Try to pay attention, maybe tell her when she's rambling and dull. But nicely, please. - The Goddess of Woo

Little in this world is more humbling than reading through the very first attempt at a novel. The above quote, from page 140 / chapter 16 of the draft, is my current mantra. Much of this manuscript is rambling and dull. But every so often, a spark of light crashes through the cage of freshman mistakes and I remember why I loved this story so much that I had to write it.

The photo above is from a fountain near Gare du Oriente in Lisbon. This is where the idea for Woo germinated and where I began keeping notes for this book I'd eventually write. The scribbles have very little to do with the book in its current state, but I had to work out the plot, the characters, the ideas, and had to throw away dozens of bad ideas.

I'll quote from @Beathhigh (Ian Rankin)'s Twitter post from 19 November: "Queasy excitement at plot-lines for new book. Always a good feeling." And then from @jennycolgan, from 21 October: "Sigh, in that 5 seconds before starting a new book where in my head it's all perfect and just as I'd envisioned it. But now I start typing..."

Do all writers remember where they were at the germination of an idea?