Where Ideas Come From

When I first decided I was 100 percent going to write a book and there’s nothing you can do to stop me so don’t even try, I struggled for an idea.

It seemed like that part should come easy. Every blog post I read was written by authors who have too many ideas to use in a lifetime.

I’m doomed, I thought.

I squinted real hard and attempted to squeeze one out of my brain. All I got was this lousy headache.

Then one day something sparked an idea. It was an awful idea, but I didn’t know that at the time. I turned it over in my mind and decided that, yes, it was definitely going to be the next Great American Novel.

A month later, I realized that idea was crap. It was such crap that I was probably a worse writer for even having the idea in the first place. And then one day another idea sprouted. And another.

It was as if I was blocked. The craptastic idea was somehow shoved in the wrong spot in my brain and as soon as I shimmied it out dozens of ideas fell out like water from a faucet.

Are they all good? No. I will never write about most.

Are some good? Yes. (At least I think so. There’s an above average chance I’m deluding myself.*)

Which brings me to the point of this post. I’ve been going about my business, revising my WIP like a good little author…

When BAM!! a new idea hit. And it was all like, I’m shiny and fun and possibly the greatest idea you’ll ever have. Write me.

And I was all, Psh. Wait your turn.

Can you work on two (or more) stories simultaneously?

*After looking at the word deluding so many times it doesn’t even seem like a word. I mean, say it five times and tell me it sounds like an actual word.