One thing that we authors have to fight against is the siren call of a new idea. This happens when you’re struggling with your current work in progress. For me it’s usually when I’m second-guessing my abilities or when I’m stuck on something and cant write my way out of. Something niggles in the back of my mind and a new idea starts to form. Something tempting and shiny and new that wants to pull me away from what I’m supposed to be working on.
We just returned home from an amazing adventure in Morocco. While we were there the husband and I were talking over a meal and he mentioned I should write something about travel and food since I love it so much and I have all these stories and experiences. It got the wheels turning.
So now, instead of my amazing Christmas fantasy Santa origin story that I’m 8000 words into, I’m dreaming up this new thing.
How do you say no to something so enticing? Something so shiny and new that promises endless material and no writers block?
You don’t.
I’m not giving in. What I am going to do is write out some ideas and gather some thoughts. I’m setting a timer–no more than an hour to just put the ideas down so I don’t forget. No drafting, just notes. And then it’s back to a magical land where my Santa (whose name is Nikolai) is waiting for me to tell his story. After all, a collection of short stories about food and travel and humanity is great but nothing beats magic and Santa, right? Riiiiiight?


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