Preparing for NaNoWrimo Part1- The Idea

As I mentioned in last week's post, NaNoWrimo is right around the corner. Despite saying that I wasn't going to participate, I changed my mind. Why did I change it so quickly? Sunday I was laying in bed being lazy, reading my Twitter feed, when someone tweeted something totally innocent. It had nothing to do with books, writing, stories or anything you would think it would, but just a random life observation. Those 140 characters (actually, it was less), gave me a whole book idea. It just wasn't any old book idea, it was something that I instantly needed to write...like right now. What perfect timing right?

I quickly sat up, grabbed my Moleskine (that is always by my bedside) and began to write the idea down before it slipped away into the abyss of great ideas (and trust me, I have a LOT of those floating around, lost). After i wrote down the basic idea, my mind still raced, trying to put it all together. My husband was in the next room, so I ran (yes I literally ran) to him and told him all about it. I wanted to make sure I wasn't nuts, that this could really work. The great part? He agreed!

Now comes the hard part, building a world, characters and plot around this basic idea, all before November 1st. That's what I'll be working on in the days to come, trying to get enough of a platform, so to speak, to know where I'm taking the story. The first few years I wrote for NaNo, as I mentioned before, I just ran with it. I didn't know what I was writing until I sat down for the first time in November. The last few I had a plan. It worked out so much better and my first draft was much improved because of it.

Be sure to get as much down about your story, even if it's something as simple as your main character being allergic to strawberries. You won't regret it!

If you want to be my writing buddy for NaNoWrimo this year, my user name is Seeker4.

The Juggling Act

I’m in the middle (literally, I’m on chapter 14 out of 28) of editing Lost and Found, my current work in progress. I’m actually having a great time, excited about my changes and implementing my fab crit partners’ notes. Things are going good. I’m happy.

The creative part of my brain? Not so much.

I had an idea a few months ago for a new story, several actually. I wrote one-liners down for each one in my Moleskine and thought that was the end of it, at least for awhile. Unfortunately, one idea has been haunting me...in the shower, at work, eating lunch. Plot points and dialogue will pop into my head at the worst of times. I write them down when I can, tuck my notebook away and go back to Lost and Found.

Originally, I told myself that I wouldn’t start a new book until my current WIP was ready for the query process. I wanted to give all of my attention to Lost and Found because I believe in it. Editing half the book, writing the query and synopsis, as well as getting feedback from friends is still in my future. Lost and Found is very much not there.

Now flash forward to the end of last week when I was innocently washing my hair (see? always the shower) and chapter one of the new idea (very different plot than Lost and Found) started to pour out of me like water from the faucet. I quickly rinsed off, wrapped the towel around me and bee lined to my notebook. As my hair dripped upon the pages streaking the fresh ink of my pen, the words flowed through me like I was possessed. Before I knew it, I was running late to work but, had most of the first chapter on paper.

I’m not sure what to do, so I'm asking for all of your help via the comments. Do I continue with my original plan and just focus on Lost and Found, or do I try to juggle both stories?