Sunday, July 18, 2010

How I deal with multiple ideas

Darn this imagination of mine, flitting off in difference directions all the time. Unfortunately, I can be  easily distracted by the multitude of story ideas dancing around my head. At the moment I have three main novels I am working on:

  1. 'Ryder' - the follow up story to Mishca in a yet-to-be-named series.
  2. 'Leena Barclay': A Mountain of Trouble - the first in a new series about a part Yawkyawk, otherwise known as an Australian indigenous mermaid.
  3. 'Conquest' - a stand alone space adventure.
Each have their own merits, and each are battling for supremacy in my head. It would be good to have 'Ryder' a fair way through in case Mishca gets picked up by an agent or a publish as a series.  But what if this doesn't happen?

I hear regularly that it is much easier for a first time author to get a stand-alone novel published over a series. And agents are supposedly looking for YA pieces with a male MC that will also appeal to a female audience.  What do you know - I have a male protagonist for 'Conquest' and it is a stand alone novel, and I think teenage girls will adore him - but I might be biased. 

Then the Inkpop community seem pretty excited about 'Leena Barclay'.  I could have a shot at getting another novel before HarperCollins if they take to my story like they did Mishca.

But there may be a more sound strategy for getting published. If I was to focus on some of the short stories that are also bouncing around in my head, then I might be able to get one published in a journal or an anthology.  Then I could have some writing credentials that involve published work rather than former journalist and an Inkpop 'Top Pick'.

I came to the decision that the best cause of action is to do them all. Whatever idea knocks the loudest on the inside of my skull will get the attention.  Yesterday I got about 3,000 words out of my head and into Leena and another 500 words today.  I also wrote 700 words of 'Drop Bear, thou art eating me!', which is a historical horror short story, set in the 1800s in the then small coastline township of Mackay.  Plus about 400 words in a blog.  And the night is still young.

I'm not going to put all my eggs into one basket. I will listen to my creative instincts and follow the weaving of words where they lead me. 

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