Attack of the Shiny New Ideas

Now, I might be in the minority here when I say that I don't really get the "shiny new idea" syndrome. You know, that aching, soul-tearing feeling that THIS (the aforementioned SNI) is what I must spend my entire time on, that this SNI must overtake my entire life, that this SNI overrides any and all desires for every other need to edit, draft, or indulge in otherwise necessary writing.

I'm jealous of those that DO get SNI syndrome, though. You see, for the last two years I've been editing, scrapping, rewriting, hating, sobbing over, ignoring and then editing a total of TWO (no more) manuscripts. I know, right? Sure, I had the offhanded chance to write other things here and there, but nothing I was ragingly excited about.

But, as of last week, those two time sucking manuscripts are either dead or done (for now) and I am freeeeeee to write whatever I want. (For the most part.)

Come heeeere. Shiny New Idea! Come here! ::whistle whistle:: Here boy!

I've certainly got other things to work on, of course. Sequels. Previously started ideas. Heck, I've got two complete drafts I could start revising again. But nothing that screams: WRITE ME! DROP EVERYTHING AND WRITE ME!!! STOP EATING, NO SLEEP, WHAT ARE YOU DOING? JUST WRITE!

Then again, SNIs could be a lot like significant others: the right one doesn't come along just because you whine about not having one. I was single long enough to understand even THAT. (But not much else: what means you this "dressing up for the opposite sex?")

How's your Shiny New Idea treating you lately? How'd it come to you? Is it all encompassing or does it treat you nice by letting you eat and sleep?

Nathan Fillion understands Shiny. Maybe he'll give me an SNI.

Ooh. Dang, NF. You make me aim to misbehave sometimes.

UPDATE! I know it's down in the comments, but you MUST check out Kristan Hoffman's hilarious post on Shiny-New-Idea-itis! Maybe reading about how to deal with the problem will help me GET the problem. Go here: http://kristanhoffman.com/2011/03/03/psa-on-shiny-new-idea-itis/ Thanks, Kristan!

Surviving the Writer's High

Tuesday night found me in the final stages of revision on a manuscript. This particular sucker's been hanging around, getting rewritten, critiqued, rewritten, yelled at, rewritten and edited for quite a few months now and finally...

(Oh, man, that's a nice word. FINALLY.)

...finally, I was pleased with it. The whole thing, by golly! I shuttled it off to those that could do something with it and--just like that--it was done. For now, of course.

The interesting thing is that barely minutes after sending it off, I went shuffling through Scrivener, opening up old projects and trying to get inspiration for my next one. Are you kidding me, Criddle? What's wrong with you? Relax and watch a little Top Chef, why don't you?

I couldn't help myself. I was riding that mythical, elusive wave of productivity: the Writer's High. It's like a runner's high, but you don't sweat (as much.) Writers suffer through a myriad of quandaries such as writer's block, outlining issues, plotting problems, flat characters, stale dialogue, query rejections, flat-out rejections, rewrites and edits that go nowhere. But when that writer's high comes along? Mmm, boy howdy. Embrace that moment, week, month, however long it hits us. We're never entitled to it, so when it does come along we've got to love it while it lasts.

I guess my writer's high happened because I finally saw the fruit of my hard work for the last months: a solid, 85,000 word manuscript that's undergone 12 rewrites and a heck of a lot of gnashing of teeth. And I'm pleased with it. By jingo, I LIKE it. (Here's to hoping some other people do too, amiright?)

What gives you a writer's high? Finishing something, starting something? Research? Inspiration? Cheerleader critique partners? Book conventions? Star Trek conventions? Star Trek in general? I might be getting a little off topic here...


Oh man. Data would have a field day with my first drafts. Happy writing, kitties and androids!