The sky is the limit!
Super excited today. I had a vague notion for a story a while ago - perhaps as long as a year or two actually - but it never fully formed at the time, and whilst I thought, 'oh, that's a good one to keep', I didn't know what to do with it. I only had the main character/two but no idea of the plot.
Well that changed last night! I was just trying to drift off to sleep when it popped up into my head again. The main characters strolled into my head formed (and sassy) and the story unfolded. One thing I learnt (the hard way) to do when this happens? Write it down immediately! As awake as you think you are, and as much as you think you can trust your brain to remember all the details in perfect clarity... oh boy it won't!
So I jotted everything down on my phone and emailed it to myself. Plotted roughly the first book in about 10 minutes flat. Not in any great detail of course, but figured out most of the key events - that can't be a bad thing!
It's going to be a YA fantasy heavily based in myth and magic!
A bonus was being able to see a series arc as a whole. There's still far too many gaps to know how long it will be, but I know there's so many adventures the characters can have! Exciting times. I usually struggle to see the much longer term picture (I have struggled plotting too far ahead with Caledan, for example), so this is a new and welcome feeling.
How do you plot/plan your stories? Do you plan far in advance?
Of course, I still had to trawl Amazon this morning to see if I could find anyone who'd already written it. I came close! I had a nervy few minutes thinking that someone had written my exact idea, but thanks to the synopsis and Amazon's 'sample' features, I was able to see it was completely different. Phew!
Have you ever done this and found someone's already written your ideas? What did you do!?
I just don't know when on earth I'm going to do it and how I'll fit it in! I already have lots of projects planned out for this year. I'm not sure if I can give myself to anymore without compromising the integrity of the ones I already have (which is of course, non-optional - I firmly believe in putting out your best work, despite the fact we are all continously improving).... but I'm *really* bitten by this idea and want to start now now now!
If only I didn't still have most of my dissertation and other essays to write, it might be possible to fit it in much sooner! I'm going to focus on plotting this in my spare time though, see if I can't hash out the first few books in the series. I think I need to become more productive in the time I have to manage everything. I know people who put out many books a year, so it must be possible!
How do you ensure you stay on task and are as productive/efficient as possible?
I love being a writer - new ideas can strike you any time and anywhere. The sky is the limit - or rather, the bounds of your imagination are.
I really want to share this project, but I know it's too soon yet! Hopefully in a few months I can spill more of the details.
Take care for now!
~ Meg
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