How I get my ideas.... I don't know. I suppose, like it used to when I was reading specific genres of book, it depends on what I'm most obsessed with at the time. (The last original thing I started is a sci-fi time-travel vampire regency victorian modern-day not-romance. Erm. Yes, it's about someone who gets knocked back in time and freaks out, started long before LoM! D'oh.) Sometimes I get a single line pop into my head, which then sort of grows into an idea for a whole story. Sometimes I get a concept, and then add details later. Always, though, once I start actively thinking about the initial thing that sparked off, it's like.... I don't know... unpacking a box that's bigger on the inside than outside? It's like I take out the initial idea, and other things start unfolding and growing around it and out of it. Does that make any sense? And once I start writing, as well, that generates more and more in my head.
I think I've changed my method of writing over the years. Or perhaps I've changed *back* to the way I used to do it originally. At the moment, I get an idea, maybe mull it over for a little while, then write it down. Depending on how well-formed it is, that might be a note, or it might be more detailed - like that first section of "Touch" I showed you, for example. When I started writing fanfic, I'd just keep the idea in my head, and write it down only as the story itself. But now, I tend to make more detailed notes if I have the story planned out in my head, so I can leave it and go back to it later if I want to. But as I said, sometimes the idea grows more as I write, so it is a case of typing and letting the muse take me along as well. I do try and have an overall plan as well, though.
I used to do that a lot - I have several notebooks full of ideas, and background info - that spy story I wrote, for example, has a ton of detail about characters backgrounds that wasn't in the story, but that I "knew" and wanted to write down for my own info. I think doing that works better for me, so I'm going to try and keep it up! (Obviously I don't need to do background stuff for fanfic, but writing down story plans and notes definitely helps).
How's that? ;-) Bet you're sorry you asked, now! *g*
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branchandroot
Writing Pt 2
Date: 2006-04-25 06:13 pm (UTC)I think I've changed my method of writing over the years. Or perhaps I've changed *back* to the way I used to do it originally. At the moment, I get an idea, maybe mull it over for a little while, then write it down. Depending on how well-formed it is, that might be a note, or it might be more detailed - like that first section of "Touch" I showed you, for example. When I started writing fanfic, I'd just keep the idea in my head, and write it down only as the story itself. But now, I tend to make more detailed notes if I have the story planned out in my head, so I can leave it and go back to it later if I want to. But as I said, sometimes the idea grows more as I write, so it is a case of typing and letting the muse take me along as well. I do try and have an overall plan as well, though.
I used to do that a lot - I have several notebooks full of ideas, and background info - that spy story I wrote, for example, has a ton of detail about characters backgrounds that wasn't in the story, but that I "knew" and wanted to write down for my own info. I think doing that works better for me, so I'm going to try and keep it up! (Obviously I don't need to do background stuff for fanfic, but writing down story plans and notes definitely helps).
How's that? ;-) Bet you're sorry you asked, now! *g*