Hey Guys! So seeing as how
it is the first Wednesday of the Month, it must be IWSG! So I’ve been a little
hiatus lately, but don’t worry, I’m still writing in the background! ;) What I
wanted to ask all you writers out there is how you respond when people ask you
about ideas you have that you may be currently working on. I was trying to
explain one of my ideas out loud the other day and the more I tried to describe
it, the more I thought, Woooow that
sounds sooo stupid. And the more I talked about it, the more my idea
started to lose that magic glimmer that had convinced me to write about it in
the first place.
How do all you other
writers out there deal with this?
Thanks guys! ^^ :D
The Insecure Writer’s Support Group is a wonderful place where writers can share their worries and failures as well as their successes and advice. Led by our fearless leader Alex J. Cavanaugh, IWSG meets the first Wednesday of every month and you can join on his site here. There's also a brand new website now so be sure to check it out here.
Hi Amanda! That's a real good question. I've heard it said that one should never try to explain one's story to anyone, most especially family, because it'll suck the magic right out of it. Even to the point where you can't go back to writing the book. Nevertheless, I still always succumb to the temptation. It never goes well, by the way! Anne Rice always says, 'Protect your voice and your vision'. Just wish I could remember that. Ha ha.
ReplyDeleteHaha that's a great quote Yvette! Thanks for sharing! I think you're right that it does suck that magic out of it, sharing too soon. Let's both work on protecting our voice and vision! ;D Thanks for stopping by! ^^ :D
DeleteWhat do I do when asked what ideas I'm currently working on?
ReplyDeleteRealize I'm in a different dimension, because nobody ever asks me that!
Then I start slapping and pinching myself and trying to wake up.
I pretty much fly by the seat of my pants anyway. There are a myriad of subplots on my twisted spiderweb of a brain. Even I never know what I may come up with next.
My Insecure Writer Whinge is here.
Haha! I love that! Sounds like you have fantastically creative ideas! Keep up the great work Cara and thanks for stopping by! ^^ :D
DeleteHi Amanda, Great post. I never try explaining what I'm working on in any kind of detail because it NEVER comes out right. :) Don't worry about sounding stupid. I'm sure once you have your story down on paper (or computer) the way your mind's eye visualizes it, it'll be fine. Happy belated IWSG Day! Lily Eva
ReplyDeleteThanks Lily! I think you're right. I think we worry too much about sounding stupid instead of focusing on the work. Thank you so much for stopping by! Happy IWSG! :D
DeleteI find most of my books hard to explain. Right now I'm trying to figure out how I can use the humongous fungus to thwart volcanic killer ash bees. Only another writer would get that. For nonwriters, I usually have a more generic answer... It's like Star Trek with a fun twist.
ReplyDeleteHaha! Sounds like a fun scene to write! Can't wait to read it! ^^ That's a good idea too, to give a comparison people can understand. I will have to give that a try! Thanks Mary! Carry on! ^^ ;D
DeleteHaha. Gah! All the time! I get so excited when I come up with an idea, and it sounds super in my head, but as soon as I start, I get all tangled up and my idea comes out sounding very strange- and not in a good way! But I think that's just my problem. When I speak I pause, mix up words, get tangled up, etc., etc.! It's embarrassing and I have to work on it, but I guess that's why I'm a writer! It's easier to put words on paper than speaking them.
ReplyDeleteHaha! I hear ya! I do the exact same thing sometimes. Don't worry about it though. Just keep working through it and before you know it, you'll look back and realize that at least you have something decent to work with later. I do this all the time. Keep soldiering on Karla! And thanks for stopping by! ^^ :D
DeleteHi Amanda! New follow here through IWSG. I've done the same thing--spoken out loud and then thought, "Why, Ran, why?" But ya know what? After saying the same thing out loud a couple of more times, I liked the idea again. Sometimes you just have to say it twice, or thrice, in order for it to make sense. Have faith in your skills--I know you have them!
ReplyDeleteHi Randi! Thank you so much! I think you're right that we have to say it a couple times to fall back in love with the piece. That's where I'm at with my current WIP. Thanks for stopping by! You have fun too now! ;D
DeleteOh. I am the worst at describing my book ideas in a clear and coherent few sentences. It took me six months to be able to verbalize my actual published book. It's sad. It's hard to find that balance between too much and too little info. Figure out that one thing about your book that made you want to write it in the first place and stick with that. Or tell them, you have to read.
ReplyDeleteOh no worries! Me too! I find the idea always looks and sounds so much better on the page. That's why it's so important to get that "elevator pitch" or back cover blurb figured out I think. Thanks for stopping by sydneyaaliyah! ^^ :D
DeleteI never say what I'm writing until it's at least past the rough draft stage. On occasions when I have done that I usually give myself some space to fall in love with the story again, because I need it. Usually if people ask I'll talk about something that's already past rough draft stage, preferably something on the back burner that I'm not even actually working on, just to be sociable. That sounds kind of squirrelly doesn't it? But it's true.
ReplyDeleteThat doesn't sound squirrelly at all! It makes a lot of sense actually! I'm finding the rough draft stage is the one that needs to stay under wraps the longest before you start sharing. Thanks annehiga! ^^ :D
DeleteI don't reveal my stories either. I just say I'm working on another space opera and leave it at that. Until it all comes together, I don't want anyone messing up my idea. Especially me!
ReplyDeleteWelcome to the IWSG.
Haha! That's so true, we can get in the way of our own ideas easily. Thanks for sharing and for stopping by Alex! IWSG is the best!!! ^^ :D
DeleteI try not to talk too much about projects I'm still working on. At least until I have a solid first draft, mostly because I don't want to freak myself out about it. Once the first draft is done, then people can judge it for what it is. Welcome to IWSG!
ReplyDeleteI'm finding that is a great strategy! Thanks L.G. Keltner! ^^ :D
DeleteI bounce ideas off my son, Bossman, all the time. He also has a huqe imagination. Next time keep it simpler. Not everyone wants an answer . :-)
ReplyDeleteAnna from Shout with Emaginette
That sounds great! I will keep it simpler next time. Thanks emaginette! ^^ :D
DeleteI think it would behoove us all to have an "elevator pitch" blurb of our book memorized. Sadly, I don't develop this until after I'm done, and even then it's rather rambling!
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean. I always find that "elevator pitch" to be so hard, but oh so necessary. ;) Thanks for stopping in Jennifer! ^^
DeleteI try not to talk about my latest ideas with anyone except a select group of close friends. Otherwise, I just tell people that I write science fiction. If they really press me, I'll talk to them about my blog (which is about the science behind science fiction).
ReplyDeleteI like that! That sounds like a good idea. I will have to try that. Thanks planetpailly! :)
DeleteI totally know what you mean! Or the first 3 times it sounds awesome and then by the fourth time it sounds silly... I think it also has to do with whether they are interested or not in what you are saying. If the person is not a reader or a writer the general response is 'Oh that's nice'. NICE???? Really.. it is an understatement to what was going on in my head ;)
ReplyDeleteKeep up the great work and dream dream dream!!
Chanzie @ Mean Who You Are.
Thanks Chene! And thanks for stopping by. I will definitely keep it up and dream, dream, dream! ^^ :D
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