Monday, August 23, 2010

For Extra Credit

Suppose you’re between projects. You’re waiting for beta readers to get back to you and you’ve got some time to write, but you’re not sure what to write about. How do you pick something?

Do you:

a) Go to your list of ideas and pull the top one off the stack?

b) Close your eyes, listen to your gut, and start typing about whatever moves you?

c) Systematically evaluate all your options and pick the one you think is most “publishable?”

d) Try out a different genre, different POV, and different tense than what you normally write in?

e) Write? With all the fun that’s waiting for you on Facebook and Twitter and Photoshop?


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6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Alan - That's exactly the situation I faced last week. I'd sent some chapters of my WIP to one of my beta-readers, and was waiting to hear back. So in the meantime, I mapped out the next chapters. Not too far ahead, in case I have to do a major overhaul, but sort of planned the next chapter or two. In between tweeting and Facebook, of course ; ).

Levi Montgomery said...

Between projects? I'm sorry, could you explain that? :)

Let's see... In my stack of "partials" right now, I have (title case meaning "real" titles, lower case meaning just something to call it:

"unnamed murder"
"mat"
"steampunk allegory"
"the glenlivet file"
"Cuckoo Moon"
"A Canto for Zillie"
"amarylla"
and one whose title is so cool I'm keeping mum on it till it comes out.

Plus the "outlines" file. So, yeah, what's this "between" you speak of?

Elspeth Futcher said...

How about option f) Rejoice you've got a break and lay about reading and eating sugary treats.

Alan Orloff said...

Margot - Goes without saying. Just sayin'

Levi - You might do well with the dartboard method.

Elspeth - I like how you think girl!

Terry Odell said...

Work on blogs. Eat chocolate. Eat chocolate while working on blogs. Leave comments on other people's blogs.

Terry
Terry's Place
Romance with a Twist--of Mystery

Penny said...

Tweeting? Facebook? Oh my Gawd, I'd get even less done than I do now. I know, I know, I'll have to come into this century soon but honestly, I am happy with the distraction my computer provides. BTW my hubby and I lived near Reston (McLean) when he worked in DC. We are a mixed marriage. He is the Republican who worked for Bush and I am the Democrat who cancels out his vote. Anyhow,about your question, I find ideas seem to flow like water. Finding time to put them to paper is the challenge for me. I have this series that has been bumping around in my head for many years. So far I have 24 titles for different books of the series and at least half that many plot lines, so that takes care of the ideas. I'll let you know if and when I ever get between projects.