Tuesday, August 7, 2012

So I Was Taking the Day Off and Then . . .

I wasn't going to do any writing today.  I have my critique group tonight and I knew if I started editing, I would edit what they're going to rake me over the coals for at our meeting so I was going to wait.

I started surfing the net.  I went to all the time-sucking places.  Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube.  There is one Youtube video I saw that seriously made me laugh.  Have y'all seen this one?


So. Funny.  (I've been saying, "Nope, just Chuck Testa" all day.  My kids are getting annoyed.  Haha!)

Anyway, I thought I'd go do my daily exercise (I'm up to 2.04 miles every day now.  It's amazing for me!)  And while I was walking and listening to my music the most amazing thing happened . . .

The final edit came to me.  My winding up scene, which I thought was pretty good, will now be amazing because my mind was clear and open and totally had room for the idea that waltzed in all innocent-like.  So, here I am, with my kids challenging me to a Pokemon Puzzle League family tournament and I have to get this new final scene down.  (Maybe I'll hurry and get it down, then go show those kids who's the boss at Pokemon Puzzle League.  Just sayin')

So much for taking the day off.

When was the last time a story idea came to you like a bolt of lightning?

7 comments:

Janice Sperry said...

They usually come to me in the shower or after I've gone to bed. Sneaky little devils.

Julie Coulter Bellon said...

It's like they wait until you have no pen and then they decide to grace you with their presence . . .

C. Michelle Jefferies said...

Mine hit me like a drive by. Never prepared for them, hoping I'll remember them, blow me out of the water type things. I started carrying index cards and pens in my diaper bag. I was at a freiends last tuesday and I realized the missing piece for an old family legend for my book. I was so happy.

Debra Erfert said...

My good ideas come to me mostly when I'm trying to fall asleep, then I have to quietly get up and write those ideas down so I don't forget them--even if my notes are merely key words to get me to remember the basic premise of that scene or plot point. I always carry a small notebook in my purse, too, to write down any inspirations I get when I'm not near my computer.

Jon Spell said...

NOPE! You know, I'm not sure that is the real Chuck Testa, because his lines are just delivered with such a lack of emotion or sense of timing. I kept expecting to see a stick coming from his back and a real person to pop out and say, "Ha ha, even this is not the real Chuck Testa! The real guy died decades ago but we've kept him preserved since then."

Shower or golfing. It's that circumstance of not having anything else pressing to think about.

Melanie Goldmund said...

Hi, I'm back! We were travelling without reliable internet access, and it was fun, but it's good to be home again, too. :-)

I just got a good idea for a story yesterday, as it happens. I'd been letting lots of ideas percolate in my mind, and eventually, something gelled. I think I can make a story out of it.

Jordan McCollum said...

Nope! Just Chuck Testa!

But at least the animals look good, right?

The last time I remember an idea for a story coming to me like lightning, I was in the Dollar store and an old song I really like and have heard dozens of times came on, and I thought, "What if?" And six weeks later, the first draft was done.