You be the judge. Do I have ADD, an overactive imagination, or trouble finishing what I start? Or do all writers' minds simply work like mine--easily distracted by shiny things?
I was writing the first book of a new paranormal series--The Shifters of Sonas Isle--and was about ten chapters into Kendric's story, when I received a few emails from readers, telling me how much they adored Effie my pink-haired hippie from the first bear sifter series. When could they expect to hear from her next?
I'd always felt I'd stopped Highlander's Beloved series too abruptly. My publisher's choice, not mine. We talked and arrangements were made for me to continue the series on my own since six months had passed since publication of the final book of the trilogy. So, to please my Effie fans, I began to plot book four of Highlander's Beloved--The Doctor's Bearside Manner.
Before I had chapter one written, a publishing company to which I'd submitted three chapters and a synopsis of a contemporary romance requested a full submission. Only there was no full to be had. I'd laid the book aside to work on my paranormals. I explained to the editor and she said she'd wait. So I shifted mental gears from the Highlands of Scotland to Philadelphia.
I've been working on that book for hours every day. Ignoring the idea that came to me a couple weeks ago about a group of writers. Okay, so I made a list of their names, but I've not gone any farther with it...honest.
Then a butterfly flew past. An historical editor put out an idea for books set in Scotland, near the Highlands, in 1877. Why? There was a huge mine explosion in this area at that time. I could use ancestors of my Matheson bears and...
See what I mean? I wonder how I've written 18 books in 5 years when I can't seem to stay on track? Certainly I'm not the only writer who deals with this. I'm not special. Scatterbrained, maybe, but not special. Something shiny flits by and I have this compulsion to chase it. I think it's a sickness.
I've seen blog posts lately about "monkey minds" and how to get yours under control. I'm not sure that's a good idea! That kind of mind set seems to be necessary for writers. Always something new popping up.
ReplyDeleteI hope Calvin is doing better and will be home soon and on the mend.
I think we need to worry more about the day the ideas stop and shiny things don't attract our attention. Calvin is doing better, thanks. He made it through his tests today and was pretty tired afterward.
DeleteWishing Calvin a return to good health and wishing you improved focus--although I don't know if you really need that! You seem to be doing just fine with your own brand of focus.
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