don't fight it

I'm about 5000 words into a new novel.

It's not the one I was planning to start after we finished WILS (and we're still not finished with WILS). It's not even one I'd considered. But over the weekend, I awoke at 3 in the morning, and couldn't get back to sleep. I'm often composing in my head-- in the car, the shower, even sometimes while reading another book-- but sometimes I need to get the words out of my head and on to the page/screen, even if that means pulling over, drying hastily, or closing the book. And so, by 3:30 in the morning, I was scribbling into a journal. I didn't stop until about 5:15, figuring it was in my best interest to get some sleep (I didn't knock off until 6). When I awoke again at 10, I went right back to the journal and scribbled another 10 pages.

Later that day, when I'd transcribed everything onto my laptop, I'd written about 3500 words total. I've added another 1500 since. More, I think.

I can give you several reasons why it's not a good time to start a new novel--the fall semester is right around the corner (man, did that creep up fast!); a self-imposed deadline for WILS also quickly creeping up; I still really want to write this other novel that I've been thinking about for a couple of years now; and so on.

But here's the thing: you can't fight what wants/needs to be born.

So, for what it's worth. I'll keep working on WILS. I'll plan my fall course. I'll continue to sketch ideas for the other novel. But I'll work on this new first draft. I'll just get it on to the page. Go with the flow. Who knows where it'll take me.