Too Many Ideas

[Rulato]

I was wondering if anyone else has ever felt like they have too many ideas. i'm working on a scifi novel right now but there are so many different directions I could take it in I'm not sure which direction to go. i've done the first draft of the prologue and the first two chapters and I'm halfway through the third. part of the problem is that it takes place over a large number of worlds, there are somewhere around twelve main characters right now, I think and I'm using a time differential between the worlds as a vital component of the story. The time differential is the thing that's causing so many ideas.I'm also working on a couple of short stories and I've started the first novel in what might become a series and I have a couple of short stories I'm thinking about expanding.

[Inspired]

Oh yes. I think a lot of writers do. I also think that the more experienced, more successful writers have a discipline for their ideas. I'd like to see what others do.

I've heard some say that they have an idea notebook divided into different sections (genres or plot/characters/setting, etc.) They either write their stuff inside or (like me) stick their little notes and post-its in it.

Others say they try to block them out and only work on one thing at a time.
(I couldn't do that!)

Others allow themselves to write on all tangents. You can always get rid of it later.

What are some other ideas for this?

[hpoppink]

I have a lot of ideas, too, but I love them. I don't think I've felt there were too many; the more I have, the more I can cherry pick.

As for keeping track of them, I usually write them down in my notebook as possbilities rather than certain components of my story. When I get to a point in my BIC time when I'm not excited about what I'm writing, I take out the notebook and find one of the ideas that sounds fun to me, and I work that into the story.

Chances are I'm going to delete a lot of those extra scenes, but it keeps me writing, keeps me thinking about the world and challenging my characters, and it's helpful to write the ideas out to see how they actually look on paper.

You can't edit a blank page.

[Inspired]

I was distracted when I wrote that, so let me add.

I've often e-mailed myself notes. When I've got more time to write, I cut and paste them into a new document or my current one (I often get little ideas for my WIP at less-than-ideal times.) If it's a new idea, it goes into my writing folder in Hotmail until I feel like dealing with it. I know my memory. I can never rely on it, so I feel much better typing the ideas into an e-mail and sending them.

I'm working on setting up a file that helps me organize my little scraps of new ideas. Check out organizedwrite.com for more ideas on that (I got the ebook, but you can get lots of info from the website alone.)

[azbikergirl]

I keep a notebook to jot story ideas, or flesh out the stories I'm currently working on. If I'm at work and something occurs to me, I open Notepad and make notes, and then at the end of the day, email it to myself. I like having lots of ideas. My problem is that I have trouble deciding which ideas to use for a particular story.

[A.REX]

I hear ya!
I'm currently writing 3 books and 3 short stories and when an idea pops up I put it into one of my genre folder as previously mentioned. I've always had a fear that maybe one day the well would dry up and I'd have to pull from the idea folders to come up with interesting stuff but so far so good. Now I'm more worried about the time factor... Will I live long enough to use my ideas and see them through to their endings.

[scribbler1382]

We seem to be talking about two things here: new ideas for new works and new ideas for paths within a work in progress. For the latter, it's kind of like a chess game for me. You're presented with any number of moves while working on something. The trick is not picking the coolest single maneuver, but thinking 3, 4, 50 moves ahead and figuring out which of the ideas being presented is the best one for the big picture. I know a lot of writers hate thinking about the full scope of what their working on, but sometimes you have to, IMO. Not doing so is what a lot of writers refer to as "plotting/writing themselves into a corner". I think what really happened is they took the path of least resistance and missed all the really cool collective opportunities.

For the other thread, if you're being buffeted with a flurry of ideas that have nothing to do with what you're currently working on, take a moment and write them down and then get back to work.

[Rulato]

Thanks everyone, I was more concerned with new ideas within a work as Scribbler said. Actually Scribbler's advice helped me eliminate one of my ideas as too confusing. As for the rest, for the most part they can be incorporated into the story without difficulty. I do keep notebooks to write down story ideas or short stories and poetry in. I tend to expand upon my short stories and I get ideas for other stories from them that may or may not be related to the original story.

[icerose]

If you are worried about story ideas and twists and such inside your book I suggest writing them down, flesh them out a couple of paragraphs and when you get to that turning point then read them all and see what fits best. It might help to write down your ending as well so you know where you want to end up at. That will help you find your book road map and you might be able to adapt several of these ideas to fit within the larger journey of your book.

Seeing it in writing always helps cement my story in my mind. Good luck, happy writing!

Sara

[aadams73]

What works for me is keeping stacks of index cards around the house. If I have a scrap of good dialog or an interesting idea I can jot it down.

[dreamfroggy]

My problem is that I will be working on one project and the next thing I know I am off in a totaly different direction. I have gotten two or three completly different stories started that way.

[maestrowork]

Write the ideas down, keep them in a notebook, add to them when you have more ideas, then file them away and focus on your WIP.

Otherwise, 10 years late, you're just gonna end up with 300 half-baked ideas and nothing complete.