Shiny New Ideas

I know I am a sucker for a shiny new idea. When you're in the trenches of a project, knee deep in plot holes and faulty grammar it can be tough to disregard a project idea, because in the idea stage it has no flaws yet. It's perfect.

Even now I'm struggling to stay focused on my WIP, it has plot holes, it has weird sentences that need fixing. I don't even think I described someone's house any more clearly than 'big'. My characters keep acting different than they need to, and the last three scenes I've written have all been witty banter that has nothing to do with the plot. I don't even know where the plot is going anymore.

The problem is if I set it aside and let the shiny new idea in, let it take up too much brain space, I'll never fix my WIP. The plot holes will remain forever, glaring at me. The new idea will get a few scenes in and then it too will develop plot holes of its own. This has happened a dozen times already, I know.

"But what if I forget the idea? It's really good. I could write it after." You ask.

Write it down. Start a new document, folder, however you organize your ideas, then write down everything you're scared you'll forget. If that takes an entire day's worth of writing, that's fine. You're a writer because you're creative, if you try to stomp out your creativity in favour of finishing a WIP that's uninspired you're hurting yourself. We all need to find a balance and I find that sacrificing a day of writing to make sure my new ideas don't get forgotten is the best way.

You could make some aesthetics if you want to remember how something looks or feels. You could fill in an outline if you have most of the plot floating around your head. Whatever you do, don't feel guilty for putting your WIP on pause. Just promise yourself you'll go back before you start draft one of the new idea.

Shiny new ideas are fun but if you want to finish a manuscript they need to be set aside gently until it's their turn.

See you on the flip side,

JC Scraba