Scatterbrained

Many many years ago, a dear friend of mine told me this: "You have many ideas but you need to focus." I was hurt the time he said it, but really, nothing could be further from the truth.

My neurosis comes from an irrational fear that I don't have much time left. Not in the normal course of a life, but in that I wouldn't have enough time to see all my ideas to fruition. Because the ideas come faster than the amount of time I have to produce them. (Which makes me wonder about Barbara Cartland sometimes, or should I assume that an army of ghost writers coughed out a majority of her 723 titles.)

I remember a book my cousin shared with me, "The Ringmaster's Daughter" by Jostein Gaarder. In the novel, the protagonist earns a living by selling his ideas to author's suffering from a dearth of inspiration. He puts together a plot or a concept, chooses an author based on writing style, then seals a secret deal. I don't know his motivation for doing this, since most of my friends know my discipline when it comes to reading novels. (My mom, on the other hand, just finished reading the gargantuan "Gone With The Wind" in less than a month.)

I would spend time putting down my plot ideas in a notebook--romantic-comedies, sci-fi psycho-mysteries, dramatic fantasies--and let them simmer over a low flame while I go about my normal life. Eventually, more ideas come, either as add-ons to previously conceived plots and concepts, or new ones that stand alone. Then I get visions of how I'm going to execute one idea, then another, then a new image for a new story... then my brain dies and I'm immobilized, prompting me to go to the bathroom.

But the good news is that I'm working on my neurosis, and I'm making progress. I've narrowed down the ideas into a few stories that fascinate me well enough to see them through to completion. The new ideas that come go through a mental filtering process. (Can I fit this into an existing plot? If not, can I rework it to make it fit? If no dice, I throw it out.)

I really, really want to get a new book out by next year. It's long overdue and I'm aching to tell a story. I hope those of you who like my work will get a copy, even if it's not a Zaturnnah sequel.

Comments

jactinglim said…
We will! Hehe, and I feel your pain. I've been wanting to make this graphic novel but I never got around to starting. Ack!
decorator said…
hay naku... tama na yang isip-isip... gawa na!!!

asus! nagsalita! nyay!!!

carl, set tayo ng turn-over--- how about january? january 30. sige na... bet tayo-- isang lacoste na sapatos (rubber shoes lang ha para di masyadong mahal.. hihihihi)
Anonymous said…
syempre naman. full support pa rin kami. EVER!

miss you Sir Carlo! :)
I'll buy whatever you make Carlo! Go for it!

I also have this big black book where I write down all the ideas, stories, cool scenes, characters and plots that come to me.

I sometimes feel that I have no time to do them all, but I try to settle myself down and think of the many writers out there who run out of ideas.

The book makes me secure in the knowledge that one day (realizing I'm living far longer than I expected), I'll always have it to remind me of the many ideas I've yet to use.

:)
Anonymous said…
Jonas, Jac, zee... salamat! :-)

Decorator... *ignore*

Gerry... nakakapanghinayang minsan when I'd think of all those ideas I had to throw away, pero it's a good thing I don't remember a whole lot of them. heheheh. Thanks for everything. :-)

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