The GREAT Idea From Two Different Points of View

By Robin D. Owens

“I’m getting into the writing business,” my ex said as we walked through the spring sunshine last month to the ice cream shop. What my ex knows about writing can fit on the point of a pin. “I have this GREAT idea. You can do the legwork.” And now you know why he’s my ex.

“No,” I said.

“It will make us lots of money,” he said.

I saw a penny on the sidewalk, reached down and handed it to him. “That’s how much your idea is worth.” (No, that didn’t happen, it’s just for the story). “Ideas are nothing without hard work.”

He ignored me and kept enthusing about his great idea that has only been done a zillion times because, you know, he doesn’t actually READ books like the one he wants me to write so he doesn’t know the market. I don’t think he reads fiction at all.

Nor has he done any basic research on the market, because that’s the legwork I am supposed to do.

But, you know, I should be thrilled to write a coming of age story (which I loathe) about a new girl in a Catholic high school with a lot of sex. Sexy enough that both men and women will LOVE to read this book. Then I will write the screenplay and it will become a lucrative film.

I wish the above was false, but no. Thankfully he had another appointment to meet someone about another GREAT business idea SHE would implement and we only had about a half hour together, but I can tell you, I didn’t enjoy my Irish Cream ice cream as much as I’d anticipated.

If you are a writer, this will happen to you. Words like the above will come to you from the least likely person in the universe. They will come from strangers after you’ve just met the person.
Everyone believes writing a book is easy.

I’ve said this before, and I’ll say it again, 1,000,000 words. Or 10,000 hours, and you will master the craft of writing. The same amount of work it will take to master any other profession.

And great (or not so great) ideas are a dime a dozen.

Here’s another true story about another great idea from a different slant.

I had a friend in the business but a new writer say last time we met “Don’t tell anyone this idea I had.” She made a face because she knows that’s a standard worry of amateur writers, but she meant it, too.

It was a lovely idea, and I don’t know how long it would take her to write it, but I could write it faster. If I wanted it. I don’t. As I’ve also said before, one basic idea (or pic) could be given to a roomful of writers and everyone would write a different story. The theme of this particular story that my friend has is not one that I agree with, so I won’t do it. I would never use this idea of hers in a million years because I’m not interested in writing that particular plot, either. OTOH, if she gets it done, it’s sufficiently interesting that I’d read it — after she’s put in all the research.

I have a lot of ideas of my own…some proposals that weren’t picked up and I may never get back to or will be changed for something new. A SERIES that was dropped that I still have the outline for 3-4 books. Ideas that are my own that I can get excited about.

And, really, most story ideas have been done and we’re just looking at permutations.

So, as for ideas…I’ve been reading a lot of different contests’ entries (unpublished and published) and there are some that are interesting, but…they aren’t mine, I might enjoy reading them, but never writing them.

Again, those people who think a published author (or other writer) would steal their idea mark themselves as amateurs. We have our own ideas that we love.

May you enjoy your imagination today,
Robin