Through the years, my career has allowed me to work with numerous authors and illustrators. I’ve conducted publicity tours for them, interviewed them, written articles about them. I’ve talked one-on-one with them and have listened as they talked with audiences and individual fans.
Invariably someone asks: “Where do you get your ideas?”
The question should have been: “How do you keep your ideas from colliding, jumping on top of each other or creating a brain circus?”
The non-writer—those terrified when their English teacher assigned a 250-word essay—probably imagine that writers agonize daily over whatever they write about next.
My writing experience has been that ideas constantly bubble up from somewhere and everywhere, overwhelming the brain and requiring some sort of triage.
Most often, ideas bombard me when I’m in the depths of my current project or as a deadline looms. The Idea Fairies shout to me: “Look over here! Look at this idea. Wouldn’t it be great to write about? You’d do a terrific job with this one.”
Almost nothing in my writing life is more fun than discovering a new idea. I can envision the potential, the accolades, the reviews, the awards. My mind starts composing. But new ideas are just that—ideas. Beyond ideas, stringing together actual words that form an intriguing story presents the challenge. Tantalizing prose writes itself in my head. Writing on paper, not so much. And while the Idea Fairies promise relief, fun and fame, they refuse to write the current project. Furthermore, doing exactly what they say may even derail me.
The biography I’m writing is taking much longer than it “should,” and people are already asking about the next one. Three biographies and a book of essays await me. Wait, make that four biographies. Recently, as I spoke about a friend who has been helpful with my current book project, it hit me. She should be my next biography! Much of her career was devoted to the same time period and similar experiences as those of the subject in my current project, but from a different perspective. And a book about another journalist also in the civil rights and Vietnam War eras would make further use of all I’ve researched so far on the period.
Those Idea Fairies know well me and my interests. After they deposit a new suggestion in my mind, I mull over how this idea could interest others.Is there a story? Is it good? Is it intriguing enough to hold a reader’s attention? If so, triage it.
Thanks Idea Fairies. My “Books to Write Next” list, which you forced me to create years ago, now sports your latest idea.
When theylure me elsewhere, I feel fortunate. After I recover from their latest visitation, I continue writing my current good idea. Knowing I have more projects ahead invigorates me and spurs me on.
Truth is, all writing ideas eventually disintegrate into hard work. But, it’s good work.
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