Getting excited about starting something new

Charlie Horse · Aug 27, 2014

I've been rewriting and editing my WIP for quite a while now and finally reached the point where I've been able to turn it over to my beta readers and start working on something new. So this morning I picked up on a project that I started close to a year ago then quickly set aside because I knew how much work still needed to be done on the book I already had on my plate. Basically I'm back to writing a first draft, creating something from scratch, which, as you all know, is an entirely different process and is the beginning of a long and arduous journey.

My point is, I'm pumped about starting a new project, even though I've been avoiding it, having slipped into the comfort zone of simply editing and polishing words that have already been written and living in a world that's familiar with characters I've grown to know and love (or hate depending on their role). For those of you who struggle with the idea of staring at a blank screen, how do you motivate yourself to begin construction? For me it's just a matter of forcing myself to start typing, then the muse takes over. Maybe others need some tricks to get things going. I'd be interested in hearing them and others might be as well.

ellebooks · Aug 28, 2014

I'm impressed you "finished" your WIP to the point you felt confident turning it over and starting on something new. I've yet to feel I've finished anything, and just find after a year or so the allure of the something new draws me away. It begins with a sentence or concept, then a scene, then a plan. Then the old WIP is just a pile of forgotten papers, haha.

Congrats and good luck!

Jane Berry · Aug 28, 2014

Charlie Horse said:
For those of you who struggle with the idea of staring at a blank screen, how do you motivate yourself to begin construction?

When I'm creating a new project, I have a rigid 3,000 word per day minimum on work days and five minutes per day on non-work days. As long as I work on the project at hand (no blog posts, tweets, etc.) it doesn't matter how terrible it comes out on the page.

On the 3k days, I cannot linger over anything for very long to make my word count, which quells my harsh inner editor. On the non work days, sitting down to five minutes of writing is always doable and often ends up being at least an hour.

emvireo · Aug 28, 2014

exciting. i can't wait to start on something new. I'm almost at the same place but still getting the last bits done on my WIP.

aleighrose · Aug 28, 2014

I go for long walks because it helps to clear my head and to get the words flowing exactly the way I want them to. Once I start imagining the scenes, I become eager to start/resume working on the overall story. The only problem is that, while I'm walking, I'm not writing anything down. I have to memorize the wording of a particular scene in my head so that I can spew it all out into Microsoft Word when I get home.

Velvet27 · Aug 28, 2014

Ooooh, that is exciting. I'm looking forward to getting to the point myself, and I'm not far off (fingers crossed). I'm excited about how my current book is progressing, but I'm looking forward to sinking my teeth into something new.

The great thing about only revising at the moment is I've had some fresh ideas for some new stuff. I've written notes and outlines, and they're waiting for me when I'm ready.

I have a set time when I write, which is when my son is down for a nap (funnily enough, it's the only time I have time to write), so I'll simply transition from revisions to drafting then writing in that time slot.

ArtsyAmy · Aug 29, 2014

Congrats, Charlie Horse! I'm getting started on the writing part of something new, too. I'm like Velvet in that while revising the old story, ideas have been coming to me for the new story, and I've been writing notes, doing some outlining, so stuff is waiting for me. Can't wait to start piecing things together.

AliceWrites · Aug 29, 2014

Well done on finishing your other project!

When I begin something new, I set myself a high daily word count, which for me is something like 1500-2500 words per day and just get a feel for the first outline/draft and the story to take shape.

Good luck with this.

ArachnePhobia · Aug 29, 2014

I look for a line I've nicknamed "the key to unlock the door" - I brainstorm opening lines until I find one that screams at me to keep going. It doesn't necessarily have to be good and I may change it in a later draft. It just has to scream at me to keep going.

HeavyAirship · Aug 29, 2014

I've got at least 5 ideas I'm excited to get a start on. Unfortunately they will have to wait for probably 7 months or more while I do other things.

Congrats on getting things done though.

spikeman4444 · Aug 29, 2014

Charlie Horse said:
I've been rewriting and editing my WIP for quite a while now and finally reached the point where I've been able to turn it over to my beta readers and start working on something new. So this morning I picked up on a project that I started close to a year ago then quickly set aside because I knew how much work still needed to be done on the book I already had on my plate. Basically I'm back to writing a first draft, creating something from scratch, which, as you all know, is an entirely different process and is the beginning of a long and arduous journey.

My point is, I'm pumped about starting a new project, even though I've been avoiding it, having slipped into the comfort zone of simply editing and polishing words that have already been written and living in a world that's familiar with characters I've grown to know and love (or hate depending on their role). For those of you who struggle with the idea of staring at a blank screen, how do you motivate yourself to begin construction? For me it's just a matter of forcing myself to start typing, then the muse takes over. Maybe others need some tricks to get things going. I'd be interested in hearing them and others might be as well.

I'll trade places with you. I'll write your new exciting project, and you edit mine. uuuuuggggh, how I hate editing.

SBibb · Aug 29, 2014

Two things I can think of: I like to daydream as detailed as possible the scenes I plan to write, and I like to keep a rough outline of events written so that I can look at it as I write and remember what happens next.

Good luck with your new WIP, whatever your process for writing.

FatesPast · Aug 30, 2014

I'm in a somewhat different, somewhat similar boat. I'm on my second rewrite and have about two thousand words to go before I start submitting to agents. However, I am so excited about next project that I think more about it than my existing manuscript. In fact, I randomly wrote the first three sentences of my next week, which I may or may not post in the "critique" section, haha. I think I just may be tired of staring at FATE'S PAST.

Getting excited about starting something new

Charlie Horse

Speaking in metaphors

ellebooks

Jane Berry

emvireo

aleighrose

Velvet27

ArtsyAmy

AliceWrites

Writing jazz

ArachnePhobia

HeavyAirship

Aboard my phaneron.

spikeman4444

The snozberrys taste lke snozberrys

SBibb

FatesPast