Running out of ideas for new novels

Can't say I've every run into this problem. I always seem to have too many ideas. So I sort of have the opposite problem. Picking one and sticking to it.

Honestly, there are a lot of things you do seek out inspiration instead of sitting around waiting for it. Consuming a bunch of different kinds of media, experiencing new things, basically trying things outside of your comfort zone. You don't always have to sit around and wait for inspiration. You can seek it out, it just takes a bit of practice.

Have you thought about making new novels in the same world, but not sequels? That helped me pack together a bunch of somewhat related sci-fi ideas.

Are you writing everything down? I mean, any idea. Anything that catches your fancy at all. Is it making it to paper or do things tend to slip away?

Also, are you doing anything that inspires you?

I'm with CJ. I have more ideas than I have time to write them.

(Want to buy one of mine?)

Have you tried story generators? You can use the random elements to spark your imagination.

Maybe think of some of your favorite books and what you liked so much about them. Or think of books you thought could be done better.

What do you want to read that hasn't been written?

I do relate to this issue. I have tons and tons of ideas, but very few that I consider ready to write about.

mailtime said:

I have ideas. But I don't think they're good. I have a modern western (I hear westerns don't really sale), a story about magicians (Debating on if I should even bother. Could be too Harry Potter-ish, even though the magic school isn't the main setting), and something about three immortals (my only story that wouldn't be YA). None of them are really all that solid in plot. I'm a plotter, so I can't just write by the seat of my pants.

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I'd say if you have some sort of an idea for a plot, don't think about it, just start writing. I like to plot stuff out before hand too, but I must admit some of my best writing has come purely unprecedented. When I do have a plot to work with I sit down and pound out the pages. But sometimes I come up with better twists and turns as I'm writing it out and the scenes start to come to life, taking on a whole new direction than I originally intended. And my writing is better for it.

Just my thought on it. Hope it helps.

How are you with short stories? I start out my novels as themed short stories starring the same characters.

Or just write some short stories and see if they sell. A novel doesn't always have to be the end goal of writing.

mailtime said:

Needless to say, they were awful. Plus, without plotting, I can't foreshadow anything, unless I go back after I've finished the whole story and figure out where to somehow insert the hints, which might then look half-assed, which would then force me to rewrite the entire scene, and maybe another scene, and...

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I can understand that. I tend to run into those problems sometimes. I think everyone does?

But wouldn't you agree that writing something (no matter how terrible) is better than writing nothing at all?

Are you inspired by artwork at all? That whole, picture is worth a thousand words thing? My current idea, plus about 10 other workable ideas in my queue were inspired by pictures I saw browsing the fantasy section of DeviantArt.

I know one thing, forcing it won't help. I'm often grabbed by ideas when I'm relaxing, watching TV, reading a book, writing something else, just basically not thinking it or trying to come up with something. I also find it helps if I just play around with something for a while that's out of my genre comfort zone. I don't need to finish it, just occupy myself with it until the good ideas some. It works a little too well. I did this a year and a half ago and I've been buried in ideas ever since. Being uncomfortable like that makes your brain a magnet for the stuff you're really interested in.

mailtime said:

I don't wanna wait for inspiration. That would take forever. Even though my mind is racing, it's stuck in park, if that makes sense.

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I think it's a horrible idea for anyone to 'wait for inspiration'. If you're waiting, you're gonna be waiting for a loooong time and get very little done.

CJ Knightrey said:

Can't say I've every run into this problem. I always seem to have too many ideas. So I sort of have the opposite problem. Picking one and sticking to it.

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Gawd, me too.

CJ Knightrey said:

You don't always have to sit around and wait for inspiration. You can seek it out, it just takes a bit of practice.

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I'm going to say it again. Waiting for inspiration? Bad idea and I don't recommend it to anyone. I do agree with going out, hunting it down and dragging it back to the keyboard is a much better idea.

mailtime said:

I have ideas. But I don't think they're good. I have a modern western (I hear westerns don't really sale),

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So? Do you like westerns?

mailtime said:

a story about magicians (Debating on if I should even bother. Could be too Harry Potter-ish, even though the magic school isn't the main setting),

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Then why are you worried? Is it something that interests you?

mailtime said:

and something about three immortals (my only story that wouldn't be YA).

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Is that a problem?

mailtime said:

None of them are really all that solid in plot. I'm a plotter, so I can't just write by the seat of my pants.

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Plotting isn't something falling on you and surprise! plot! Plotting is something you actively do. Dig out different ways to pull a story together and try one.

mailtime said:

You're right, though. Maybe I should try experiencing new things or doing something I wouldn't normally do outside somewhere. Why do I feel like jumping out of a plane or venturing into a jungle?

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What on earth for? Read. Watch TV or a movie. Play a video game. Play a board game. Let your brain catch on to anything and ask 'what about? what if?' no matter how 'stupid' it seems on the surface.

Codex Alera by Jim Butcher. Amalgamation of two 'stupid' ideas. Just sayin'.

mailtime said:

I can't think of a unique story I'd wanna read that hasn't been done.

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Good luck with that. I don't think there are any 'unique' stories any more. Just unique spins on a story.

mailtime said:

I couldn't write a short story to save my life. I write way too long. It's a miracle I finished my current novel in the 70,000 range.

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Not sure I see the problem here. You want to write, you want a new idea to write, start out writing a short story and let it evolve into its natural 70k+ word range. Taa daaa! New idea and you're writing! Sounds like a double win to me.

bearilou said:

I'm going to say it again. Waiting for inspiration? Bad idea and I don't recommend it to anyone. I do agree with going out, hunting it down and dragging it back to the keyboard is a much better idea.

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One day I sat down to write and realized my muse had transported herself to india 1000 years ago, on an unsanctioned trip. So, intrepid writer that I am. I followed her.

All Joking aside, I agree agree with bearilou. Waiting around to be inspired is a bad idea. And it won't help you at all.

CJ Knightrey said:

Can't say I've every run into this problem. I always seem to have too many ideas. So I sort of have the opposite problem. Picking one and sticking to it.

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I do this too, and it drives me bonkers. Comepletely bonkers.

MrNumbahOne said:

Have you thought about making new novels in the same world, but not sequels?

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Yeah, agents and publishers love this too. As soon as my novel went on sub, one editor of a big 6 publisher asked if i was going to write any more in the same setting. It's all about branding. Establishing an identity. Letting readers know what sort of product they're getting. I can't stress enough how beneficial it would be to keep to the same genre with your next novel, possibly even the same setting, maybe even the same characters.

Of course that's if your first book sells... if it doesn't you're free as a bird to write what you like. But if you're trying to use your second novel as a marketing tool in the query... make it the same genre at the very least.

mailtime said:

Needless to say, they were awful. Plus, without plotting, I can't foreshadow anything, unless I go back after I've finished the whole story and figure out where to somehow insert the hints, which might then look half-assed, which would then force me to rewrite the entire scene, and maybe another scene, and...

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This is called EDITING. It's what writers do. No one tosses off a book and calls it done (well, maybe legendary pantser, jamesaritchie...) without going back and needing to sort out plot holes, strengthen character motivation, put in little touches of foreshadowing, and all these things might necessitate bits of rewriting to make them fit. First draft is just where you vomit all the ideas onto the page and see if they loosely cohere into a story. Second draft is where you go back and make it into a novel. Third draft is where you polish it up, etc.

If you don't work like this, maybe it's a new technique you could explore? Your first ever pantsed novel

mailtime said:

Eh, when I was younger, I used to just write and not plan out anything. The problem was I'd end up writing myself into corners, using lame ass deus ex machinas (final battle where a character was suddenly given a magical rose that blows up when someone smells it. He used it to kill the big bad.), and coming up with outlandish plot points (big bad's henchman used a cane that could transform anything. Big bad's lair is a volcano. Stolen cane transforms volcano into mansion, the lava vanishing. Big bad doesn't even comment on it when they finally meet).

Needless to say, they were awful. Plus, without plotting, I can't foreshadow anything, unless I go back after I've finished the whole story and figure out where to somehow insert the hints, which might then look half-assed, which would then force me to rewrite the entire scene, and maybe another scene, and...
.

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Just because you start without a plan, doesn't mean you can't start plotting once the story has presented itself.
Everyone's different but that's how I write. I will get one scene and write it down, without a clue where it's going, then another and another. Eventually a story will form and I will then plot the rest. The first stage primes my creative pumps.

mailtime said:

I don't have any good ideas!

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Run out and buy 5 newspapers and 5 newsy magazines. Read them all from cover to cover. Make notes, just for yourself, on what you think of each story and the people apparently involved in them and how they might develop. That's perhaps a week's full-time work, but after doing it, you'll have enough ideas for several novels. Really.

mailtime said:

I don't really read them. And my idea was more fantasy/western. So there would be robots, swordsmen, bigass guns, and probably cell phones, but everyone would be riding around on horses in the Wild, Wild West.

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Unicorn Western

Far West

And, Wild, Wild West anyone?



Next?

IOW I'm not letting you talk yourself out of something just because you don't think there are readers out there for it.

...also, I may be a sucker for westerns with a mystical/magical/fantasy bent to them.

mailtime said:

Oh, I know. I'm someone who edits as they go. This is after I have a clear outline of where the story's going. When I write a chapter, I'll write stuff, then the next day, I'll go back and reread what I wrote, fix what I think needs fixing, then continue. Rinse and repeat. Some days, all I do is reread what I wrote and edit, with no new progress. This is why nanowrimo is impossible for someone like me.

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You sound just like me. I can never do the rough first draft either, and I edit far more than I actually write. Probably why it's taken me 2 and a half years to get three quarters of a novel written. I could never do Nano either

Thing is, I used to be a total pantser, and I've only become a plotter with this book because I'm doing a huge rewrite (of an originally pantsed version). I had to do a vague plot outline or it just wouldn't work. I still pants all the details tho, and the story has changed a huge amount since the first outline of the rewrite. I guess that makes me a hybrid, huh?

Maybe you could be a hybrid too? Come up with a rough outline, but leave yourself some leeway, allow things to go off script, and see how it pans out?