The idea is the most exciting part... Just don't tell anyone!

"I've got a great idea for a new book!"

Ah isn't that moment wonderful?  That little germ. That little seed. That little niggling thing in the back of your mind that you can't stop thinking about. It's in the shower with you, it's in your head as your feeding your baby at 3 am in the morning, it's in (sorry honey), your mind while you're talking to your husband ("How was your day?" "Uh-huh, uh-huh, uh-huh...").

It's the birth of an idea and it's wonderful and exciting and consumes your every waking (and sometimes not waking) moment. It's magnificent. It's genius! So you decide... "I'm going to tell someone - now wait, not someone, EVERYONE!"

"I've got a great idea for a new book... It's about this girl/kid/man/dragon/flesh eating bacteria...." You say to your sister, your husband, your friends..

The trouble is, (and only experience will tell you this, and since I have none, I had NO IDEA) telling people your great idea is a very, very bad idea. Suddenly, you find yourself having to actually articulate (yes in actual words) what your idea is about. And not only that, because you're in a conversation, which more often than not, is a two-way thing, your idea is not only out of your brain but now out for inspection.

Suddenly instead of just universal acknowledgement that you're absolutely amazing and they should just hand you over that publisher's check right now ("You're the next JK Rowling!!") you find yourself with this: "That's a cool idea but.... omg what if you have a monster/a dragon/ a detective/ a sorcerer/ a magical portal/ a serial killer instead?" 

It's like the minute your fabulous idea is out there, it's no longer yours (despite the very best intentions of the people you've told.)

So I've decided.... I have a great idea for a book.... and I'm not going to tell anyone about it, not just yet. And it's at this moment that you realize. I have to write it now. And that's a daunting, exciting, intimidating and yet very lonely experience. 

The first draft sucks. The second draft will suck even more. The third, the fourth and eventually, if you're lucky to have anyone else read it other than your own mum and dad, that will probably suck too.

You're baring your soul, you're putting blood, sweat and tears into an idea you came up with in between feeds. Is it worth it? Is it any good? There's only one way to find out - but for now.... Shhhhh don't tell anyone!