I love dreaming up those "what happens?" scenarios! One of my favorite writing exercises is simply take an everyday thing (like going to the refrigerator) and making it an adventure (instead of seeing leftover chinese food, you see a bottle labeled 'drink me', or a mysterious appendage, or whatever). It literally starts with one small action, and can branch out in so many ways (how did that bottle get there? why was that severed head in the crisper drawer? etc). I also like to take my characters "out to lunch", and put them in an everyday scene, and see how they would react. Would they be outgoing, introverted, if they overheard a conversation, how would they react, etc.
I'm happy to hear that you found an older version of your novel
Even if you may not use everything, you can always use it as a reference point for possible other stories, as well, since you mentioned having two stories set in the same universe. I love paranormal/sci-fi/fantasy based fiction, so those novels are right up my alley! When you get it published (because I have no doubt they will with how well you write
), definitely let us know! i know I probably wouldn't be the only one waiting at the bookstore for my very own copy
My favorite part about writing is creating everything...the characters, the world (even if the world is our own, there is always some world-building to be done!), even writing down reactions and idiosyncrasies that particular characters may have. My big problem is once I create this lush and beautiful world with characters I absolutely love, I freeze....I've put so much time and effort into creating something that when it comes to writing the actual story, it doesn't seem to do it justice. I know first drafts are going to be pretty bad, but I look at a paragraph I just wrote and itch to use the delete key because I think it is truly terrible. This has forced me to go the route of pen & paper for a lot of things (outlining, notecards, smaller scenes), and that gets rather cluttered around, which then turns the things I love into things thar are annoying me and messing up my desk space. It's a vicious cycle
Sorry I'm rambling lol!! Trying to stay distracted from the apple spice donuts the fiance left home from Dunkin Donuts.....it wasn't very nice of him to leave it out in the open where I can see it >.<