SNI's - the achilles heel of this writer

Yes, they are just that. I have a love/hate relationship with them. I get so many ideas, that I could fill up pages and pages, and when a particular one strikes, I have the urge to put everything else on hold and just focus on that one thing. But I know this is no good. When am I ever going to get my second draft of NIKKI'S WISH done if I keep getting distracted?

The most recent SNI (shiny new idea) came to me as I was thinking about someone's story over in the SYW section of the AW website. The author's story was fine as is, but I started thinking about it from a whole different angle, turning what was a contemporary piece into something with a paranormal twist. I thought of telling this author of my idea, but then decided against it. I know how writers hate it when you say, 'hey, you should do this, or this,'. It's irritating, and I don't want to tell anyone else how to write their story. But this was such a good idea that I decided I could use it as a spring board for something of my own (something completely different than what she had written mind you) and off took my SNI.

Then last night another SNI came to me in my sleep and this one I will tell you about because it's for a kids book and most of you don't write for the younger ages. So I was dreaming that I was reading, but while I was reading, every sentence came out really funny and when put together, the story didn't make any sense at all. So when I woke, I thought, 'hey, that'd make for a good character - a girl who whenever she tries to read, sees something different than what is written'. For instance, if the story read, 'Once upon a time', this girl would see the words 'once upon a hairy frog', and so on. The first scene would probably show her being forced to read outloud in front of the class and when she does the story comes out hilariously funny. All of the kids laugh and the teacher gets angry at her. Eventually the teacher would come to realize that those really are the words that the girl sees and that she has some sort of a reading disability. Then the teacher would find a way to teach the girl how to read properly. Yes, there's a lesson in there, but I think that I can do a lot with the girl's "problem" to make it entertaining in the first degree and informative in the second.

So those are my SNI's for this week, now, if I could just come up with something for that Valentine's Day contest that Sage is running, but I am so very, very bad with shorts. 750 words! How can anyone come up with something in just 750 words!

My goals for this weekend are

1. To get through two chapters of editing in NW.
2. Get to the library. If you've seen my reading list so far this year (toggle below), you know that I'm desperate for something good.
3. Revise a section from BETTINA for Tuesday's teaser. It's been a long time since I've looked at it and I need something new to share.

Have a good weekend all - and for you teacher's out there (I know there are a few of you), if my SNI sounds like something you've already seen, let me know, please!