Ideas

It's not hard for me to come up with new ideas for stories. It's hard fashioning the stories into something cohesive and workable. Sure I can say that I want Hero to meet Heroine in the Caribbean in 1670 on the run from a lunatic who wants her fortune but therein lies the problem.

Research is only the 1st issue. Clothes, speech, travel time, accommodations, etc. It's a nightmare. Interesting, but it's so easy to get bogged down in details.

Word usage is the 2nd. Can't use lunatic, really; it was around but madman would be better. Can't use moron - wasn't invented until the early 20th century. Plus they were much more proper in their use, polite even (and especially) when they were being rude.

Plot aside, it's hard to wrap everything up in a neat and tidy package with no holes, loose ends, or dangling ribbons.