You know how you’re working on your current project, be it a novel, a short story, a blog entry (that counts as work, right?) and suddenly some amazing fresh, new, totally original idea jumps up on your shoulder and starts shrieking in your ear? What’s the first thing you do? Do you toss your current project aside and run with this new idea until its hair falls out, it grows too fat and smelly and the next idea comes along? Do you let it sit on your shoulder for a day to see if it actually sticks around, or if the chrome polish rubs off to reveal a rusty, old, cliched idea underneath?
My usual technique is to dig a hole and bury the idea for a while, especially if I’m in the middle of another project. Now, burying doesn’t mean forgetting or ignoring it. We’re not saying killing it and disposing of the corpse. Think more like the idea being a seed, and your sticking it in the dark, fertile soil of your imagination so, in time, it grows into something that gives you more to work with. For me, this involves writing the idea down somewhere where I won’t lose it, like a particular Word document that I keep saved and backed up, or in the small notebook I carry around. This also frees up some mental space to keep developing and working on your current story, while your subconscious waters and shines some light on the fledgling one.
Every now and then, like when I’m burnt out on the current project, it could give me something else to focus on for a day or two until creativity starts flowing again. Plus, giving it some time to sit and gather lets you consider it more objectively. Maybe you keep getting excited about it every time you remember it, and you can’t wait to get started with it. That’s a good thing. But maybe the idea dulls with time, it voice turns annoying and you just want to kick it out the door. Well, whaddya know? You haven’t invested much time or thought in it yet, so you can do just that without feeling guilty whatsoever.
What’s your technique? Drop everything and run with it? Ignore for a week? Work on it in your spare time?
I see that smile.
Jot it down on a piece of scratch paper, or if I’m near a computer, (and it’s really long and detailed) start a file for the idea itself.
But no working on anything new novels until I finish the WIP. No working on any new short stories until I finish and submit whatever story I’m working on now.
I still use sticky notes and scraps of paper if I somehow can’t find my notebook. I used to rely entirely on tears of paper, until I would get home, empty my pockets and the roommates would joke about it snowing indoors. And they’re easier to lose. I’m sure I’ve lost several genius ideas that way. Sure of it.
I’m usually working on more than one piece at a time — have to, got to pay the bills.
When a new piece blazes in, I try to take notes and put it in the queue.
If it refuses to sit by, I’ll work on it in tandem with whatever else I’m working on — but AFTER I finish my day’s quota. It’s sort of like my reward for doing my deadline work.