Writing Tip of the Week

This guy is doing it right!

Before you start, this is not actually going to be a regular segment to this nonsensical blog. No, it will be a "whenever the hell I feel like it" kind of post.

Right now, I kind of feel like it because this tip is one which I did not follow, and it is biting me on the fat ass.

Research and write when your ideas are still hot. Otherwise, some new idea will pop into your grey matter and start pushing the old one out. We as humans like the hot hand, the latest and greatest. It applies to everyone.

It is applying to me right now. I procrastinate and waffle around until something else comes into my brain. For Caribbean Gold, I was following inspiration from a video game (I'm sure you can guess the one), so I read about treasure hunts and hunting. I researched on Wikipedia, treasure hunting sites, history sites, etc.

The idea was hot in my mind. I wrote copious notes and planned a story.

I started typing it out and wrote every day until life and my issues intervened. 

The idea cooled off.

Then the seasons changed, and I started thinking about ideas for writing fantasy novel. Then the seasons changed again, and I wanted to write a sci-fi thriller. Now I am back on adventure stories but am already thinking of new topics to pursue in that realm.

Write your novel's first draft fast. That doesn't mean write some garbage. Don't stress over the intricacies of plotting or outlining, or the color of your main characters socks. Take that general idea and write. Fill in details as you go and make notes of where you want to add details. 

You will discover things as you write and in most cases a story will write itself. Plots will resolve, character arcs will evolve, and your problems will dissolve.

See what I did there? 

Just write it when you're hot to trot for your idea! Don't dick around like I am doing, and you might actually get to the second draft.