Scribbling Down Ideas
So I was in the middle of Oldest Daughter's graduation ceremony. I was crying. I was listening to her play violin with the orchestra.
And the first line of a new book flew into my head.
To be sure, I always suffer from Shiny New Idea Syndrome. They don't make a rehab for that, do they?
And this new idea is one I have been toying with--just toying in my head--for a few months. Originally, I thought it was a work of women's fiction. But now I am thinking it's a late-YA. And then . . . the first line! The first wonderful, fabulous line which means it's now more than just this cloud of an idea. It's SOMETHING.
I looked in my purse for something to write on, and ended up tearing off a piece of cardboard from the box I keep my Epi-pens in. I wrote it down . . . the first line. And stuck it in my wallet.
My Significant Other looked over at me like I was nuts. "What are you doing?"
Meanwhile, I am STILL sobbing over Oldest Daughter. Still there at the graduation. I leaned over and whispered, "New first line for a book."
By now, my family just knows I am weird, so he just nodded.
But inside, I was elated. In the midst of this crazy day, I get my first line. Not only that, I got the two main characters Clear as a summer day.
This happen to anyone else? Where do you scribble when you get an idea at an inconvenient time? Do random lines come to you out of nowhere? Are we really ALL just insane?
And the first line of a new book flew into my head.
To be sure, I always suffer from Shiny New Idea Syndrome. They don't make a rehab for that, do they?
And this new idea is one I have been toying with--just toying in my head--for a few months. Originally, I thought it was a work of women's fiction. But now I am thinking it's a late-YA. And then . . . the first line! The first wonderful, fabulous line which means it's now more than just this cloud of an idea. It's SOMETHING.
I looked in my purse for something to write on, and ended up tearing off a piece of cardboard from the box I keep my Epi-pens in. I wrote it down . . . the first line. And stuck it in my wallet.
My Significant Other looked over at me like I was nuts. "What are you doing?"
Meanwhile, I am STILL sobbing over Oldest Daughter. Still there at the graduation. I leaned over and whispered, "New first line for a book."
By now, my family just knows I am weird, so he just nodded.
But inside, I was elated. In the midst of this crazy day, I get my first line. Not only that, I got the two main characters Clear as a summer day.
This happen to anyone else? Where do you scribble when you get an idea at an inconvenient time? Do random lines come to you out of nowhere? Are we really ALL just insane?
Labels: Shiny New Idea Syndrome
posted by Erica Orloff at 10:48 AM
29 Comments:
LOL, Erica! I so did that recently at a ballgame, and all I had was cardboard too. For me it was title, and main character. Gotta love it!
And nope, imo we're not nuts.
Happens all the time. If my rewrite sells, there's an interesting anecdote behind how I came up with the title.
Ladonna:
Guess I am in good company. :-)
E
Jude:
Good luck with it!!!
E
Um, yes. Sometimes the inside of my brain through major amounts of repetition which alters it by the time I reach a point of being able to write it down. Yes. I am.
Happens especially when I am distracted by something else and have nothing convenient to write on or with. Then I go scrabbling around trying to find something and the people around me verify I am insane.
sarah:
LOL! I get ideas when my mind is occupied by other things, too. In the shower. Driving. Getting ready to fall asleep.
I usually keep a journal in my purse. I haven't had shiny new idea syndrome in awhile. For the most part I'm content to work on edits. But I'm running out of things to edit. I have an idea journal FULL of ideas, I just don't know what to pick next. I probably should start looking into it though, because when I finish editing this other novel I'm going to be without a project if I don't have something ready to go.
I love it when that happens. And I hate it when I don't have anything to write on. I keep a notebook in my purse, but then I'll take it to my office to type something from it and forget to take it back. If candy wrappers made good writing surfaces I'd be covered.
Hi Zoe:
I have a lot of idea files on my computer, but I've not been in a habit of carrying a notebook, I guess because I never work in longhand.
E
Edie:
LOL!
:-)
E
I've been known to start scribbling on napkins, the back of my kids' schoolwork, once I even used up two pages of my check registry... I get a lot of ideas in the car, you'd think I'd learn to keep a notebook just for that purpose.
Recently, I've been determined to be a better plot writer. I usually start with a sentence or vague idea and the story takes shape as I write the first draft. But I determined to do it the other way this time, writing notes instead of prose and fleshing out a full outline before writing... I have two pitches for two different YA's and I sat down the other day, opened a word file, and was ready to start outlining one of them...
what came out was the first two pages of a woman's fiction novel that I had no idea I was going to write until I started typing. It just came to me, and this really great character just came, fully formed... I know her whole life story, every nuance, what drives her, everything... the last two days her whole family has been slowly introducing themselves everytime I get a quiet moment...
But then, I think I may actually be crazy.
This post has been removed by the author.
Count me among the insane as well though I've had to learn the hard way to write them down.
ALL THE TIME.
And yes, I sometimes wish there was rehab for SHINY NEW IDEA SYNDROME.
Which, if you've ever read "Bag of Bones" by Stephen King, the narrator refers to "That Eureka Thing" and "One of Mike's Really Great Ideas." So I think it might be part of the Writers Disease.
Merry:
Not crazy. Just a writer.
:-)
E
Travis:
In good company today.
E
Mark:
I like those terms for it too. LOL!
E
I too get random thoughts about plot or characters where ever I happen to be, and carry a little notebook in my purse just for those occasions.
No, not wierd or nuts, just doing writer things.
Barbara:
I think that's why I started my blog . . . just so I would feel . . . not normal . . . but . . . well, not the strangest one on the block either.
However . . . I still feel like the strangest one on the block.
;-)
E
That's hilarious. And congratulations to you and the new grad. As for book epiphanies coming to me out of the blue, that's why I always, always, always have a notebook and pen handy. I even set one on the toilet seat when I'm taking a shower, just in case.
Ideas: Snatch 'em when and where you can. That's why Dog made Post-Its.
BTW, your first-born is lovely. Congrats to her and to you on her graduation!
This is why I always carry a little notebook and pen in my purse! But so cute that you had an epiphany as you were crying! That hasn't happened to me yet!
Caryn:
Wow . . . in some houses, people hide their bottles of vodka everywhere. In your house, stray notebooks! ;-)
E
Tena:
Thank you! :-)
And yes, Post-its are a wonderful invention.
E
ello:
Yeah . . . leave it to me. Or as I wrote in The Roofer, "My family never could have just one emotion going on at a time."
:-)
E
I just decided to check your blog, Erica, I wondered where you've been. Well, by gosh you've been right here --- but I use Bloglines and your posts have not been appearing on my list for a week. Not sure what is up with the feed but now I have a lot of reading to do!!
LOL, Amy . . . well, here I am. :-)
Hope all is well with you.
E
I do most of my initial planning in longhand. Character sketches, outlines, notes. I used to write all my rough drafts in longhand. But I finally got to where I could compose on the computer. Mainly due to my first year doing nanowrimo. I knew I wasn't getting 50,000 words in a month unless I sped up my composing method.
Zoe:
My best friend, also a writer, does a lot of stuff in longhand--notebook, sketches, and so on.
E
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