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Friday 19 February 2010

Settling on an idea

I’m in the post-novel blues at the moment. It’s not that I can’t think of anything to write. On the contrary, I’ve got three or four stories swimming around in my head, like hyperactive salmon. Occasionally, one will bob to the surface and take a breath of air. Then I start writing. But just as quickly, it sinks and I stop. Or, while I'm writing one, another splashes to the surface and demands attention, distracting me. So I’m making very little progress with anything really.

Do you have limits to how many stories you might have ‘on the go’ at once? I’ve worked on two at once quite happily, but I don’t know if I could adequately handle any more than that. Two allowed me to carry on with one as soon as enthusiasm waned on the other, but I think I’d probably lose the threads on any more than that.

So I could carry on and make myself deal with two of my ideas. But which two? I can’t decide! It’s too hard.

4 comments:

Anna Staniszewski said...

I've also found that two is the most I can juggle at once. It helps if they're in different stages, so I'm not revising at the same time, for example. I say go with the ones that are yelling the loudest. :-)

Kate said...

They're all shouting as loud as each other! :(

Laura Pauling said...

I totally understand the blues of being in between projects and figuring out which direction to head off in next. Take some time off, and see where your heart leads.
:) Laura

Kate said...

I'll try! Thanks, Laura.