I've been doing a bit of archiving this last month while I've been away. One of the things I've cleaned up is my folder of potential novel ideas. I have bits a pieces of books I've started, quotes I like, research I've done and even full novels I've scrapped. It's amazing how much stuff you can collect as a would be writer. A lot of the stuff I collected when I first stated to entertain the idea of writing a book. It's been a while now since I've had an idea for a book that I just have to write. And that got me thinking, even though I have a folder full of ideas, what happens if one day I run out of ideas? What if I only have so many stories in my head and once I've used them all that's it?
For the past couple of months I've struggled to come up with ways to make my characters and world building distinct between the books I write. Now I'm starting to wonder if it's just because I don't have enough ideas. This completely freaks me out. What if this is all the inspiration that I get and after these few books I'm going to be cut off? I'm probably jumping the gun bigtime because I haven't even finished editing the my first book yet, but as a would be writer, having no ideas really scares me.
Do you guys get like that sometimes? Do you get the feeling that your week of writer's block could become months and years of writers hiatus? Am I just being paranoid? Thoughts please!
I've wondered about it once in awhile. I have these notebooks that are full of ideas for stories... the problem is that some of them will never be turned into a full length novel. I have a handful that will keep me occupied for awhile, so I'm not panicking yet, but I used to have new ideas for stories all the time. Those are coming by less and less. But, maybe it's just because I'm focusing so hard on the one story right now.
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't worry too much, we all have dry spells for ideas. Then something will hit you and you'll realize you still have plenty of ideas. :)
I hear you. Normally I don't worry about running out of ideas, mostly because I am so busy I don't even have time to work on all the ideas I have, but yeah, I wonder if someday when I am retired and have scads of freetime -- will the idea well eventually dry up?
ReplyDeleteYes, you're being paranoid. If you can't think of anything, do something you CAN do for a while, that doesn't require world building. Blog. Review other people's books. Work on the ideas you do have. Submit short fiction to anthologies(there are TWO with deadlines in the next fortnight.) And BTW, have you submitted anything to ArperCollins? They are looking at unsolicited MSS for another few days! RIGHT NOW! And you have some MSS!
ReplyDeleteThat's HarperCollins!
ReplyDeleteHey, you understand me! I have no idea where my next idea is coming from, and I've decided not to panic if one doesn't appear. If you have a lot of ideas jotted down, then I bet you still have some stories in you that will rock.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm sorry! I wasn't even following you back. Epic Ninja fail...
ReplyDeleteWriting is a terrifying thing. I stopped writing with my writing partner about a year ago and at first I honestly didn't think I'd get any NEW ideas. But luckily I did. But that is a SCARY feeling in between inspirations.
ReplyDeleteMolli | Once Upon a Prologue
Yeah, I've worried about that before, too, but new ideas usually crop up for me here and there. I figure most of them are stupid and I forget all about them a couple of weeks later. I think those ideas will come if you just don't force it. Inspiration comes from the most random and unlikely places, so just be open to it anytime.
ReplyDeleteHmmm, I don't want to say anything because it could come off as discouraging. Um, yeah. I think if you want to write you'll never give up on it. Not completely. Ideas will always come to you, believe me!
ReplyDeleteIt's been a while since I've written anything substantial. School's been making me too busy to write anything. And yet, it's school were I get most of my ideas from!
ReplyDeleteSo, I think you don't really need to worry. Inspiration springs from taking note of mundane things. Or at least, it is in my case. The world is so big, the universe even bigger. I'm sure it won't run out! And I find that even if, for example, you find out you have the same idea with another person, it won't matter *that* much since your interpretation is different from his/hers.
I believe that everything will come naturally. So don't stress about it ;)
Hope that helped! Good luck, Lan! I'd love to read your book someday!
It wont become an eternal hiatus unless you let it, and youl never run out of ideas, everytime I suffer a mental blank I just pause and give my muse time to catch up, and then it will click, if it doesnt I try again later :)
ReplyDeleteI wonder the same things. It goes along with that post I made a while back complaining about my dwindling imagination. It's like, will I get older and just lose all inspiration and ideas. Should I just drop everything and write every idea I have and use those just in case, or will the more experiences I have allow me to come up with more ideas.
ReplyDelete