Of Bus-like Brainwaves May 20, 2008
Posted by Jen in : Journal , trackback‘I don’t think I’d write another novel,’ I said to lovely bf a while ago.
It’s hideously hard, pouring so much time and emotional energy into something that will almost certainly sink without trace. I could hardly remember how I managed to sit there last summer, trying to wrench out at least a hundred words so I wouldn’t have to lie when asked how I was getting on at the end of the day.
Never. Again.
But I had an idea last week. I don’t think it’s even a new idea – it’s just one that keeps bubbling up and getting stronger each time. A bit like the smell of a blocked drain really. The Idea came while I was driving to work and I dashed up the stairs to my office, scribbling frantically to get it down before it evaporated for another few months.
And. I had another idea this morning. Well, it was a dream actually which became An Idea when I woke up properly. Bursting bladders have a lot to answer for. It wasn’t even just The Idea for a story – it had the characters and lines of dialogue and everything, fizzling and sizzling and spitting hot fat at me. I had to get up, despite it being 5.20am, to write it all down before I made a mess. Hmm, great image there; my new story is clearly a sausage.
Now that my first cup of tea has gone down the hatch, the initial euphoria has worn off and I’m wondering whether I should knit the two Ideas together. Or whether they’re actually both crap and I should’ve stayed in bed. Sausages and blocked drains; perhaps that sums it up.
God. I hate writing.
***
On another note entirely, lovely bf has made an observation:
When Princess Diana was alive, she used to visit war-torn countries strewn with landmines. Fergie, God bless her, has been sent to Hull. The Royals aren’t what they were, are they?
Comments»
I hate writing too! God knows why I do it, but I have to. Masochism probably.
The Ideas sound great though, especially if it comes with characters and dialogue! Perhaps begin with two short stories? As you work through them you might work out if the two ideas mesh together or not.
Well s o m e t h i n g has got to get you up in the morning. Why not fizzying exciting ideas of The Next Great Novel. So what if they scamper off, never to be seen again. You’re up by then. (This probably isn’t helpful)
Hmmm, it’s irritating isn’t it? I mean I can’t even get my first idea down - and another idea comes whizzing and fizzing and demanding attention! Bugger.
I hate writing too at the moment. Or rather I hate the fact that I’m not writing and when I do finally sit own I curse and moan. You know exactly what I mean don’t you? Anyway, great that you’ve had some brainwaves. I would do what Yvonne says. Play around with both ideas and see what happens.
Perhaps you should just record your ideas for now, as you are doing, but not act upon them. Kick them around in your mind for a while. Then, later on, you can write that killer next novel.
Sounds intriguing……Yay for new Ideas
I agree with the advice left by the others….play about with them, develop them a little bit and then see if they will work together or whether they need to stand alone!!
C x
Sounds exciting. I should get knitting and see what happens. I don’t really like sausages, but I’d make an exception if there wasn’t too much spitting.
Hasn’t Fergie had something weird done to her face??
We all hate writing at some point. I’m surprised anything gets written!!
Well done on the new ideas! It’s great when you get them isn’t it? But when it comes to building on them it’s a case of ‘hmm… it’s a lot of hard work’ - ness. I like Captain Black’s idea. Just jot the ideas down and let them float about for a wee while. Before you know it you’ll be dying to do something with them!
What the heck go for it! By the way have you started editing yet? I wouldn’t want to see you descend into suburbia never to re-surface.
Oh, you couldn’t give it up now even if you wanted to. That whole writerly thing is running through your veins and those ideas will keep pestering until you do something with them. Annoying, I know! What about some short stories to fill the gap???
Looks like you’ve really got the writing bug—— or is that just some dodgy sausages. Just go with the flow, I mean the ideas and see where you end up. Lets face it too many ideas is better than none.
A novel about sausages. Frankly, I think it’s a winner.
Yvonne - Great idea about trying them as short stories first. Am actually really keen to write short stories but they’re just sooo not the easier option, are they?
Bobo - Incontinent and incompetent; that’s the combo that gets me up every morning. TMI perhaps?
JJ - I suppose it’s better to have more ideas than we have time for. I was quite convinced when I finished the first draft of my novel that I’d have have another thought again.
Helen - Yep, cursing and moaning, faffing about until we’re cross with ourselves and miserable that we haven’t written again. D’you think we need counselling?
Captain Black - you’re right, the trick is to at least scribble down the oomph and thrust of The Idea.
Carol - aw, you make The Ideas sound like little rascals who need to be tamed
Karen - it’s the spitting while I write I’m trying to avoid. Dribble is never a good basis for plot. Fergie’s just plain weird. D’you think she’s maybe an alien replica of the real Fergie?
A Writer - Floating, yes, I think I like the sound of that.
Breezy - yep, have started editing and first third all done. The hard work and massive re-writing starts here though.
Maddie Moon - Short stories are really calling to me actually… any good books you can recommend to get me in the zone?
Sheepish - It’s funny how ideas seem to generate more ideas… they come bounding along like little spring lambs if you let them. Still end up as sausages though
Helen - Sausage as a genre should be encouraged. Or perhaps we’re getting onto dodgy ground here… sausage erotica. Ew.
so - what has happened with the first book?? will we be seeing it on the shelves sometime soon? Have you sent it out into the big, bad scary world yet???
My sister and thought we’d get a t-shirt made. On the front we will write:
Write?
and on the back:
why the fuck would ya?
hmmm - sounds pretty dorky and pathetic written out like that - but it’s how we feel most of the time!!!
There’s a lovely mug that I intend to get (I keep on intending lots of things…). It’s from CafePress and the words “So many ideas, so little time” are written on the side.
I usually do like Captain Black says and just jot the ideas down, even the clogged drain/sausagey ones, or they disappear into the ether.
Rebecca - Hurrah, how completely ace to have you back in Blogland! Nope, haven’t sent the rotten thing out yet - am a third of the way through editing and getting braver by the day. Not. Put me down for of of them there t-shirts.
Liane - it’s pretty horrid when those ideas drift away like a smoke circle. I like the sound of that mug. Must investigate.