Wednesday, August 13, 2008

Ideas for Novels

I often wonder how other writers find ideas to write their novels. When does the idea for a novel or character form for many writers? I've read that for some people, a lot of plotting and research happenes before any prose is written. For others, perhaps mad brainstorming sessions occur.

For me, the ideas almost always keep me awake at night. Usually, the next day something really important is going to take place. A good night's sleep is essential to whatever I will be doing the next day. The idea eats at me for hours while I try to sleep. I fight off the urge to rise out of bed to write the my ideas. I'm always afraid that if I walk up the stairs to me office from my bedroom, that the hope of falling back asleep will be futile after tackling the stairs.

Last night was one such night. I lay down at nine thirty, right at women's gymnastics in was to begin on TV for the Olympics. By twelve thirty, I fell victim to my ideas knocking on my imagination's door. So, I finally wrote down the entire plot to novel. There were no subplots, but the basic plot is now sitting in my email box for later use. I'm sure the idea will change and morph before I actually write that story, but for now I have an idea!

If you are a writer or other artistic type, how do you create? Do you set aside creative time on a regular basis for your craft? Are you simply struck with an idea at random times? I would love to hear how creativity affects you.

4 comments:

Unknown said...

Ideas for me usually come in bits and pieces, but when the ideas come together to form a story I often have that same rush. I start scribbling with the idea that I'll just take a few notes so I don't forget how everything fits together and an hour or two later I've nearly filled a small notepad with scraps of scenes and dialog.

semaj said...

hi , I like to make stain glass, i need to be inspired emotionally , then i see something i like and i modify it ( usually end up changing it and just keeping idea in head ) then i design it in a free flowing style ) then over the few days of designing it it evolves into something that is all mine. Picking out the colors for the glass is the hardest and most enjoyable , then i make it , usually takes 3 complete projects to get it how i want it

semaj said...

i make stain glass , 2 and 3 d , i need to be inspired emotionally , then i see something i like and i modify it and it evolves into something , picking out the glass is the funnest part and i usually make same project 3 times , till it looks like what i see in my head , then i enjoy it for a while in my home and when somebody really likes it i give it to them and my creativity is satisfied , but each project gives birth to new ideas !

Jen Bluekissed said...

I find how other people work interesting. I wish I could be a fly on the wall into someone else's thought process that way!