Yesterday an idea for a new book passed through my head. Or maybe it was last Saturday; can’t remember. No, I remember now, it was Sunday morning, while I was getting the grandchildren ready for church. We are watching them for 11 days or so while their parents are on Sabbatical. Actually, the wife tells me it might be 13 days. Which is okay by me. Yes, it’s hard on the constitution and mindset of a 63 year old, but it’s good for me, will help keep me young. That’s the theory, at least.
So what was I saying? Oh, yeah, the writing idea. Actually, I don’t need any more writing ideas. For the last couple of months I’ve been making writing to-do lists when I’m in meetings/presentations where I don’t have to pay much attention. I work chronologically, starting with the things I’m working on now, setting goals on when to complete them, then move on to the things I know I want to do next, then on to things more distant in the future.
I’ve done this in four different meetings. Earlier this month I took that lists and compared them, trying to gauge what I could realistically accomplish, and what was really pie-in-the-sky type dreaming rather than planning. I found that the lists weren’t too far off. Sometimes I had things switched on the lists, sometimes I had things off by a month or two between lists, but all in all they were pretty consistent. I have them entered on my weekly writing diary sheet (something I don’t keep up with as well as I should). This gives me a reminder of what I want to accomplish in the near future.
For the things that are far out there, say in 2016 or 2017, perhaps they are more dreaming. But just having them on the list is a reminder to me that other writing tasks are waiting to be completed. This helps keep me writing, rather than slacking off. If I let slip the thing scheduled to be completed by Sept 1, 2015, that could cause a dozen other things to slip. So it’s motivation of a sort.
So where was I? Oh, yes, the writing idea. I don’t need any more writing ideas. When I look at that to-do list, which really does include things out as far as 2017, I realize I have enough writing ideas already in the hopper to keep me writing out to the time when I assume room temperature. I don’t need one more thing to add to the list.
So I’m letting the recent idea go. I’m not writing it down, to preserve it until a more opportune time. I’m not sure it was a very unique idea anyway. It would be a retelling of an age-old story with a little bit of a twist. If it’s actually a good idea, perhaps it will stay with me, and will someday be added to the to-do list, or at least get an idea page in my writing projects notebook. But for now, I’m letting it go. See you later, idea, or perhaps never again.
