tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post3039521085824149139..comments2024-03-22T02:54:23.511-06:00Comments on Shallee McArthur: When shiny new ideas lose their shiny-- What to do when you're not sure what to write nextShalleehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09907680428735740943noreply@blogger.comBlogger17125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-7895282476883501722012-05-27T23:13:29.673-06:002012-05-27T23:13:29.673-06:00Yes! I am having this exact problem, too! I was ju...Yes! I am having this exact problem, too! I was just sitting here and trying to decide if I want to go back to a previous project that I need to totally rework or start actively thinking/planning a new idea. I couldn't decide so I started catching up on blogs instead. ha ha!<br /><br />I hope you fall in love again with your idea!A.L. Sonnichsenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11358456786727534289noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-49650192868819368442012-05-26T20:13:36.118-06:002012-05-26T20:13:36.118-06:00Normally, when I get that killer idea I just write...Normally, when I get that killer idea I just write it out until my well runs dry and then go back to whatever I was editing. This mean editing takes forever and I have a zillion first drafts, but hey they didn't lose their shine. hee hee<br /><br />I do have an idea though that I did when I was stuck mid-draft a few times. Pick a character who will not play a major role and write the tale from their pov. It's so much fun! You see your MC in a new light and much to my surprise, I ended up with a heroine that kicked some butt, and a bad guy who was really the good guy!!!<br /><br />Hope your idea gets a new shine! And congrats on finishing the major edits!!! YAY!!!! WHOO HOOO!!!Tanya Reimerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00293977395016853814noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-43447892049933561622012-05-25T09:36:17.122-06:002012-05-25T09:36:17.122-06:00You're never so creative as when you're ac...You're never so creative as when you're actually writing.<br /><br />That is so true! The more I write the more I want to write. Then it's hard to tear myself away and come back to the real world.<br /><br />Good ideas! Thanks!Karen Elizabeth Brownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17190485992966502931noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-10780637405593471352012-05-24T16:03:54.302-06:002012-05-24T16:03:54.302-06:00Great advice!
All of my most recent projects seem...Great advice!<br /><br />All of my most recent projects seem to lose some of their shiny after I've really started writing them. Right now I'm letting an idea simmer for a June challenge coming up--it doesn't really have any competition--and hoping it won't so much.Golden Eaglehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08721520451194318436noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-45653592979539508032012-05-24T10:06:58.437-06:002012-05-24T10:06:58.437-06:00Yes. I have several 1/2 or partially written piece...Yes. I have several 1/2 or partially written pieces on the hard drive. Maybe they haven't composted enough. Luckily, I have enough projects to keep me busy at the moment and the next ones are simmering on the back burner.M Paxhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14096697282530998519noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-50230025867167621712012-05-23T05:36:57.307-06:002012-05-23T05:36:57.307-06:00Yeah, distraction is easy, working through though ...Yeah, distraction is easy, working through though usually yields some of your best work. It's a process, I think.Traci Kenworthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07336373871521363649noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-80811967413126772742012-05-22T15:39:29.680-06:002012-05-22T15:39:29.680-06:00yes and yes!
You've given great advice here. ...yes and yes! <br />You've given great advice here. I use the "pick one and write" the most (oh, and feeling the frustration, lol)Lynda R Young as Elle Cardyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09975442291393246148noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-36694564956824824432012-05-22T13:09:18.028-06:002012-05-22T13:09:18.028-06:00Yes, totally been there. I usually find that a goo...Yes, totally been there. I usually find that a good dose of just living and reading and creating other things besides writing is indeed the best cure.<br />Good luck!Faith E. Houghhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03823750019164801104noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-35296335765753828142012-05-22T12:26:30.238-06:002012-05-22T12:26:30.238-06:00I had the same thing happen to me a few weeks ago....I had the same thing happen to me a few weeks ago. I have all these story ideas, but when it came time to write one, I couldn't get into ANY of them! I mashed up a few, and that was fun, but still, nada.<br /><br />There's one idea in particular that I LOVE, but I can't seem to find the right ....X factor. Something's missing from it, and I haven't been able to write through it (yet). So I quilted for a while, wrote silly things, and just stopped. <br /><br />Now, I'm back in full swing with a new idea that's clicking. I hope i can get back to the others, someday. EXCELLENT post!Daisy Carterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17735098333414333404noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-78879025825391301672012-05-22T11:33:55.178-06:002012-05-22T11:33:55.178-06:00There is this story that I started a long while ag...There is this story that I started a long while ago but it kind of fizzled out. My writing group wants me to finish it but I don't think I will. The excitement is gone! It's a cool idea, but if I ever worked on it again I think it would become something totally different. And that usually happens with all my books. They start out as one thing and end up as something completely different!Ruth Jossehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08664678990038670303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-83104186374140860852012-05-22T10:00:47.856-06:002012-05-22T10:00:47.856-06:00Oh yes. This has happened to me before. I always w...Oh yes. This has happened to me before. I always write them down, even going as far as writing the first chapter or two just so that I don't forget them. Then I go back months later and reread. If there's a spark, I try to work on it some more. But if the spark fizzles, I let it go for a while. Forcing myself on an idea never works. The writing always come out stilted and awkward. SO I have to be patient and learn to let it simmer until I am ready for it. :)Precy Larkinshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16714824672731935371noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-63820498886367123302012-05-22T09:52:19.893-06:002012-05-22T09:52:19.893-06:00Though a lot of shiny new ideas pop into my mind, ...Though a lot of shiny new ideas pop into my mind, the ideas lose shine as I start writing, my enthusiasm wanes big time. I have decided to atleast complete the first drafts, that way I will atleast know where the story stands.Rachna Chhabriahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16900999965919504282noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-3931527654645366522012-05-22T09:46:04.344-06:002012-05-22T09:46:04.344-06:00I try and jot down ideas that come to me (that don...I try and jot down ideas that come to me (that don't apply to my current WIP) and keep plugging away at my WIP. I've tried to write two things at once and it just didn't work for me so I need to focus on one at a time.Leslie https://www.blogger.com/profile/17430815366297302202noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-82062809277570040072012-05-22T09:29:12.377-06:002012-05-22T09:29:12.377-06:00I am blessed to have no shortage of ideas for stor...I am blessed to have no shortage of ideas for stories. However, I have experienced a form of what you are talking about. <br /><br />I'll have an idea and be totally excited about it. I'll jot down a quick sentence, or two, about it so that I can work on it in the future. Then a couple of years later I go through my file of story ideas and wonder what I was thinking when I came up with some of those stories. They sound flat and boring to me.Randyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16621043763559564251noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-43670621147448160752012-05-22T09:10:28.359-06:002012-05-22T09:10:28.359-06:00This has definitely happened to me before! I love ...This has definitely happened to me before! I love these steps--that's such an effective way to deal with the problem.Meredithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00462382909938737612noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-44498558076172967662012-05-22T08:56:55.815-06:002012-05-22T08:56:55.815-06:00*knocking on wood* Luckily, that hasn't happen...*knocking on wood* Luckily, that hasn't happened to me yet, but there are still a few idea's that I haven't circled back to yet. Now I have experienced a problem where I looked at one of my idea's and realized there wasn't enough there for an entire novel. Still loved the idea, just wasn't full grown enough. :)DL Hammonshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02007260062331783715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-437730797773263014.post-33534445010282460132012-05-22T08:29:48.776-06:002012-05-22T08:29:48.776-06:00It's easy for me to get distracted too. Usuall...It's easy for me to get distracted too. Usually just doing anything gets me moving.<br /><br />I've always liked the quote by Stephen Cannell, "I never waited for my Irish Cream coffee to be the right temperature, with a storm happening outside and my fireplace crackling ... I wrote every day, at home, in the office, whether I felt like it or not, I just did it."AVDutsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06068169781166515350noreply@blogger.com