Am I the only person who sets out on a story path with one idea that you think "Yes! This is it, this will do it!".... Then a while later thing, "Well, hold on a sec, this might work better...." Then another little while later, go back to your original version?! Does my nut in!!!
That's actually never happened to me, though I can probably guess that switching back and forth from one idea to another can be very frusterating.
Happens to me all the time. And after watching Pirates of the Caribbean (and the name of this thread) I want to randomly add pirates to my story, with a dramatic naval battle with the two head ships fighting in a maelstrom during a storm, one to be dragged down into the crushing depths. I could fit pirates in... maybe. But probably not.
Hahaha yup, it happens to me all the time. Unfortunantly, it's during the planning process so I never actually get to write much down. I think it's the reason why all my stories die at 1500 words. Gah. I'm actually trying something new now though - splitting my story into 3 parts. Basically a start, middle and end. The beginning sets up all of the main characters, including the baddies which will make up Part 3 and the climax. Sets the stakes for failure (death). Starts a question running in the readers head about the MC (a deep, dark secret). Part 2 I think will head off in a different direction - addition of more sub characters and minor obstacles in the MC's path. Then Part 3 (hopefully) everything will close into one giant battle. So my plan involves only planning ONE PART AT A TIME. This prevents me from trying to plan too far down the track, and allows a bit more "spur of the moment" writing. It's breaking the task down into managable pieces, rather than "20 chapters and 80,000 words". Haha, no thanks.
My take on this... I say if you've got a better idea, jot it down somewhere. It worked for me... I've been working on the same story for over five years now, and I've only just started on the final version. It just kept evolving through new ideas. I say, go with the new strand each time but don't quite delete the first one. It'll probably end up right in the end- though it might take a little longer. If you're on a deadline, go for the missupernatural approach, but if it's a side project in your spare time, don't neglect the little voice in the back of your head.
I usually have the same problem. But then I tell myself nope, no more this will do my original plan will do. Then I write my other plan as a whole different story. So my first story is my warm up and the better idea is my real story.
I do this quite often. Sometimes it's because I get a better idea, sometimes I lose confidence in the idea, get a better idea, and other times, sadly enough, I give up. Sometimes I find my original idea was best, but other times I do find that my revisions to the plot are improvements.
Actually, I find an idea interesting, and start to work on it, but after a while I realize it isn't working this way, maybe the other, or that...or that...or this...and end up blank rather than a solution. Unless of course, it is meant to be successful. So don't feel alone, writers are pretty alike in some habits, so your best bet is to never lose hope.
When I start a story, then get another idea, I just start a new story. But that's why I never get anything done... ^-^;
