Blogocentric Formulations

The Horrible Beginning

I'm currently in the process of wrapping up my latest screenplay that I'm writing with a partner. Naturally, I'm already thinking about what I'm going to write next... I have to figure out my next screenplay, as well as start thinking about my novel for NaNoWriMo 2009. And after thinking about these two endeavors for the past two or three days, I've come to a realization... I HATE this part of the process. Not the "coming up with ideas" stage... but the "deciding what idea to go with" stage.

I'm sure I'm not the only writer who has a million and one ideas rattling around in his head pretty much every day of the week. And knowing that I'll be focusing solely on one idea for three or four months (or, in the case of NaNoWriMo, a few weeks ) always makes me a little anxious. Did I pick the right project? Will this come out as well as I think it will? Do these characters interest me enough?

I don't mind rewriting. I love the rewriting process. I love coming up with story ideas and characters and conflicts that I can muse about all day long. But I hate having to pick which one I have to focus on next, because it means I have to shelve all those other ideas and file them away so I can devote my energies to the one.

Why can't there be a dozen of me, so I can write on all my projects simultaneously? You know, and one to work and pay the bills, of course.