Tag Archives: Book Writing

A blog about the topics of writing, Sharon C. Williams

Where do you get your ideas for your manuscripts: I mean location, location and location

Leave a comment

 

Do you get ideas for your stories or novels at the absolutely wrong time? And what do you do about it if anything?

One of my favorite places to get ideas at the wrong time is at night when I am either trying to fall asleep, tossing and turning and so on. An idea will pop in and I do the same thing each time because after all it works so well. I say to myself I will remember this tomorrow for I don’t need to write it down. Because that works NEVER. Ugh. I am not sure why I can’t put a notepad near me. Well, I have but did I put anything in? No. Instead I tell myself that I will remember that.

Another awesome place that ideas come to me is in the car. That reminds me I need to put a notepad in the car. I rarely keep my cell phone out unless I am charging it. I don’t call or text when I am driving. I need to watch for cars that have people who are calling or texting. That whole topic I best save for another day for it angers me how people can drive a car that can kill them or someone else so easily just because oh my gosh Betty broke up with her boyfriend or Mrs. Miller needs to call you for the umpteen time on something. It can wait until I am pulled over.

Moving on. Another place that is just peachy when I come up with ideas is the shower. Because nothing says story ideas like a shower, am I right? I won’t bring up the idea that came to me on how to remember the story idea. Just too stupid. But this is place where I get a mega amount of story ideas.

The point is story ideas will come at you from all directions, any time of the day and at any eventful thing you are doing. It don’t care if the doctor is about to come into the examination room, it don’t care if it is finally your turn at the DMV or anyplace where you have time to wait. It does not care if you are doing anything that does not concern it. Ideas will pop in at will and demand you pay attention to it.

I am getting better at writing these down or noting them for later. Still for all I know I may have had the idea for a NY best-selling book but I just didn’t for whatever reason write it down.

Author, Blog, Bonding, Creative Writing, memories, NaNoWriMo

Oh What A Night

2 Comments

The date: November 20, 2011 The time: 4:35pm

NaNoWriMo 2011 is a writing frenzy where writers attempt to write 50k words in one month. This has been my first year trying and it has been phenomenal. I don’t recall ever being this sleep deprived in my life. While my novel that I wrote for November is about 75 percent done in theory as of today I have the word count of 50,263. The last 2500 words did not come to me easily. I struggled. Of course life being the way it is the minute I realized I had cross the magical barrier two ideas popped into my head that I could add to my book. Why did you decide to show up NOW was what I thought. The word count has been validated but I still plan on writing until the end of November. But no longer do I have to get up at 5 am so I can write on this book.

But getting the word count is not the only way I have won. This has made me write every day since I started the frenzy. It got me focused on a story that I been meaning to put down on paper for well over a year now. Also I have met some amazing people along the way who have been funny, supportive and just down right awesome. People who I will remain friends long after this adventure ends on Nov 30th. It has been an incredible ride and I have taken away from it so much more then what the website could ever promise me. I am not sure if I will do this next year for my life has been on hold for a few weeks now but I would not change it for a thing. This has given me the confidence that I can do this and that writing is not a passing fad that will disappear in a puff of smoke. To all the people who have helped me I thank you. Also I am here to encourage you, have your back and pick you up as you work toward your own personal goal this November. Good luck everyone.