How do you feel about your story idea?

[FannyMcNee]

I think it was Iris Murdoch who said something along the lines of "Writing a novel is like marriage: you shouldn't commit yourself until you can't believe your luck".

Trouble is, I've become hung up on this quote, and whilst I have several ideas, I don't feel hugely "excited" by any of them and I feel like I'm perpetually waiting for "the one".

So what are your experiences?

[ninah]

shag around, mr right is as outmoded in literature as he is in life

[Tonightheywin]

I bump. Wishing for someone wiser to come along.
This quote from IM seems a bit double edged...
Just write, I would say, it's up to us to make things exiting, isn't it?
It's not just the idea, it's the treatment and style imo.
Wdyt?

[Novelist]

I'm not entirely convinced by the quote. Especially when you're starting out, there's a lot to be said for choosing one idea (it still has to be a good one) and finishing a full novel. It's very easy to stop and start every time you become excited by a new idea, but much harder to finish a full novel. The first 15,000-30,000 words of a novel are very easy to write. It's the middle that's the killer. At some point, you're going to have to practise a few middles if you really want to be a novelist.

[FannyMcNee]

All good points, Novelist. You're right about the "middles" - they are so hard. I do also tend to flit between ideas!

[LadySybildeChocolate]

Sometimes you can't see a great idea, but the publishers may. Just have fun writing it and see where it goes, it's all good writing experience regardless of whether it's published. It's not necessarily the destination, but how you get there.