Torn Between two Books- Planning Nano 2008

So, um, I think too much. It's true, I've admitted it many a time. And yet I try to avoid it, I try to just lighten up and keep things from being bogged down from over-analysis. So I'm kind of torn on what I want to write for my novel this year. I have one idea and many different ways to see it through and, knowing I tend towards the most complicated of options I'm tempted to go the light and fluffy route, but haven't made my decision yet.

Here it is. My original idea, as written by me in August:

I'm thinking of writing a "Wildly Untrue Autobiography"

"Untrue Facts" about my life:
- I was born on a small island the same day as the last of a rare species of birds was last sighted.
- I had five brothers and sisters but most of them were lost (no, not died, just lost) along the way
- I won't eat anything blue
- I had phenomenal mathematical skills until one day I decided math was untrue.
- I taught my parents how to swim
- I accidentally put out a death warrant on the love of my life
- I inspired someone famous to change careers
- I trained a goat
- I talked to an elephant
- I survived a deadly spider bite

Now it is several months later and my idea for an auto-biography (or biography) has changed. I'm now thinking of all sorts of other more complicated (of course) options.

Here are my current notes:

"A Fabulously Untrue Auto-Biography"

Main Idea:

MC leads fabulous life dealing with all sorts of interesting people and possibly influencing history
-what do they learn from all this? Do we learn to love them? Hate them? Envy them? Pity them?
-What tells us that it is untrue? perhaps they are a little "not right in the head" and this is what makes it all untrue? (great possibilities for fuzzy transitions between reality and fiction)



Life line Possibilities:

RipVanWinkle approach of waking up every Century or so to experience various events

Time Travel--mechanical, natural, unknown, alien technology? allows forward and back (quantum leap)

Start at one point and Proceed around the world until conclusion is at same point-
-perhaps walking the entire way?
-perhaps companions join for portions
-perhaps certain fixed amount of time allowed in each place
-who would have imposed this rule? (granted wish to travel for 100 years but this was price?)

Reincarnation/Possession--perhaps lives "through" several people's lives?

Different type of linear progression...
-trapped by memories- when one even relates to another they suddenly find themselves in a different day/time/person/lifetime and can only live through the event until they again will transfer upon a new relationship--kind of trying everything until they get it right? Kind of like Time Traveller's Wife but with other people/lifetimes

It's crazy to me that these all could, realistically, lead to good novels...they're all viable options, and I have to choose JUST ONE!

(It's also crazy to me that in some way, shape or form Anne Rice has seemingly written novels that would cover about 80% of the ideas I came up with. I would say that I've just read too many of her novels and am influenced, but I think actually she has just really covered all the bases quite well.)