Too many story ideas?

[ElectricBlue]

Is there such a thing as having too many story ideas?

Are you insane?

I don't have many "actual starts" in work at any one time (I currently have three parked up to get back to), but at one point I added up the ideas in my head, and at my current writing rate, I had at least three year's worth.

Every story in the last three years has been a side project for something else, so it's not something I fret about. My main problem is my cafés. I'm always seeing or meeting someone new.

 

[MillieDynamite]

Use delivery and don't get up from the computer for anything but piss, shit, eat, sleep. I think that's a movie, right?

Are you insane?

I don't have many "actual starts" in work at any one time (I currently have three parked up to get back to), but at one point I added up the ideas in my head, and at my current writing rate, I had at least three year's worth.

Every story in the last three years has been a side project for something else, so it's not something I fret about. My main problem is my cafés. I'm always seeing or meeting someone new.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Is there such a thing as having too many story ideas?

I currently have at least seven partly started stories.

My problem is focusing on which one to finish.

I'm already dropping two to the back burner because they were ideas for contest events I'm not gonna make the deadlines for.

A couple others started strong, then went stone cold. But I suppose I can always pick them up again at some point.

Then there's yet another I'm eager to write but suddenly went off on a tangent with a completely different story that wouldn't let me sleep one night.

That's the one I'm currently focusing my efforts on, but I keep looking at these other ones and trying to decide what to do with them.

I've said before I think I'm a better idea guy than an actual writer.

And ideas are great. We can't write a story without one.

But maybe my problem is I get too many ideas and it makes it tough to focus on just one.

Wow, you lost a night's sleep over one! I've ever had that happen.

Since everyone is telling you what they do (what else can we tell you?), try this. Have a list of story ideas that occurred to you and just keep it to the side. You're under do obligation to actually do them. As you approach writing something, jot down whatever ideas you may have in a new file (setting, characters, what happens). With some luck, it will be become an outline of what you want do. In fact, start writing the story in the same file, like under the notes. You may thus have the framework - if all goes well - about what you want to write.

Try not to have too many things going at once. Like have one or two that you are editing / proofreading, and one that you are writing. That's about the limit of what I can handle, anyway. Don't start a bunch of new ones. Publish what's finished in calm, orderly manner. The proofing stage is important and should not be rushed. Don't be distracted when doing that phase.

 

[gunhilltrain]

My problem is that I'm paranoid about being spied on or followed. I've been told I'm paranoid many times.

Just because you're paranoid doesn't mean they aren't after you though, right?

William Burroughs has a couple of statements about paranoia. One of them was, "A paranoid is someone who knows a little of what's going on. A psychotic is a guy who's just found out what's going on.” Sounds like that applies to the time we are living in right now.

 

[EmilyMiller]

Is there such a thing as having too many story ideas?

I currently have at least seven partly started stories.

My problem is focusing on which one to finish.

I'm already dropping two to the back burner because they were ideas for contest events I'm not gonna make the deadlines for.

A couple others started strong, then went stone cold. But I suppose I can always pick them up again at some point.

Then there's yet another I'm eager to write but suddenly went off on a tangent with a completely different story that wouldn't let me sleep one night.

That's the one I'm currently focusing my efforts on, but I keep looking at these other ones and trying to decide what to do with them.

I've said before I think I'm a better idea guy than an actual writer.

And ideas are great. We can't write a story without one.

But maybe my problem is I get too many ideas and it makes it tough to focus on just one.

You need a padawan, master

Em

 

[gunhilltrain]

Are you insane?

I don't have many "actual starts" in work at any one time (I currently have three parked up to get back to), but at one point I added up the ideas in my head, and at my current writing rate, I had at least three year's worth.

Every story in the last three years has been a side project for something else, so it's not something I fret about. My main problem is my cafés. I'm always seeing or meeting someone new.

I just told him that having lots of ideas is a good thing, but he should put most of them in a list / file so he can get back to them at a later date. Different people can handle different workloads. Dj needs to relax a bit. Lit (and presumably him too) aren't going anywhere.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Use delivery and don't get up from the computer for anything but piss, shit, eat, sleep. I think that's a movie, right?

Someone (Faulkner?) said not to rush the writing either. Get back to it the next day when you can start fresh. If I can't write 1,000 words in one sitting, then I don't worry about it.

"Millie's Vast Expans." Yeah, they don't give you too many letters to write on that line. (Is that what happened?) I wanted "multiple-unit control" but that wouldn't fit either.

 

[anglerterrora]

Yeah, right there with you. I have my WIP series, then 3 other ideas, one of which is a series idea. So all in all probably about 20 different stories there across the 4 separate ideas. Then I also have my non-Lit story idea that also jockeys for position in my brain.

I attempt to remedy it all by trying to maintain discipline and just focus on one idea at a time. At the moment I'm focusing on my main WIP and partially also my non-Lit story. If I get an idea for something else or something that's a part of one of my other ideas I'll put it in a word document so I don't forget but don't detract too much focus from what I'm "meant" to be working on.

 

[MillieDynamite]

For some reason, maybe because I returned after an absence of one or two years, it said Literary Guru. I'm not a Guru of anything. But I do have a Vast Expanse, even if they won't let me brag about it. I could've put Millie's VastAss.

Someone (Faulkner?) said not to rush the writing either. Get back to it the next day when you can start fresh. If I can't write 1,000 words in one sitting, then I don't worry about it.

"Millie's Vast Expans." Yeah, they don't give you too many letters to write on that line. (Is that what happened?) I wanted "multiple-unit control" but that wouldn't fit either.

 

[anglerterrora]

Similar problem with me. I have successfully posted nine stories past seven years or so but holding about a dozen or so works in progress. Usually, it’s about falling love with an idea or scenario but then running into a roadblock where the time sequence of events en route to the climactic finale fails to quite make logical sense or lacks authenticity. The latest 750 Word Challenge helped big time because I had a spark of an idea and just ran with it, kinda like a story prompt. Sometimes it helps to just throw together a conclusive solution for the heck of it. But a couple of my works in progress that I’m more proud of or enthused about make me want to care more enough to someday get it right!

 

[gunhilltrain]

For some reason, maybe because I returned after an absence of one or two years, it said Literary Guru. I'm not a Guru of anything. But I do have a Vast Expanse, even if they won't let me brag about it. I could've put Millie's VastAss.

Actually I was asking why you left the final "e" out of expanse. I assume it was a problem of lack of space, although I don't remember what the maximum letter count is.

 

[MillieDynamite]

It was space. Yes, sir, @gunhilltrain, 100 percent right.

Actually I was asking why you left the final "e" out of expanse. I assume it was a problem of lack of space, although I don't remember what the maximum letter count is.

 

[Theylo_Bleu]

Is there such a thing as having too many story ideas?

I currently have at least seven partly started stories.

My problem is focusing on which one to finish.

I'm already dropping two to the back burner because they were ideas for contest events I'm not gonna make the deadlines for.

A couple others started strong, then went stone cold. But I suppose I can always pick them up again at some point.

Then there's yet another I'm eager to write but suddenly went off on a tangent with a completely different story that wouldn't let me sleep one night.

That's the one I'm currently focusing my efforts on, but I keep looking at these other ones and trying to decide what to do with them.

I've said before I think I'm a better idea guy than an actual writer.

And ideas are great. We can't write a story without one.

But maybe my problem is I get too many ideas and it makes it tough to focus on just one.

Whew.. I feel you on this. And isn't it a wild feeling to have a story "keep you up at night"? Definitely been there.

I used to say that if I could figure out a way to monetize ideas, I'd be a millionaire by now. Its so real.

I will offer, I went to a lecture by an award winning playwright and he was talking about having more than one project and he ultimately said "Its good, even recommended to have multiple projects you're working on at one point. It keeps them interesting. One will inevitably inspire the other, etc" I heard that and it was equally validating as it was upsetting because a part of me beats myself up for having project ADD.

But it sounds like you're on the right track - follow through with what feels exciting and take breaks if you need then maybe one day it'll hit you and you'll be right back in.

 

[M_K_Babalon]

I have but a scant few. Two novels that I really don't need to work on, that incest story for my other account, a fan fic that some of these forced on hiatus, paired with writers block, two old stories I'm trying to finish so this account has something. There's more, actually, but if it's been over a year, they don't count.

 

[Emilymcplugger]

I know what you mean.

Currently I’m finishing THERE’S A LOT OF ME ABOUT, THE PROCESS is still only part done and I’ve got another potential that will probably get started and be finished before that one.

But it’s a nice place to be.

 

[Smuttyandfun]

I'm juggling at least three stories right now, along with a few others that keep popping into my head. I just hope I can get one done in time for the Holiday contest, otherwise I'll just keep juggling, probably till next year.

 

[StillStunned]

I was finally making progress with the fifth instalment of The Rivals. Then I got an idea for another Winter Holiday story...

 

[Djmac1031]

And now jumping back on my own thread to complain about having NO ideas, or at least none compelling me to write.

I suppose i should be used to this by now; not my first time dealing with a complete lack of motivation to write anything after publishing a story.

Still have a couple unfinished things; I suppose at some point I'll get back to them.

 

[Zootonius]

I'm juggling at least three stories right now, along with a few others that keep popping into my head. I just hope I can get one done in time for the Holiday contest, otherwise I'll just keep juggling, probably till next year.

Since I started writing, I've been disciplined enough to have only have two, or three an most, stories in progress. Now, I have two new stories started, a new one just sent to my editor, a chapter to another series in progress, and the next chapter for my most popular series finally crystalized in my head. Add another series rattling in my brain the last few months.

Funny, as a few months ago, I felt my creativity left me.

 

[M_K_Babalon]

And now jumping back on my own thread to complain about having NO ideas, or at least none compelling me to write.

I suppose i should be used to this by now; not my first time dealing with a complete lack of motivation to write anything after publishing a story.

Still have a couple unfinished things; I suppose at some point I'll get back to them.

I have enough waiting that I don't need anymore ideas.

 

[Smuttyandfun]

Since I started writing, I've been disciplined enough to have only have two, or three an most, stories in progress. Now, I have two new stories started, a new one just sent to my editor, a chapter to another series in progress, and the next chapter for my most popular series finally crystalized in my head. Add another series rattling in my brain the last few months.

Funny, as a few months ago, I felt my creativity left me.

Funny how it picks up when you least expect it. Every time I think I'm out of ideas, two or three more pop into my head. And I'm starting to wish that they'd quit popping!

 

[ElectricBlue]

I can never have enough story ideas.

Whether I get to write them all is another thing entirely. But unlike the rest of you guys, I don't torture myself with all of these endless false starts that you do. I've got three stories "parked up", but that's it. I'll get to them eventually. Or not.

 

[AchtungNight]

I’m currently juggling so many balls I may release several of them in the same Group Sex story. Been a while since I did summary interspersed with episodic flashbacks. My Fetish sex in a rainstorm story and some other stories will probably still need to happen separately though. I’ll keep trying to figure out how to make things work when I can. I also need to deal with work, R&R, home improvement, and video games. Oh, and a couple stories I’m posting outside Lit.

 

[M_K_Babalon]

I can never have enough story ideas.

Whether I get to write them all is another thing entirely. But unlike the rest of you guys, I don't torture myself with all of these endless false starts that you do. I've got three stories "parked up", but that's it. I'll get to them eventually. Or not.

If I have an idea and can work out the plot, I write it down. If I have an idea that just doesn't go anywhere, I don't fuck with it. No false starts for me. I might write a story I don't have an ending for, but I don't write anything that I have nothing for, like those two ideas in Emily's weird idea thread.

 

[Stimtheone]

I often have several ideas but give them time to develop. Sometimes they are just spur-of-the-moment things and I have nothing else to really add to them so they get incorporated as side things into other stories. This is why I tend to not get started on a "work" until I'm practically 4 chapters in.