Inkling: The First Plot Bunny Appears

We all have chronic Plot Bunnies, but that doesn't mean they're all good ones...

[We're going to be using an old, abandoned, shell of a plot bunny of mine  as an example.]

Something's scratching at the back of your brain; naturally, you give in.

A Plot Bunny appears!

This Plot Bunny wants to tell a story and hot damn, it's a good one!

You probably want to rush to your computer and start feverishly typing every line that comes to mine - if you could just write a prologue tonight, it'd be enough to get the ball rolling!

STOP!

Don't do it; don't type anything. At the very most, write the super-basic version of the idea on a post-it and stick it on the backside of your monitor. For now, this bunny stays inside your head. It's too young to explore the world on its own, so you have to cradle it. If you forget it, don't worry; a really good idea never goes away completely.

This particular Plot Bunny has stuck with you, and you now have a fairly clear picture of some important characters, some events, maybe even some whole scenes or lines of dialog are tumbling around in your brain.

Don't ever stop yourself from thinking about a story, inner development is crucial.

Once you think you have a good idea of who's who and what's what, you're ready for the next step.

Names? Who cares.

Places? Whatever.

Aspirations? Sky-high.

This is going to be your best novel yet, all it takes is patience.

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