The Idea Store

Several months ago my husband started to out me to everyone he knows as a writer. It's cool that he's proud of my efforts and likes to brag about them, but there have definitely been some uncomfortable moments.

These encounters either start off with, oh you're a writer? and complete disinterest or the much harder to answer, what do you write? If I answer romance the conversation almost never continues. If I answer suspense or paranormal however, things can get interesting. I eventually have to explain ebooks (and hope I've convinced the listeners to give the format a shot) and erotic romance. Since we live in a very conservative area, I can never guess how those conversations are going to turn out. Sometimes the response is positive and sometimes...not.

But a few times these conversations center less on me and my writing, and more around writing in general because I've met another writer! I'm always thrilled to meet new to me writers (though for some reason, here they never seem to be romance writers) but I'm learning the hard way it's really better if they aren't new writers. See, I'm bad at giving writing advice. I can't really describe my process so it makes sense to other people.

When someone asks me how to write or finish a book, I answer with the standard response. Sit down and write it. Just finish the darned thing. Making it pretty should come later, when you have a finished draft to work with. I know many writers who don't write this way, who like myself tend to do some editing as they go. But I've also seen a lot of newbies get caught up in making what they have perfect with the end result of never finishing the book.

My favorite question, and the one that always makes me laugh, is where do you get your ideas? If it's someone I know reasonably well or that I've hit it off with, I usually joke the idea store. Where else would you get them? *g* Then I have to get serious and try to find an answer, but it's different for every book. I've come up with book ideas from overheard conversations, dreams, songs, movies and tv shows, my kids acting goofy, my husband acting goofy, photographs, and the list goes on. They come from everywhere really. The whole world is my idea store. ;)

What about y'all? Are you good at giving advice to new writers? And where do you get your ideas? *g*