I have multiple ideas for different novels. Should I go with the most ambitious or start with something simpler?

[DLCroix]

I like how you mentioned The Savage Detectives. Hold the phone, I thought this was a SFF forum!
Not exactly a classic everyone has read broham. xD

Obviously. Every guitarist knows that good heavy metal is not in studying Lynch, Wolfman or De Martini, but actually in Paganini, Mozart, the minuets, the classics. The same thing happens with the SFF. It would have been interesting to see what space opera Bolagno would have written if he had tried. But, going back to the thread, I think that of all the ideas you also have to see which of them has a more creative and/or groundbreaking approach or which is out of the mold, but to identify something like that it helps a lot to have the experience that the reading leaves behind. constant and voracious. And it is that the mind is like a juicer: the more ingredients, the greater the chances that something will come out that the reader finds attractive and novel.

 

[tinkerdan]

You have many ideas: great.
My question would be--do you have the character's or the narrator/POV to carry the stories that might evolve out of those ideas.
Start working on characters/POV narrators that might fit those ideas--plots-scenarios; and see which one captures your muse the most.
Start writing and keep writing.

 

[Astro Pen]

I would (and have in the past) make starts on your top three.
Actually start writing them all!
What will happen is that after maybe 25 pages some will either get stuck or you will begin to intuit that it is not going to come together quite as you had hoped.
But one will "grab you" and carry you forward, Your characters will become real to you and you will race forward with it.

Often the characters will begin to write it for you. That may sound crazy now, but watch it happen.

 

[Aknot]

Have you ever completed a novel? How about short stories (as in 5-10k words)? If no, especially the latter, I would suggest to go for as easy a a possible first.

Based on other creative areas it is my experience that many enthusiasts start projects, but few finish them. Especially if finishing requires tedious repetitive work (like editing). Taking something from idea to finished product proves that you can deliver. If nothing else, to yourself. It’s a milestone that far from all pass. If you do, doing it again is a lot easier and after a while you know that whatever your idea is, as long as it has potential, you can take it to a final product.

 

[paranoid marvin]

Go with what drives and inspires you the most; because you'll need that motivation if/when things get tough.

If it isn't going as well as you expected, you can always step back and start work on another of your (shorter) stories. And remember that any writing you do will never be wasted effort, even if it is a case of learning from your mistakes.

I think the most important thing is to make a decision and start writing as soon as possible.