Hashtag- Writing Problems

Here we are, the last day of September...

and I still have no idea what I'm writing for NaNoWriMo this year.

If you don't know what NaNoWriMo is, check out their website and you can search my NaNoWriMo tag to read my blog posts about previous years.

It's not that I don't have any ideas at all. There are a few floating around in my mind. However, I can't decide which one to run with and none are fully formed. Which drives me crazy.

Idea #1: Continue Working on my Snow White series. My goal for September was to finish my second draft of White as Snow, so then in October/November I could focus on NaNoWriMo and maybe get a head start on the next book, Red as Blood. For November I could work on Red as Blood. However, technically that's not what NaNoWriMo is about. Plenty of people work on previous novels they've been writing during the month of November. However, the point is to start a novel from scratch. Yet, it could be a great excuse to give me some much needed time in the little world I've created.

Idea #2: A few months ago I came up with an idea for a new story. It would include a magical theatre, a newsboy, and a dancer in the 1890s. However, part of me really likes it as an idea for a musical/play script, not a novel. It could work both ways though.

Idea #3: Think Harry Potter after they graduate... but not. I can picture a story about these characters who have some sort of magical powers and all had to go to school together, so they have this great connection because of their abilities and the school they went to. But the story would start a few years after they have left school and all gone their separate ways. They all live in different parts of the country/world and have to figure out life on their own in the "real world." Basically, everyone's life in their 20s with a magical twist.

Idea #4:  I've been addicted to Aaron Tevit's live recording of his solo concert he did at Studio 54 this past winter/spring. Basically, he did a concert based on the iconic songs of his life that have formed who he is and his career. This could be a really cool idea for a story. Some famous singer/actress does a concert and has the same idea. The story would all be flashbacks to what each song represents. Each chapter/part is a different song.

Idea #5: Maybe somehow combining ideas 4 and 5.

This is when I get all indecisive. Ideas 2-5 are all half-baked. I have concepts but no full on plots, scenes, characters, or anything really. The idea of diving into a new world and new characters is really exciting. I love character development and putting them in crazy situations. It's also scary though and so much work. It almost makes me feel like I'm cheating on my other stories that aren't finished.

Then if I do go that route - which story idea do I go with?

I also feel an obligation to focus on my Snow White story because it's just dragging on SO MUCH and I want to work on it and finish it. Yet, I feel as though that's cheating at NaNoWriMo.

There also is the option of not doing NaNoWrimo... but that's not really an option. So let's pretend I never mentioned it.

While NaNoWriMo is still two months away, I really love using the whole month of October to plan. I have my little planning notebook ready to go. Having those four weeks to do research, create characters and worlds, gather ideas, names, and quotes, get rough outlines going, get to know people in the forums... it's all part of my process and I don't want to miss out on it.

I'm also behind on writing the church's Christmas pageant. I know Christmas seems really far off... but I usually have this done by August/September. My goal is to escape to Starbucks today where they keep it super cold, listen to Christmas music, and write write write.

Tomorrow my goal will be to work on NaNoWriMo. Maybe do some brainstorming of what I want to do and make a choice so I can get going.

Especially since this week I'll be starting full-out rehearsals for two shows. One show rehearses Wednesday and Thursday nights (Nuts, Bolts, and Carnations which I'm the assistant director) and Friday night and Saturday morning/afternoon for the other show (Night of the Living Dead - I get to become a zombie!) I feel like these are going to take up a lot of my thoughts and time as it is - so I need to make some writing choices ASAP.

Or am I just over-thinking all of this?

And let's start a writers support group.