Friday, January 18, 2013

The Ideas I Love

I have several ideas I've been keeping to myself for years. Why? The sad and simple truth is that I didn't think anyone would want to read about those ideas. They aren't hugely sweeping, hooky ideas. They might not be books that find big markets. They are contemporary. And, yes, I ignored them in favor of ideas that I thought the market might be more...friendly to.

But I'm to the point where these ideas are all I want to write, no matter what may or may not come of them. They've been waiting around so long that it's like they are refusing to let me have any more ideas until I write them. 

So I am. And I'm loving it. 

Sometimes I get insecure about the "merit" of what I'm writing, or the "marketability" or "hook" or whatever. I start to fear that I might never sell these stories I hold so dear. But then I remember, that feeling? Yeah, it pretty much never goes away. I've felt this before—I'll feel it again. It's part of the deal when you write, and you get through it and create the stories you love.

19 comments:

  1. Natalie...the book I'm currently working on is a contemporary. I wrote it just for me when I was mad at my fantasy book. I wrote it because I love twisty dark crazy obsessed-crazy-in-love couples. I didn't expect anyone to love it. And while yes I currently have an R&R (and yes the agent checked in with me about how it was going), it doesn't mean anything. I just hope I have more readers than my betas and critique partners. One day. Whether I self publish or end up with a tradition publishing deal. I think that all stories start with the most basic reader.

    Ourselves.

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  2. Aside from my regular genre writing, I have the occasional idea for one offs, things that are quite different, that I might get to. One of them, a Civil War story, might require that it be written instead by an American though. Not sure I could get away with it.

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  3. You would be doing a disservice to the idea and yourself if you didn't write it.

    If you feel that passionate about these ideas, I believe that will shine through and by default be marketable. I don't anything bad can happen when a talented writer writes about something they are passionate about.

    Paul

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  4. This is perfect. I know someone who needs to read exactly this. Thanks. :)

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    1. Aaaaand that would be me. :) thanks for this, Natalie. Sarah

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  5. Ah, do I ever sympathize. I'm writing a middle grade epic fantasy/sci-fi mashup with a very old-fashioned voice and lots of big words. Publishable? We'll see. But it's unbelievably dear to me. And if I have to go long-tail with it and self- or indie-publish the thing, so be it.

    That said, contemporary, more than anything else, seems to allow for the less-hooky concept. Whatever the case, though, I tend to think the story knows best. If it won't be held in, well, it's the boss. ;)

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  6. "I'm to the point where these ideas are all I want to write"

    I think that says everything right there. Go with it!

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  7. I'm in much the same position. In some way, having signed a contract to write urban fantasy, I've had to shelve my first love, crime, psychological thrillers. I'm going to try and find a bit of time each week, maybe just an hour, because one of those stories demands to be written, even if no-one reads it.

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  8. Write what you want is the only way to go. It's not worth it, otherwise. Go Natalie!

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  9. I can very much relate to this post. Writing about the ideas I love is the best. It makes me very happy. :)

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  10. Glad someone else is feeling this! Boy do I relate. I'm writing my first novel FOR ME and I will love it! It's part fantasy, part Christian, with 2 LGBT characters. So basically no secular or Christian market, LOL. Oh well.

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  11. Thanks so much for this, Natalie--I needed to read it. I've had this WIP I've never been able to completely shelve, even though I know it's not something that looks to be 'en vogue' any time soon (if ever!). I've started other projects, finished and loved them, but I always come back to the one I can't seem to forget. Or to give myself the courage/confidence to finish. But I'm working on it now :).

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  12. It's good when you write about what you want to write about rather than what you think what you "should write about", because then you're more likely to be engaged in your work. And you're more likely to look forward to writing every day rather than dread it or be bored with it.

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  13. Maybe those ideas you're feeling unsure about might be the next big thing. So you never know...And since you have two books coming out in the near future, by the time you finish the MS with what you feel have the less "hookier" ideas, I'd bet publishers would still be willing to take a chance on you because you'd already be an established author. I say, go for it!

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  14. I recently had a similar breakthrough. After signing with my agent, I got all jittery and concerned with selling instead of writing the story that kept me up nights. But the MS that landed me an agent was a small, quiet story that kept me up nights. So, now that the jitters and self-imposed stress is slightly less than before, I'm back to my roots, writing what I love because it's the only way I know.

    Best of luck to you! Enjoy the thrill of writing stories that keep awake! :)

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  15. I admire you for writing from your heart at the risk of no one else loving it. I think most times the opposite is true--it will be even more resonant with others.

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  16. Yay! Writing what you love is the best! And who knows? You can worry about making it marketable later!

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  17. Awww! I love that! I'm glad you're writing them! Your brain's probably pretty glad, too. ;)

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  18. Go you! So good to hear your finally writing down the ideas that have been floating around in your head for a long time and writing what you want to write about, not because of the market but because YOU want to write it. If you love and are passionate about what your working on, your readers should be too.

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