Just as I've wanted to write children's books my whole life, I've also had hopes of writing a novel. I've had a few ideas for novels over the years, and have started a couple, but for some reason, I've never been able to get very far, or create the entire plot/ending in my head. I feel like it has to be something I REALLY feel passionate about, a solid plot, and a great ending. None of my ideas have ever felt like the whole meal deal - only pieces of the complete picture. So, I've just put the novel-writing idea away for a future date when I can devote more time to it...
Perhaps it was inspiration from joining my writing group, or the fact that I published my first children's book and entered the world of other authors, but one morning a month or two ago, I had one of those lightening of inspiration moments.
The boys started crying at 3 something AM, so I sleepily stumbled into their room to settle them down and then wandered back to bed. Then that's when it happened - the lightening of inspiration. I could NOT go back to sleep. For some reason, the random thought came into my brain of an idea I had for a novel several years ago. I never wrote the idea down, I just kept it locked away in my brain, working on it in the back corners of my mind here and there. Well, my head was now racing with ideas about this novel. My characters were developing further, the plot emerged, the twists, the surprises, and even the ending all came together in my head. I ended up staying up that entire morning thinking of all these crazy things! And instead of catching up on my own sleep when the kids went down for their first nap later that day, I typed up a 4,000 word outline for my "novel idea".
Isn't it funny how inspiration comes at the weirdest times? Many times, my inspiration has come late at night, or early in the morning, when it's dark and quiet and I can just be still and THINK. One thing I've learned is that when these ideas come, it's super important to write them down as soon as I can, so I don't forget about them. I have a whole "Ideas for the future" document in my computer devoted to just that.
So, for the first time in my life, I have a novel idea from start to finish, and even in-between. I actually have some other big projects that I HAVE to get done before I even think about focusing too much on this novel. But when I'm ready, my outline will be waiting for me. :)
