How many books are in you, writers?

My cliched answer would be: infinite stories/ideas. Right now I have a good 10 characters floating around up there that I'm not using in either story I'm currently writing. And I've been thinking on several things these past few days. I just write the ideas down in my notebook so that I don't forget them and I continue with my story.

Yes, I have so many characters. Some of them I'm eager to explore but they don't fit in either story. The characters are my inspiration. All of my story ideas start with a character doing or saying something.

BQ1: Hmm, no. I would find that encouraging if they offered ideas and such. I'm usually greeted with either a wry grin and a quirked brow as if to say "pff, I bet you're ****" or brushed off and told "humph, everyone's a "writer" these days." But then again, I don't broadcast it to just anyone. My circle of writing friends and my daughter/hubby are all supportive but others..not so much lol. But if someone did say that to me I'd listen. If their idea was interesting I'd humor them with interested questions. Either way I'd smile and nod.

BQ2: HAHAHAHA! YES! My ex-employer..the attorney. He reads his wifes garbage supermarket romance novels or a thriller. And when I accidentally let slip that I write he scoffed at me in his insufferably arrogant way (b/c he thinks he knows everything), and said "Writing is a lot harder than you think, I tried to write and though it was good it wasn't good enough" I wanted to slap the prick. Seriously. Him telling ME how to write. The guy was just ridiculous.

But with arrogant A holes like him..when they're my employer or someone I'm forced to subsist to, I act like a stupid bimbo and say "Oh really?" as if I don't know anything about writing. Irritates the living SNOT out of me though. It's like a gym teacher trying to tell a ballet dancer how to dance. But anyhoo. lmao..sorry for that rant..where'd THAT come from? lmao. But if it was anyone else saying it, even if they said it in a competitive way, I'd just nod and encourage them.

I have three stories going on. The first one started as one short story and then got wildly out of control, expanding into a series of what is currently 6 to 7 novellas (I'm unsure whether to put two of them within one storyline or keep them separate). It might still expand into novels. I just tried to kill my MC but she absolutely refuses to die, so who knows if she'll come back for an 8th or 9th or 10th or hell 30th installments. At this point I know I will never kill her, so she has the potential to come back indefinitely. I don't know. The other two are stand alone books. No idea how long they're going to be though.

BQ: Now, that's never happened to me. But I don't normally tell people I am a writer. I tell them I enjoy writing.

BQ2: Usually I am the one telling them that. I have a notion in my head that everyone should write a bit, even if they never take it seriously. To me writing is a basic human function. Most people I know have done some writing at some point, even if they gave it up. Writing well is hard and a real job. But just writing is as simple as watching TV and it's invaluable in terms of what it can do for the writer.

I've got a lot more ideas for books in my head, which in a way is annoying because i haven't finished the story I'm currently writing, the third in a trilogy. I have another idea for a trilogy in my head too, the first of which seems to be planning itself when i'm trying to sleep =) Most of the other ideas i have for stories aren't formed very well, their just outlines. I can't seem to get rid of the backlog. The character for my second trilogy is demanding my attention, and i am looking foreword to moving onto her story, i started writing my first trilogy more than a year ago so i want to finish it now.

BQ: I don't tend to tell many people i'm a writer, because people don't assume it's a career that pays. I'm 19 too, so i have a suspicion people think i'm too young. But i wouldn't really take suggestions of what to write, i like them to be my idea, but opinions are always welcome.

BQ2: It does annoy me a little when people think writing is easy, because it isn't, even planning the story can be difficult. There's a lot more to take in account then writing down whatever pops into your head. I think being a writer is special in a way, because it's wanting to tell a story for the world to be able to read, in a way it's personal, it's leading people into your head. I don't think everyone has the ability to be so open. I normally say, 'Hmm,' i find that that's quite a good response, because it can be taken for interested or agreeable, and yet it says little.

=)

Right now I have two different storylines in my head.... But I am focusing on one of them cause it's the sequel of my story and i have to send it at my publisher so it's more important.

BQ: Yeah, that happened to me. You see, I'm 17 and I'm going to graduate from high school this summer. So, most of my classmates find the fact that I've published a book really weird. And they are keeping giving me ideas.

BQ2: Well, as I said I'm still a student and I wasn't a writer when I began writing my book. But that didn't stop me. I had a passion for writing. So, in my opinion, everyone can write a book if they had a talent.

I was moving my files from my old computer to my new one the other day, and when I put together my 'idea' folder, I about died. I actually had to scroll down to see all of the ideas and starters I had in there.

Ugh. So many, some of which are probably tapped out which is why they're half-done. Ugh. Just... ugh.

No, they're all different characters, different stories. No two quite alike. Wouldn't it be easier if some of them were sequels or something?

I always have characters yelling in my head to write down their stories. I mean, look at my idea folder. I think it's obvious. *peeks over shoulder* You think I'm crazy, don't you?

BQ: I have one friend that does that when I tell her my story ideas. "Cori, why don't you write something with a happy ending? All of your stories are so sad. You could write..." and she starts listing off these completely cliche fairy-tale things that would make most people want to puke. I think she reads mostly Christian literature which is why she thinks they're good ideas.

BQ2: Same friend did that. Haha! Actually, she started one. It was a cool idea but the writing was just atrocious. Scary bad. Don't get me wrong, I love my friend, but I never worried about her copying me because some people just can't write. I encourged her and told her she should do it, but she gave up three pages in.

More than 14 (!) novels and plots are in my head right now.I always try to focus on two or three for the time being, but it's not that easy.And yes, characters can yell at me at times, when I don't get one or more stories finished properly or when I am too damn tired/bored to edit them again, and again and again.

BQ : It does not happen to me, because only a few people know that I am a writer and, usually, the first thing they say is : "Ow, I can't wait to see what you've written..."

BQ2 : I tell them that it's not that easy, that it demands a lot of effort and discipline.Then I ask them if they can take it, especially if they can take the strict criticism.It makes me feel happy when I hear that people I know want to join our group (become writers) but it is also my duty to encourage them or discourage them when the situation asks for it ...

I have a multi-novel series bouncing around in my head. I've gotten about a third of it on paper. My characters are always telling me what to do. They never behave themselves. I had a nice side story sweet romance going and then the characters had to get in a big fight and break up and then they both became major characters in the series when they were just supposed to stay in the background.

BA: When people say that to me I kind of give them this look, like, I've gotten eight novels written already, it's a little too late for you to tell me what I should be writing.

BQ2: I smile and nod and don't say anything. I don't want to dash their hopes if they've actually got what it takes, but I don't want to lie and say they can do it either.

my head is always full of story lines. the tough part is trying to determine what's good and what's crap. And which to focus on first. That's my current dilemma. I have at least 4 or 5 different ideas. I need to pick one out of those, and shelve the rest until I am done.

I have one story/character that is begging for me to write her story, maybe because she's loosely based on me and my relationship with my two sisters. May work on that one first.

BQ: yes. People tell me all the time I should write a story based on myself because they think that will be some sort of therapy to help work out my insecurities about myself. My sister tells me I should write stories based on my very wild, vivid dreams (that one I am considering).

BQ2: Oh I hate it when people say that. My sister says that all the time. They think writing is easy. It's not. It takes a lot of work, concentration, and skill to put a good story together. My sister wants to write a story based om my wild relatives, because they live a very drama-field life that's fit for a movie, book, or even a crazy reality show.

Right now, I have three separate stories in different stages of development in my head. Only one of them is definitely going to get written; the other two are being saved for the future.

The first story is going to be a series, which I already pretty much have planned out. But right now I'm focusing on the first story.

BQ: I've never actually had anybody say that. But then again, I don't really advertise that I'm a writer.

BQ2: If somebody really wants to write a book, they should go for it. And that's pretty much what I say, "Go for it,". Writing doesn't belong to it, it doesn't own me, even though it strongly defines who I am. For somebody to get angry or upset because somebody else wants to write means that they're insecure in their own writing, honestly.

At the moment I am working on two stories, with one on hold, since there are certain things I have to cover in one book before I continue to the one on hold.

I write fanfic, and use the same main OC in both stories. One book is the seventh in a series, the other is a crossover with my 'verse and a friends 'verse.

Hah, all my Muses crowd me.

BQ: No, that does not happen to me, except in the context of 'You should write a book.'

'I do write books.'

'You should write a *real* book, to be published.'

'I can assure you, no-one's put more hours in reading and researching the source material to write a *real* book, as I have for my fanfiction (twenty-five years of reading Tolkien.) and if I wanted to write a so-called *real* book, I would. I want to write fanfiction.'

BQ: I would say, 'Yes, you should, good luck.' :)