• Welcome to the Fantasy Writing Forums. Register Now to join us!

Attacks of the Shiny beast

I have been told by several people I have the potential of being a good writer/Role Playing Game designer however other than issues with grammar and spelling my biggest issue is the Shiny Beast aka New Idea disorder. I get a idea and I am all excited its new its cool then I start working and the Shiny Beast strikes.. a New Idea comes and its Shiny and new so I leave the old idea for the new one and its hard to get back to the old one. Anyone else has this issue?
 

Telcontar

Staff
Moderator
Discipline! The only defense against this beast is discipline. Keep working on your projects until they are done, done, done. I used to have the same problem with writing (and still have the same problem with programming projects). If you're serious about making something of your ideas you will learn to finish them.

Documentation also helps. I feel that part of the reason we keep jumping projects is cuz we're afraid to lose that inspiration. Well, inspiration can be stored and resurrected at a later date, to some extent. Document your ideas, write down what makes them so attractive to you, so you don't lose them by forcing your focus to stay on your current project.
 

Xanados

Maester
Okay, I'm sorry, but this is a writing forum. There are too many grammatical errors in your post, Orion. I'm going to bed now. You can all expect me to be slightly cheerier tomorrow.

On the topic:
This is often the case for me, but I realised that I should focus more on the projects that I do. I started writing fan fiction as a side project, and that is keeping me focused. I also have a "Supreme Idea List" which helps me keep track of what I want to write.
 
Last edited:
Okay, I'm sorry, but this is a writing forum. There are too many grammatical errors in your post, Orion. I'm going to bed now. You can all expect me to be slightly cheerier tomorrow.

On the topic:
This is often the case for me, but I realised that I should focus more on the projects that I do. I started writing fan fiction as a side project, and that is keeping me focused. I also have a "Supreme Idea List" which helps me keep track of what I want to write.

I know grammar is a issue for me I am working on that. Luckily my g/f is a English teacher.
 
Discipline! The only defense against this beast is discipline. Keep working on your projects until they are done, done, done. I used to have the same problem with writing (and still have the same problem with programming projects). If you're serious about making something of your ideas you will learn to finish them.

Documentation also helps. I feel that part of the reason we keep jumping projects is cuz we're afraid to lose that inspiration. Well, inspiration can be stored and resurrected at a later date, to some extent. Document your ideas, write down what makes them so attractive to you, so you don't lose them by forcing your focus to stay on your current project.

I write them down, but I want to expand upon them right then and there.. I guess there is no easy answer.
 
OrionDarkwood said:
I write them down, but I want to expand upon them right then and there.. I guess there is no easy answer.

This is where I find yWriter to be a lifesaver. I can create a scene with a quick summary of the idea, and put it where it should go in my story. If I get the time, or get to the point that I need it, I can expand the idea.

Sent from my Blade using Forum Runner
 

Kit

Maester
Know thyself. If you know you are very productive when you're excited about an idea, strike while the iron's hot.

I know that I get a bug to clean house only a couple of times a year. I also know that as soon as I quit, that's going to be it until the next lightning strike, months later. So I harness the energy and just keep going as long as I can, even if it's a day and a night and another day marathon, to get as much done as possible in that one all-consuming chunk. It's the same for writing.
 
This is where I find yWriter to be a lifesaver. I can create a scene with a quick summary of the idea, and put it where it should go in my story. If I get the time, or get to the point that I need it, I can expand the idea.

Sent from my Blade using Forum Runner

I have to check it you, most of my writing I do in Google Docs and Notepad then export it word to clean up spelling and grammar.
 
Top