Now, like most writers I know, I have anywhere from two to eight stories percolating on the backburner at any given moment. Two of these are usually vying for contender as my next WIP, and the others are far, far off on the horizon.
I’m okay with this. I’m used to it. I make my notes on these incubating stories, dictate snatches of dialogue as they come to me, and then put them in their properly labeled space within my divided green accordion file of ideas. They are easily compartmentalized and do not interfere (much) with my current story.
However, my WADD is starting to progress, become more granular, to the scene level. Last night I sat entrenched at my local java spot writing a scene whilst scalding all the taste buds from my tongue with my usual non-fat decaf chai latte (I know, I live on the edge). Things were going well, progression was being made and for once I understood the scene goal and how it connected to the story goal. Yay, me!
Then I had to pee. Damn chai latte.
So, I pulled my earbuds and hurried to the restroom before I lost my flow (literally & figuratively). I was spacing out in the stall when this great dialogue sequence pops into my head – except, of course, it’s not related to the scene I’m composing at that moment. No, it’s for a scene I have yet to write and don’t plan to for a few weeks at least. But, I know better than to let words get away from me. So after I surgically scrubbed my hands (swine flu, ya know) I raced back to my laptop, opened a new doc and furiously typed the dialogue. I had to resist fleshing it out beyond a few notes, but come on – why can’t my mind just stick to the scene at hand? That’s usually tough enough to get done without worrying about the scene to come next. And then I had to refocus on the scene I was actually there to write.
Get with the program, brain. Finish what you started before you move on.
Am I too old for Ritalin?
Filed under: On Writing
LOL, Shellee!