We have about a week and a half to go with Rough Draft November which means Thanksgiving is less than a week away. With the shortened Advent calendar, the December holidays are closer than they’ve ever been. And, if you’re trying to write a rough draft before the end of the month, you’re probably a bit stressed. Stressed about word count, doubting your story, and freaking out about your characters’ emotional arcs. That makes this last week a dangerous time for authors. It’s the time when Shiny Object Syndrome comes knocking.
You’re in the murky middle of the book and it’s gotten really, really hard. You worry that the book stinks, the story is stupid, the characters hate you, and you feel like a failure. So why is this moment so dangerous? Because it’s during this stressful time that, inevitably, another story comes along with new characters and a new, exciting plot. This new project waves at you, holding a peppermint hot chocolate and Christmas cookies, trying to lure you away from your current WIP. This new project seduces you by saying, “Hey! I’m an easier book to write. Drop what you’re doing and pay attention to me! I have a great transformational arc and you can finish me in a few weeks and I’ll sell for big money!!”
Don’t believe me about SOS? Just ask any author! They will all tell you the same thing. Shiny Object Syndrome is real and it can derail your writing plan faster than a blink. Does that mean you should ignore the new shiny story? No. Most writers agree that when the new story is clamoring for attention, take a few minutes and jot down everything you know about this new story. Write in a journal or type it in notes on your phone. It doesn’t matter. Just grab as much as you can about this story and then tuck it away. Tell the new story, sweetly yet firmly, that you will return to it when the time is right. You can even thank the new story for showing up and encourage it to keep percolating in your subconscious until it’s time to be written. (Yes, I know writers are weird).
Then, gently yet firmly, force yourself to return to you current WIP. Trust me, by this time next year when that story is either for sale or up for auction, you’ll be so happy you didn’t bail on your Rough Draft November project for the shiny object. And your readers will thank you too!
