Don’t let ideas go down the drain
When I jumped into the shower this morning about fifteen minutes later than planned, I was only thinking about two things my sushi lunch with a friend and whether or not that required more than the usual daily clothing requirement. I decided a *nice* sweat suit would be fine and proceeded to focus on whether or not I had time to wash my hair twice instead of once.
Then, out of no where, or perhaps out of the shower head itself, the main character in my next WIP — you know — the one for which there are only ideas and notes and rambling — got a cat. Uh huh. A cat named Percy. I thought cats didn’t like water but Percy charged right into my shower as the constant in this main character’s story which is YA or so I think. After the invasion of the cat, her sister joined us. It was getting very crowded. Not in the shower — in my head. I thought the mc was an only child but it turns out I was wrong. So the sister joined us. Me, the cat, the sister and then of course, not wanting to be left out, the MC joined in to let us all know that she would was good with it — at least for the moment. She loved the cat and loved/hated her sister. She did not know what she’d do without either one of them. But what she doesn’t know? Is that she’s going to find out.
I rinsed and rinsed, repeated my lines (that’s how I get ideas, in sentence form) in my head, donned the multiple towels on body and head and forged to the computer without really having time to do so. A few words out – type type – back to the morning at hand.
And when the have-to’s were done, I wrote 827 words. I didn’t really write them, they wrote themselves. And it’s now all neatly saved for another time. It started with three separate lines. Not first lines. Not last lines. Not necessary lines that will remain – although they will always be where it all came together.
What do you do with your own random thoughts — and does everyone have them? Do non-writers (you know, the others, have these thoughts but simply not acknowledge them?
How many of your ideas go down the drain?
Even though I don’t know where they will lead me, I’m glad I held onto these and did not let them get washed away: - When I walked out of the bathroom there was no blow dryer noise coming from Claudette’s room. Odd. - Percy stood and arched into a long glide against my leg. - I hated the nickname Paulie.
Those ideas sound intriguing. I can’t wait till the story comes together!
I actually don’t write my ideas down the moment they jump into my head. I know that’s probably a cardinal sin in the writer’s book of rules (right after “show, don’t tell,” another one I break continuously), but oh well.
I see an idea as a lump of clay; I don’t dive in and shape it right away. I mull it around in my head for a while, picturing what it will look like when it’s finished. Once I’ve got a clear image and a sense of focus, then I write. I find that helps me avoid getting stuck during the rough draft process.
I have “heard voices” in the shower before, too. Sometimes I’ll narrate several paragraphs in my head before I realize what’s happening. What is it about the shower and inspiration? Is it the water? Perhaps I should get a waterproof tape recorder.
I wrote a song once in the shower. It’s called “Sparks Fly Sometimes” – ring a bell? (For those of you who don’t know, that’s the title of the ms I’m currently querying.) Normally, though, I’m not terrifically inspired in the shower (well, not in the writing department anyway, but I’ll keep this G-rated – Hah!). I do, however, wake up in the middle of the night with paragraphs and even pages in my head. I’ll say them over and over to myself, tweaking them as I go, until I’ve got them memorized. I’m ALWAYS too tired (read: lazy) to get up, turn on the lights, turn on the computer or grab a pen and paper, and write them down. Instead, I go back to sleep and do it in the morning. Do any other (crazy-ass) people do it this way?
LC,
I think I run to write things down because I forget them. I go from one thing to another, morning til night. Kids, dogs, articles, essays, novel, queries, ideas, blogs – EEK! If I don’t write it down I lose it. You know, literally down-the-drain! I just went through a stack of note cards and saw a one-line idea I have for an essay. I totally forgot I wanted to write it! That’s why I jump on things and get them down.
Amy
Karen,
I think the shower is where we least expect inspiration – even though it keeps happening. It’s like so many things we just forget until they happen again.
Amy
Debbie,
You memorize paragraphs? Oy! I can do a line or two – and like I said that’s how the ideas come – but then I have to type or write. But when that happens it’s effortless.
Amy
This sounds like a fun story Amy, and it seems as if you are tailor made to write it.
How is the other manuscript going? Good vibes out to you!
Thanks Val, I’m chugging along. This story is calling to me but I really want to finish my edits on #1…I’ll be ready to dive into this when it’s done though!
Amy
I had a similar experience in the shower on Tuesday.
I wrote 600 words with a towel around my head (I stayed naked since it’s warm here). I’m inching my way back to daily writing, and if it takes a shower to do it, so be it.