The Big Leagues

Like most writers, I have a project idea folder on my laptop. Whenever something new springs into my mind, I start a file for it. Some have names, some are just "Untitled #?." I type out whatever came into my brain. Sometimes it's just a basic plot idea, or like last night (after being in bed with a brain that wouldn't rest, I wrote down my idea so I wouldn't forget) the opening scene of the actual story.

And then those ideas sit there for who knows how long. They just wait for their turn to be brought forth and plotted out and written. It's a big deal to open a document and "Save As" in my "Novels" folder instead of just the "Project Ideas" folder.

It's kinda like baseball teams or hockey teams who occasionally bring up a player from their farm teams to play with the big boys. My little project ideas get their big chance to become a real novel!

And like baseball and hockey, there is no guarantee that the project will actually stay and become a full-length novel. I sometimes try them out, see if inspiration strikes. If not, it's pushed aside and another project gets a turn.

And that's where I am now. I have a new idea that came to me last night and I'd love to start it now...but I might take a look at my "Project Ideas" folder and see if there is anything else that strikes inspiration.

How do you choose what to write next??