A new idea for a novel is forming in my brain.

I have to be very, very careful with it.  I’ve still got a draft and a half of the current novel to finish, so I can’t do anything with this new idea yet.  And, one thing I’ve learned is that I can’t even pay too much attention to it.

That might sound odd, but I’ve overplanned novels and ruined them before.  Gotten enthusiastic about an idea, and been afraid I would forget it if I didn’t write it down.  Then I start planning, and writing down ideas for scenes and characeters and I get all enthusiastic and then when the time comes to actually write it, the air has gone out of it.

Which is why I have numerous stories that now reside on the Planet of Unwritten Novels.  It is a planet without enough oxygen to sustain life, all the air having been sucked away by premature enthusiasm. (Not to be confused with premature ejaculation, there’s another planet for that.)

I’ve long  since learned not to talk about ideas or stories for novels–that’s a sure way to dissipate the energy.  But I’m also learning that I need to be judicious about how involved I get in the note-taking and planning. 

Best to just tease it along–give it enough attention to keep it happy, without overdoing it, sort of like the way men sometimes treat women.