (like my dream about the boy who had a telepathic connection with a shark. True story.) These ideas may excite us for a while, but eventually, we all know where they lead us. The Scary One
And by scary, I don't mean the substance of the idea, I mean the way it comes. It's powerful, we can see that. It's also wild. We have to approach it oh so carefully. We can't meet it in the eye. We can't let it see our fear. If we run up to this idea too quickly, it will attack. So we wait. We let it earn our trust. And maybe, in time, it will take us to it's den.The Sweep You Off your Feet Idea
What writer doesn't love these kind of ideas? Oh baby. These are the ones that appear in a beam of white light, stunning us with their glory. Note the strong arms, this idea has the stuff to make it. Note the confident grip. Don't be afraid, he says, I will carry us all the way to "The End." Note the white stallion. He will hoist us up into his arms and we will ride blissfully into Publication Castle.The Tricky Little Bugger
Some ideas come, and we know they are good, but they just keep going berserk on us. They slip and slide, here and there. One minute they try to run away, but then they are climbing up our legs. It's annoyingly tricky to get these ones clean and ready for drafting.The Slow and Steadys
When it all comes down to it, sometimes an idea just takes work. These kinds of ideas may not blow us away with their brilliance, but we can see the potential. We know that with time, and some steady work, they will be good, even great. These are the least glamorous, but perhaps the most trustworthy. As I did with my Writer's Field Guide, I open the comments section to all you. What kinds of ideas did I miss? Share with us, and maybe I'll make an Ideas Part 2.
5 comments:
First off, I'm so glad you've returned! LOL
Is there a name for an idea you think is brilliant and unique on so many levels. And just as you finish outlining it, you head over to peruse Amazon.com only to discover someone else had a very similar idea and is doing quite well with it?
How about the reborn idea. This one happens around me and... *shakes head and looks around with a bit of shame* occassionally it may show up in my own writing. This idea consists of a brilliant totally new idea (or scene) that when looked at a second time strangely resembles a popular teen romance novel starring sparkly vampires.
Great post! I'm still chuckling. You crack me up, Ren. All of these are so funny! How about the cliched idea? I get these all the time. I think they're original, then I realize they've been done before - exactly the way I had it planned out. *SIGH*
Amanda-LOL, oh yes. That's definitely a common one. Happened to me many times. :)
Candice-hehehe. I can't tell you how many times I've had a panicked "oh no, does this sound just like Twilight" moment.
Michelle-Yep. Its funny that I forgot this one. It's one of the big things that plagues as a writer.
I love it! Hahahaha!
How about the schizophrenic idea? Some of my ideas start out in blazing glory and then become tricky little devils.
Some of them look like go-nowheres, and then reveal themselves to be solid ideas that just need slow and steady work.
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