How Do You Choose?

If you're like me or the other YAtopians, you have multiple story ideas bouncing around, vying for attention like a couple of teenage girls in the front row of a Bieber concert. Not only that, but many of them are good ideas. And when you write novels? Your choice is probably going to define the next year or so of your life.

So how do you choose?

Until recently, I never had to make this decision. But in December I decided the story I was working on wasn't going to work (heartbreaking decision, btw) and I needed to start another. It was then I realized I had no less than SEVEN viable ideas I wanted to use.

Honestly? At first, I panicked. I did anything to avoid thinking about it. One night in January, I finally wrote down a short synopsis of all of them, hoping one would jump out at me.

But it didn't.

So I avoided it again. I even considered going back and editing my very first (trunked) book. I finally decided to take a systematic approach (hey, I'm an engineer after all): I would do short character sketches and write the first chapter for each idea. If I was somebody who did that sort of thing, I probably would have outlined each story too.

But before I had the time for any of that, something odd happened. I had an idea based solely on a title my roommate threw into conversation one night and it started to gain momentum. I sought out books about dragons at the library. My ears perked up every time a dragon was mentioned on TV. Then, the real Crazy began. I dreamt about dragons. I talked to my dog about dragons. (He's the best listener I know)

So, two weeks ago, I started writing the first draft of Dragons Are People Too, relieved my subconscious had picked my next project for me. And I'm loving it so far.

I have a question for you so that I'm prepared next time: When you're wrestling with more than one idea, how do you decide which to focus on first?

Oh, and don't forget: I'll be doing a giveaway when we reach 200 followers!