Write Me
I actually didn't mean to write FIRE'S KISS.
I know that sounds really weird, but it's true. I sat down one day to work on a rough draft that was already halfway finished. I was really excited about this concept I was working on. I'd already made up my mind that I wanted to finish this historical romance and pursue publishing it. I just knew this book was The One.
Except this odd, stray little idea popped into my head. I liked my historical romance, but I missed the fantasy elements of all the books I'd been reading lately. I wanted, just for fun, to write a fantasy romance and go really wild with it. I didn't have to worry about whether or not it was marketable or if it might sound stupid, because I would only write it for me. No one else would see it.
I tucked the idea away for a later time. This free time I had was specifically set aside so I could work on my historical romance. I knew I needed to develop a routine and stick to it.
But this nagging little idea wouldn't go away! It got to the point that it was annoying. Here I was, writing something totally different, when my mine would go Hey, you know what would make for a really great idea for that other manuscript? I would have to stop what I was doing and jot the idea down in a special notebook, because I didn't want to forget. The idea still wasn't satisfied. It demanded more time. It dragged me out of the world I was currently writing in and forced me into the world that was building itself in my subconscious.
Finally, I had to admit that if I didn't indulge in this obsession, just a little, I would never be able to properly focus on the historical romance. Just a few pages, I promised myself. Just a few pages and I'll go back to the other one...
I didn't hold to that promise for very long. Even though I had no intention of doing anything serious with this manuscript, I knew I had to get it out of my head. I needed it out of there to make space for the The One. The One that would be my debut into the publishing world and the thing that opened the door to all my hopes and dreams.
It got to the point that I couldn't stop working on the fantasy romance. I didn't have to create a routine and stick with it. I wanted to sit down and write every day. I wanted to see what happened next. I wanted to finish it. And I did.
The lesson I learned with all of this is that I shouldn't stick with one project just because it feels like that's what I should do. Yes, a certain amount of dedication is required to actually finish a manuscript, but when inspiration hits, don't ignore it.
In some cases, the story chooses the writer. Just write it.