So a few months ago I finished a draft (a pretty edited one, as I'm the revise-as-I-go type of writer) of my middle-grade science fiction book called Picket Town. I've been enjoying a little break from writing so far, but the creative well has been building up again, and I'm finding myself starting to get itchy about writing again (what else is new?). The problem - I once again don't have a story idea that I'm ready to fully dig my teeth into and start writing.
I know what you're thinking - isn't that the same, exact issue I had with my last book - right before I discovered the old idea for Picket Town hidden deep in the ancient recesses of my fabled "story idea doc"? And you're right. Six months after I discovered that artifact - bang! There was a draft of Picket Town in all its glory. But now I am once again without a new story to write...
BUT - this time around I have a few potential ideas. Six, to be exact. None have declared themselves the official winner yet in the competition for what I will write next, but I think they are all pretty fun and solid ideas, at the very least. Interestingly enough, I've brainstormed each of them quite a few times, and have already worked through a significant amount of the plot skeleton for a couple of them. An aspect of just about all of them had been born as long as a few years ago, and I have since built on each of them here and there, adding them to the story idea doc as I went. Anyway, here's a little snippet of each, if you're curious (but I can't give away too much, as that would spoil the fun).
1. A dark middle-grade fantasy that's also somewhat of a science fiction story (I guess it's really a cross-genre tale). This one is my latest obsession, and it involves fairies, pixie dust, advanced technology, and a physically dark world. It's currently called "The Faerie Slums."
2. A middle-grade science fiction that involves a generation spaceship's trash unit, mutated humans, and a massive, ferocious monster that lives in a chemically polluted lake. I first conceived of this one about three years ago.
3. An adult campy comedy in which rabbits have taken over a future Earth. (OK, this one is admittedly not at the forefront of my consideration, but there's something about it that's kind of amusing/captivating to me.)
4. A young adult science fiction that involves a polluted future Earth, a time machine, and a love triangle between the three main characters (that last part certainly makes this one a unique story for me). I have actually brainstormed most of the plot skeleton for this one. Definitely a front-runner.
5. A middle-grade fantasy/science fiction involving kids with superpowers. I really love the villains (twin twelve-year-olds) of this potential tale.
6. A humorous epic fantasy middle-grade (lots of middle-grade around these parts) that pokes fun at epic fantasy tropes. Has a great stock of humorous characters, including the narrator, who is actually not the protagonist nor even appears in the story. I've had this idea for at least four years now and it keeps rearing its head every time idea-hunting season comes around. Maybe this season will be its time to shine...or be hunted...or whatever is an appropriate metaphor given the situation.
So there you have it - the six ideas I'm currently considering. Every one of them has something that captivates or amuses to me, but, again, none of them have declared themselves the official winner yet. I'll be sure to post the one that eventually makes the cut, if indeed one of these does at all........oooooooooooh...how's that for a cliffhanger?
