Monday 7 December 2009

Strange...


This year (and where did it go??? How can it be nearly Christmas already???) my writing has been a bit - well - sluggish. I seem to have spent half the year completing, editing, copy editing, proof-reading Moonshine - and the remainder writing Midnight Feast (okay, The Way To A Woman's Heart) which is nearly finished now and is going okay and I still like it. But there's been no ooomph. No fizzing of new ideas. No exciting new plots fighting to be heard. No avalanche of brilliant stories simply itching to see the light of day or computer screen. Just a sort of becalmed, day-to-day "must get this finished" sort of doldrummy feeling. Until now.

Now, out of the blue, I've got more ideas than I know what to do with. How weird is that? Goodness knows if they're any good - but where on earth did they come from? Suddenly I've got the titles and opening paragraphs for a dozen short stories (and to my shame, I haven't written ONE short story this year), the next novel in the Hazy Hassocks series has sort of popped, fully-formed, into my head when I least expected it to, two more are buzzing about, and even more odd - I've suddenly got an idea for an entire new series for a genre of novels (Young Adult) that I've never even thought about before.

I've had weeks - nay months - this year when I'd have killed for one original idea, just a single even vaguely interesting new plotline. Weeks and weeks when I've sat and doodled and given myself brain-ache (and a feeling of palm-sweating terror) wondering if this was the end of the creative road. And let's face it, if I don't make my living from writing we're doomed to the eternal breadline because I'm definitely unemployable. Now for some unknown reason, I don't know which novel and/or short story to start on next - well, when TWTAWH is finished and delivered at least.

This has NEVER happened to me before. I've never been one of those writers who claims they'll be dead before they've written all the stonking novels they've got planned. Never had more ideas than I know what to do with. Never ecstatically started A New Book within a nano-second of the last one leaving the computer. For me, each book or short story becomes more difficult to write because I'm so sure it's all been done/said/written before - and probably much, much better...

Of course, being realistic, half these ideas are probably rubbish and will possibly never develop into anything saleable - but oooh, it's so lovely to have them. It's like going back to the early days of being a writer when everything was all shiny and new and my enthusiasm knew no bounds. Back to the days of being all starry-eyed about being published - and I LOVE it!

22 comments:

Martin said...

Christina

Isn't this the most encouraging post? I think many will take heart from your new burst of creativity.

Jayne said...

oooh SO exciting Chris! I'm so pleased for you and I can't wait to read them ALL! ((HUGS))

ooh btw - I'm in Cambridge next thurs/fri!

alzamina said...

yay - more novels from the Brilliant Brain of Berkshire (does that sound like a contestant for Mastermind? Or maybe the Simpsons! LOL). Must have been the inspiration from seeing Sir Tel!

Glad TWTAWH is going well - can't wait to read it.

Young adult books - cool, will they be similar to the Hazy Hassocks books or is it time for something completely different?

Things now back to normal up here in the North. Small child now back to seeing how red he make his mum go and I'm busy closing large fast food chain stores and arguing with chinese takeaway owners who profess to not speaking much english until you threaten to close them - then they have better english than me!

ptasia said...

Good for you! It's true that a boost in creativity can do wonders for the feel-good factor - you suddenly feel like a 1000 dollars and everything is possible. I'll keep my fingers crossed this high continues (also very selfishly as a loyal reader... :)

Christina Jones said...

Martin - thank you so much. I hope it didn't sound like showing off - it was just such an amazing and unexpected change - from being a dead-brain into something that might resemble a Proper Writer... I also it helps anyone also going through a turgid patch.

Christina Jones said...

Jayne - thanks - it has been quite - well - uplifting in an odd way. Like being a teenager in love... Enjoy Cambridge!!!

Christina Jones said...

alzamina - oh, you're lovely - but they're (the ideas) probably not going to be any good - but it's nice to have them again. YA novels COMPLETELY diff - and thanks for making me laff!

Christina Jones said...

ptasia - thank you! I've got my fingers crossed too - in the hope that the ideas might just make it into something readable - one day... but you're right - it does make you feel good in a sort of giggly way...

Deborah Carr (Debs) said...

How fabulous having so many ideas. Can't wait to read them all when they're published in book form/magazines.

Chris Stovell said...

Once again, what I really enjoy about your blog is that you tell it how it is and admit to feelings that some folks might not. So pleased that even after all the hard work, you are bursting with ideas. I shall look forwards to seeing them in print.

And, as for 'being all starry-eyed about being published' - well, today, that's me!!! I've just signed a publishing contract and I keep worrying about waking up and finding it was a dream!

Colette McCormick said...

Even if only half the ideas turn into something you're going to be abusy girl next year.

Jan Jones said...

Fabulous, Chris! I hope you have Written Them Down in a lovely long list?

Christina Jones said...

Debs - thank you - I'm just hoping at least one of them might be a sensible idea - but then again, what do I know????

Vintage Amethyst - thank you! I hope it/they work out...

ChrisH - Oh CONGRATULATIONS!!!!! That's such brilliant news! Enjoy every single moment of the "walking on air" feeling - what a fab Christmas present!!!

Colette - yep, that's the trouble with ideas - they do mean I'll have to work and you know me and the w-word...

Jan - I have! I have! I love lists!!!!

Chris Stovell said...

Hi Chris,
I just had to pop back and thank you for visiting and your lovely comments - it means a lot.

Jilly said...

That is great news, Christina. I shall look forward to reading all of them though not straight away of course! In the meantime I will look forward to TWTAWH

Sheila Norton said...

That's great, Chris! It's lovely to be buzzing with ideas, isn't it. it hasn't happened to me lately, but I do get the odd one or two ... enough to keep me writing short stories in between the novels, anyway, even if not many of them get accepted! Let's hope yours all DO! xx

Tamsyn Murray said...

It's been a great year for you, hasn't it? Keep coming up with those ideas, Mrs!

Karen said...

It all sounds very exciting and inspiring, and you're just going to have to clone yourself :o)

Julie Day said...

Now all you've got to do is work out which one you will write next once you've finished your current wip. I know what you mean to get lots of ideas. I have folders and notebooks full of them.

Pat Posner said...

Oooh, I nearly missed this post!
I like it. A LOT!

xxPat

Sue Pinner said...

Looking forward to the new book in January....have all your fabulous books
only just found this blog and the Facebook fan club...linked your blog to mine
Suz

Christina Jones said...

ChrisH - oh I meant every word! So proud of you and so delighted - and if you want a cover quote I'd be chuffed to bits to do it...

Jilly - thank you. I hope at least one of them morphs into something saleable - and thanks so much for everything and for looking forward to Midnight Feast - er - TWTAWH...

Olivia - thank you and I'll keep my fingers crossed for you too. Let's hope 2010 sees ALL our bubbling ideas in print!!!!

Tam - yep, well, a much better year than last year - but a pretty damn good one for you, too, huh??? So pleased for you! Cx

Karen - thank you - but clone? Jeeze! Awful thought - more than one stocky, frizzy haired, dozy person with no dress sense on the planet????

Julie - thank you - and good luck with your new ventures too. Still keep up with you via the blog and so admire the way you get organised and do "stuff" - but it's lovely to have lots of new ideas isn't it???

Pat - THANK YOU! just hoping they turn into something sensible eventually...

Suz - Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!! You've made me beam....