Okay, so here's the question: What author set off your spark of inspiration for your current WIP?
And the answer is (and I swear I'm not being a kiss-up here), none other than Christine Tyler! (Who, coincidentally is also the creator of this blogfest)
K', so here's the story: Way back when I first discovered Christine's blog (and hadn't even started my own), I was reading through basically all of her blog posts. And I was on her awesome post about secret heirs in disguise and pure evil and other such cliches, and she was ranting about character motivation. And she said "And really, did your hero just join this rebellion to get with the hot enlightened chick?", and then BANG, the heavens opened and God himself came down in all his glory and told me that I needed to write a book about a conceited guy who joins a rebellion to get the previously mentioned hot enlightened chick (well, it was something like that....)
But now, a couple months late, the MC is NOT conceited, and isn't even a guy anymore, but a girl who was mistakenly kidnapped ( and may or may not be suffering from amnesia...). So sure, the original "spark" bears almost no resemblance to the book now, but than again, isn't that the same with almost all books?
So what about you guys? Has your current WIP evolved to the point that its almost completely different? Or was your original idea just so dang awesome that it barely changed at all? Comment below!
My stories never end the way they start! I get an awesomesauce idea and then through the writing process my imagination takes over and I get lots of new ideas that were better than before (I think, LoL)! Writing begets inspiration afterall. :)
ReplyDeleteMy original idea bears only minor resemblances to my current WIP. Glad to know I'm not the only one who winds up with something completely different!
ReplyDeleteI love watching WIPs grow up. Sigh. *happy sniffle*
My last MS changed beyond recognition by the end. So much so, that trying to edit it was a nightmare and I've put it away for a while (say a couple of years or so), this one is still on track - so far :)
ReplyDeleteThis is awesome. I love that you let your story evolve into something it wanted to be. Great post!
ReplyDeleteP.S. I'm a follower :)
Wow, I am so amazed at how inspiration goes in such a great circle.
ReplyDeleteOnce upon a time I was so frustrated with my story. I felt like maybe I'd outgrown it and there was really no point in continuing to write in my adult life. I told a friend that I thought I should just give it up.
My friend said, "That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard."
And that was your brother. Who introduced me to you. And my whole mission you sent me pictures and letters, reminding me that I loved to create. So I came home and wrote, started a blog, and reminded you.
That's just about as good as it gets.
I love your spark! My WIP is night and day from what it started out to be. Which is a good thing:)
ReplyDeleteThat's alright, I totally spaced the Spark Blogfest. Luckily, I had not signed up for it yet! And oh yes, my story changed quite a bit from its original spark. They have to grow and change, I guess. Fellow campaigner, here!
ReplyDeleteMine is still very much the same as when it started, but that's only because I haven't delved into the really serious revisions yet. Only time will tell what the end result will be! :-)
ReplyDeleteHello, fellow campaigner! I'm not in your group, but I still wanted to take a look at your blog. Awesome place you have here!
ReplyDeleteGreat story. I hardly had to change my recent work. Wish I could say the same for my others.
Hi fellow YA Campaigner! It's great to meet you. You will be easy for me to remember since I have a daughter named Rachel and another daughter in high school. Yes. I'm old.
ReplyDeleteWow, thanks for all the comments! Haha, its good to know I'm not the only one who changes their story up :)
ReplyDeleteChristine: Wow, thanks for sharing that! I had no idea about Logan's part in your decision to keep writing! How cool! Actually, just the other day I was thinking about how if I hadn't met you through him, I probably wouldn't have gotten back into writing. So interesting how things work out like that...
Wow, that's a huge revision change! Did you end up keeping the first character (the conceited guy) in the story, or did you scrap him completely?
ReplyDeleteWow that is quite a change! Good for you, though. It can be hard to be willing to change that much in a story. I know I'm resistant to it - even though I KNOW it's necessary!
ReplyDeleteGreat spark! The original idea for Tangled came in 2001 - yes, that's right. A decade ago. I try not to think about that too much...
ReplyDeleteThe spark wasn't an author, it was a lesson I was trying to teach myself. And I'm not going to say any more, since you're going to read Tangled and I don't want to skew your perspective in any way. :-)
By the way, I love your blog. It's sassy!
Haha, thanks guys! kirsten, yeah, i completely got rid of him :) haha, it took me a while to decide to make the MC a girl, because I was pretty into the idea of having the guy mature/develop and all that, but the thing was, I didn't know how to write from a guys perspective! And I kept thinking of how I would write it if it was a girl, and what voice I would give her and stuff, so I finally decided to just go ahead and make it a girl.
ReplyDeleteAnd I'm glad I did, because I've come along way with it so far :)
And Anonymeet, I totally know what you mean! There were some other changes that I had to make, where I knew it was probably the best choice, but it was hard to drop my original idea :)
Oh, my story has changed quite a bit. But I still think you should some day write a story about a conceited guy trying to get the hot enlightened chick, because it sounds awesome.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Jeigh! Using a trope just to turn it on it's head is always a lot of fun :D
ReplyDeleteHaha, hmmm... maybe I will! Sounds kinda fun :)
ReplyDelete