Story ideas overload

[Prince of Spires]

I'm in between writing two stories, and I'm experiencing ideas overload. I'm planning out the next novel I'm going to write, doing some worldbuilding, developing characters and so on. It's a story which has been forming in my head over the past few months as I've been busy editing my previous book.

I went with this idea because it looked like the most fun to write (and I still think it is). I picked it from among 3 or 4 different ideas for novels (and filed away the rest for future use). As I've been working this idea in my head (and still editing the other novel), I've gotten another idea which made me think "cool, I want to write that!". So, another one filed away for future use.

And then, just last night, I wrote an sort of epilogue bonus chapter for my finished book (as a gift for people joining my newsletter, different discussion...). And as I was writing this, I realized that there is a whole sequel to tell about the novella I just finished. The epilogue sort of leads into it, giving an idea of what will come after. The world doesn't stop, and neither does the story just because I've tied a ribbon round it.

So, all in all, I now have ideas for about 6 novels filed away for future writing (together with dozens of fun writing prompts and tidbits that make great story seeds).

I need to write faster... Though I somehow fear that will just make the problem worse (if the math works that each novel leads to 4+ other novels, then writing more just exponentially increases the problem).

Just sharing by the way, and curious if other people experience something similar. It's not really a problem or something which needs fixing. I just hit all ideas not directly related to my current project with a blunt object until they stay quiet.

 

[A. E. Lowan]

My team is in the middle of developing 5 or 6 different projects, including our current series which will be give or take 20 books long. I feel your pain.

 

[Lynea]

Yeah, I'd say more people experience that than you might think. It happened to me a while back...my story scope keeps stretching itself out but I think I've finally pinpointed a good place to end it.

 

[TWErvin2]

I have more ideas for novels and stories than I have time to write.

I create files and add notes and ideas for them as they strike me. I am a person that generally can only work on one project at a time, so this works for me. When I get to that project (if I do), I have not lost anything--ideas for the tale.

 

[Edward Evjen]

The only ideas that matter are the ones you can express to other people.
You got twenty or so ideas in your head: that's awesome. I truly mean that.
Get those twenty ideas in my head and I'll buy those twenty books.

 

[Cargoplayer]

I think this is more common than not, to have a ton of ideas and no time. I remember reading an article years ago, I think it was by an agent, who said they got approached all the time by people who had ideas for books, but didn’t know how to write them. These folks felt certain that there was a lack of good ideas, and surely an experienced writer would want them. To which the agent replied that pretty much every writer has too many ideas running around in their head, and no need to acquire more from someone else. I think that’s true, there seem to be way more people who come up with ideas, versus finished work. I just jot them down in a separate Scrivener project called “Ideas,” which I may or may not ever go back to, as I always come up with something newer, and therefore more interesting to me.

 

[K.S. Crooks]

I think having many ideas is always better than having none. The way many ideas becomes an issue is if you never allow yourself to finish something you've started.