Sensational Saturdays

a blog for whatever I want

Writers have a terrible problem, they have too many ideas and not enough time. I would love to write three books this year and three novellas. I have the plots swirling around in my  brain. Diverse characters waiting to get their stories told. It’s a little bit like being the Little Old Woman in the Shoe, but with attention deficit disorder. “Pick me! Pick me!”

And they are all great stories. From the knight who finds out he’s still needed, to the insecure witch who discovers her skills are just as important as her sister’s. All of these stories have their own magic. But which one gets put down on paper now? And will some of them never get written?

I hear a lot about writers block. All the NYT bestselling authors say, no such thing, you just need to be disciplined. But for me the problem isn’t writer’s block, it’s too much to write. Sure I have those days where I’m struggling with a scene, but I have so many things to work on I just jump to a different scene, or even a different project. There is no reason not to be writing. If I can squeeze it into my life.

Ah, there’s the rub Horatio.

I have my current stories with Passion in Print. Little Red Riding Wolf does have a sequel and maybe a third book in the trilogy. I have the sequel, Snow and the Seventh Wolf almost done, but it needs just a little bit more. And my life is crazy! And I have the third one partially outlined, so just a little bit more effort and a full outline later and it will be in the queue fighting for a place on my screen.

I’m deep into deep editing Blood Were. It still needs a new title, but it’s coming together. I’m hoping all of these edits will be finished by the end of July. And then I can get down to the prequel for that one. It’s just in the outlining process. Meanwhile I have an entirely new series pushing to get out about kights and honor. When I’m out walking or half asleep almost dreaming these new characters are in my head. They want their story told, but there is no more room on the schedule!

When do I fit them in? In between the prequel and the NANORIMO YA series I want to write? That one has been waiting a year. Oh and I have another YA that wants to be written too. Let’s count them up. That’s two novellas written for this year. One novel edited, actually I have another that I want to revisit so let’s make that two novels edited. The knight book, the YA series and the YA stand alone.

There is no way all of this will get done.

So a writer has to choose. We have to pick and choose what is the biggest priority, or what fits our schedule. Right now Snow and the Seventh Wolf is very high on my list. As is Blood Were. And, if they are my priorities, then I should also make their next books priories. So we’ll move Blood Were‘s prequel up in the line-up. It came next anyway. But what about after that? Will I have more stories pushing for a spot?

As soon as I have one outlined another is vying to take it’s place. And sending them off without supper does not work, I’ve tried!

I used to wonder if a writer would run out of stories, but now I realize the opposite problem is true. Too many stories, all vying for attention. Are you a writer with too many children vying for your attention? Or do you obsess about one book leaving no room for the next until the first is complete? As a reader, I’m sure you all hope your favorite authors are prolific, but does having ideas mean they’ll end up on paper?