# Does anyone else have too many story ideas?



## Deborah Dalton (Jul 21, 2011)

I can barely write down one story idea before a new one flashes across my brain. It doesn't matter what genre either, fantasy, sci-fi, regular drama, etc...

I'm wondering how many of you have this happen to you? Or maybe I'm just the weird one out, I usually am 

It does get to be a bit of a problem because I don't want to just sit and write one particular story when I have other ideas just screaming into my ears. 

Or do you guys just have one story that grabs you and doesn't let you go until you write it?


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## Garren Jacobsen (Jul 21, 2011)

Deborah I have the same problem. I have in by brain at lest three different main stories, all of which I plan on expanding into series, all of which are part of an even larger "universe" I've created. It is maddening and causes for some ADD conversations.


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## Telcontar (Jul 22, 2011)

Yep. And worse, I also program video games, and the same thing happens there. At any one moment I might have 4 novels, 6 short stories, and 3 games trying to shape themselves in my head. It gets very crowded.

Me, I write down the ideas. Once I have a plot I think is solid enough, it gets put into a file somewhere. I add to it as I think of more things for the story (or game). I make myself work on one thing at a time, generally, for the big projects - books and games. Short stories I'm using writing 3 at a time or so.


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## SeverinR (Jul 22, 2011)

I try to start any idea I have for more then a day or two, then put it aside and focus on just one story.
I have the others to work on if I get stuck on my main one, or when I need a break or when I finish one.

I probably have ten to twelve stories on hold.


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## kennyc (Jul 22, 2011)

This is my problem, I get tons of ideas, sketches, titles, and I really can't seem to flesh any of them out and turn them into something worthy....


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## Edgemaker (Aug 6, 2011)

Yea I confess I suffer from this affliction, But I find that it helps if you just write down the landmarks of the story quickly and then you can look back on them later. I think I have an interesting imagination from the aspect that I can literally make up an entire fantasy world from one or two words, (go ahead and give me a try). I think it is because I have read so many fantasy that I know how a good story would move in its direction and I can identify which parts of the story, so really the process is not creating new pieces to the puzzle but re arranging an infinite number of pieces in different orders to create new masterpieces.


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## Dante Sawyer (Aug 7, 2011)

Deborah,
I have many story ideas all the time, and, if I'm luck enough to be able to write my whole life, I'd love to tell them all, yet when it comes down to it, I choose to focus on the story that most grabs me. I will write down basic plot summaries of other story ideas I have so I can come back to them later.
If you like all your ideas equally, then just go and pick one and stick with it.
-Dante


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## ShortHair (Aug 31, 2011)

If I had a thousand years to write down all the stories I've come up with so far, I might be able to do it. Of course, by then I'd have enough to keep me busy for another forty thousand.

The only way to deal with this creative overload is to pick one idea and stick with it. All that creativity (well, most of it) will coalesce around your chosen project. And really, an idea that can't get out of your head will never do anything for anyone.


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## kennyc (Aug 31, 2011)

Not so long really, when you think about.....


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## Ophiucha (Aug 31, 2011)

Well, I have about a thousand ideas for character arcs, settings, themes, styles, and several ideas that combine some of them all nice and tidily. My problem is that I don't have a _single_ idea for a plot. I honestly kind of hate plot, which works fine for me, but for my aspirations of publication? Not bright if I can't find something I can work with.


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## HÃ«radÃ¯n (Sep 1, 2011)

I have 3 main stories, 5 or 6 side stories, about 10 short stories and a few other ideas I've yet to develop enough to categorize.


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## Shadoe (Sep 3, 2011)

I have 91 files in my "stories I'm writing" folder. There are 220 files in the "possibles" folder. I don't know if I'm going to get to all of these, but I'm going to try.


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## Superderek (Sep 19, 2011)

This seems to be one of my biggest problems at times but if I master it and time management, I believe I could achieve a lot of entertainment. I have the ability to come up with content instantly or almost instantly. However, there are times where the speed of the content I think of is far too fast for my hands to type/write/remember. I try to slow down and write as much as I can but sometimes all I feel that I can do is wait until the strongest thing clicks and go with it. I like asking other people often for opinions on the matter or how they currently think things are heading. If they are getting and feeling the way I want them to, then I believe I have done my job there.

In fact, communicating about my story with others _is a good way to come up with some content_ in my opinion. Having them ask certain questions about X and seeing if you're missing any detail that may be of use is just an example.

I have at least one major story line with at least 20 story lines to go off of it and too many to count short stories I could possibly write that brings different sides to light in the trilogy before I complete the major part of the story I write.

And then I have 20+ random stories that aren't related to anything and can be classified as humor, science, mystical, and randomness. (To be honest, 15 or so of them are actually not much of stories at all but one or two are probably something to think of later.) My ultimate goal is to complete my trilogy, *Dimension Project*. However, if I at least touch someone positively with my stories then I will be happy. My first short story is aimed to be released by the end of the year so hopefully I can concentrate enough on it.


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## mythique890 (Sep 19, 2011)

I don't come up with ideas very quickly, and even when I do, it takes me a long time to develop them.  I've worked up a decent list for myself, though, in the year since I decided I wanted to be a writer.

I have a flash piece I'm working on (my first ever attempt), so we'll see how that goes.  I also have two longer short stories sort of in the works and my first novel, which I abandoned halfway through and am now thinking of revisiting in the downtime I'm giving myself from the other one.  As for future projects, I have an idea for two stories and two video games.  The video games are just for toying around with, though, because I've heard it's pretty much impossible to get one made.  I think it would be cool to write one, though.

The largest project I have is a story I'd love to turn into a three or four book series.  The first one is done, but I'm going to rewrite it to make it better.  Even if it never gets published, I'll probably write one or two more books, because the people who read for me like them (at least, that's what they say).

My biggest problem is that most of mine are single big ideas, which don't make complete stories.  I need a few dozen more little ideas I can mash in to what I already have to make it more interesting.


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## Mistresselysia (Oct 2, 2011)

All the freakin' time. If I include my fanfic 'for fun only' stories, I have about 6 novel-sized tales (including my current trilogy), 2 novellas and 10 short stories on the go right now, plus infinite notes in my bedside notebook for when I wake up in the middle of the night with another idea (you know it's good when you wake up in the morning to find you've scribbled 'DINOPOCALYPSE!!!' in big, shaky letters over one page...). 

I actually get really frustrated that real life has to take priority - having work and 2 small kids does not make writing an easy endeavor. It's a miracle I get the chance to write the ideas down half the time!


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## Cheryl (Oct 9, 2011)

I can see my problem isn't just mine. I have dozens of ideas most of them I thought of whilst in the shower with no pen and paper at hand to take note :-| I usually have (in my opinion) great story ideas but I am also really bad in follow through!! (e.g. I write 2 chapters then I drop it because of a giant writers block.)


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## JCFarnham (Oct 9, 2011)

An interesting idea proposed by Orson Scott Card goes something like, "Do you have multiple ideas kicking around in your head? You might want try combining them."

Just a thought really. I mean I know as well as anyone that some ideas just can't and won't work together. It all depends on the idea, doesn't it.


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## Ghost (Oct 9, 2011)

I have several standalone novels I want to write, one series, two graphic novels, and then all the projects that are part of AG. I also have a few seeds for screenplays, but I've never written them down. I'll write a scene or a summary for a novel in Notepad and forget it for several months. The thing is, about 2/3 of them get deleted because they aren't as inspiring or interesting when I read them a year later. The others are left in case they lead to a full story or they can be mashed together into a better idea.

I have a similar problem to Telcontar in that writing isn't my only outlet. I also write songs, so I have dozens of songs and lyrics in various stages of completion. About 80% or more eventually gets deleted. Some months my muse is musically inclined, and some months world-building is more important. It's nice to have such a large catalog of ideas to draw from, but I yearn for focus.


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## Shadoe (Oct 9, 2011)

I've got dozens - maybe hundreds - of minor plot ideas too small to make a story. I combine them when they come across the desk, or when I'm looking for a plot complication. Still too many ideas.


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