Waiting To Start

Starting a new piece of writing is always exciting except if, like me, you give up ninety percent of the things you begin. It used to just be part of my process, but now it’s kinda exhausting to realize that 20,000 words down the line an idea simply isn’t working. I tell myself that quitting and letting go is good for me, etc etc, and that it’s how I get the books finished that sometimes I do, but it’s still a bit depressing to throw myself into something only to abandon it halfway through.

Instead, with my next book, I’ve been writing it and abandoning it in my head. Over and over again. I can’t quite find the right place to start and I waiting until the story becomes clearer to me before I begin. I hope this doesn’t mean that I never finish a book ever again. I hope instead that it means I don’t have to give up and begin over with a new point of view, a new character, a new story, because I’ve been a little more patient in the planning of this novel. I’ve been reading about – shock and horror – outlining. Perhaps, perhaps, it’s time to give outlining a bit of a try…

Today, spend a little time outlining a possible story you want to write one day. Something new, something you like the idea of, something that’s been ticking over in your mind. Write out one way for the story to go, then leave it for a few days or weeks and see if the story will end up working for you. I’m going to try this too! Good luck.