What often helps even more then having your work reviewed is reviewing other work. Pick something in the romance thread and review it, paying special attention to things you find difficult in your scene. Even if it's worse then yours, you'll get some ideas how to improve it, and likely this will be relevant to your own scene.
I think you have to have been a member for 2 weeks (which you have), post 20 posts minimum, and post 2 constructive critiques in the workshop - so in this instance you should do as Jazzabel advised - it'd be beneficial for your own writing as well as helping you meet the requirements. @Wreybies is the mod so he could correct me, but I think those are basically it. Or maybe he could add something.
You're absolutely right, those are the requirements for Workshop privileges. For the OP, you've gotten some good advice already, so I'll reply regarding how to overcome difficult scenes in general: It depends a lot on the scene you're writing, but unless it's a hugely important scene that can change the course of the entire story or something equally crucial, sometimes I just write what I can at that point even if it's crap. Then I move on and focus on other things. During the moments/days I can't write, I try to do what others have suggested here, i.e. see how the pros have written similar scenes that I'm struggling with to get some ideas how to go about it. I also discuss the scene with other people and think about it, but if it's not one of those super-important bits, I wouldn't worry about it too much; you'll come back to it anyway in your consequent drafts, so the scene has time to mature a little while you gather new ideas, experience, skills etc, and the next time you get to it, you'll probably have an easier time writing it. If not, just do your best and move on. You can always return to it later, but I think it's important to have something there even if it's not perfection the first time around. Of course, if you're one of those writers who only write one draft, then the situation is a bit different, but even then you can return to the scene once you've finished the manuscript because by then you'll have a deeper understanding of the characters, their inner workings, motives, personalities etc. and that helps a lot especially when writing social interaction like romantic relationships. Good luck!
that's all good advice above... mine is to take it! btw, the expression is 'run the gamut'... a 'gambit' is something else entirely... good luck with your book... love and hugs, maia
I though I had that wrong, but I've been reading so much about the X-Men lately I got my wires crossed Thank you! This is all great advice I've started looking into maybe starting to critique in the workshop, though I have no idea how I could possibly help anyway, this one scene is one of those important ones that sets up their relationship. It's not so much that my wrting sucks (in general I try not to worry about that too much or I'll freeze up) but that I can't even get a line onto the page. There's nothing to submit to the workshop right now even if I could! I've got a few things I can read right on my computer, so I'll give that a shot next again, thank you all!
@FlareWarrior i feel the same way about this in my novel, the two main characters (who are both male may i add) are in a relationship, and it was proving difficult, when i realised that if i let it flow how it should do, then we should be fine... and it is, there is nothing wrong with relationships in novels, you just have to allow it to go how it wants to, you will find that it will work, even if it does feel lame (i know i felt exactly the same when this first happened.) i think the lines that tipped mine over to being a well intergrated part of the novel was: “I might need some clean clothes” Kilnir said as they walked out into the office, and stopped as they saw Lorai and Caspiar standing there. “Err… well” Kilnir said. “I'm not going to ask what happened, but I can guess as much” Caspiar smiled as Isake stood there smiling awkwardly scratching his head. “Thank f*** for that” Lorai said. “You two have finally done it, most of us have been wondering” Lorai commented. as i say, let it work itself out, it will find its own rhythm in the story
My first thought was to suggest that you write the whole scene as a fairly prosaic friendship scene that fits into the plot and preferably furthers the plot, get it all polished up, and only then start adding little nuances to make it romantic. Tweaking something that already exists, rather than starting with a blank page, might get you there.
I actually found that when I'm stuck and unable to write about something in particular, I watch movies that have a lot of these scenes. By watching these films, I can observe how people behave, and it helps me imagine what they are thinking, why they are doing what they're doing etc. So for a romantic scene, watch a romantic flick. Observe how they behave, how they smile, why the girl responds how she responds, the volume and intonation of her voice. This will not only get you to think about this, but might even put you in the mood and help you understand how certain romantic scenes take place. I had difficulty in my third novel which is science fiction, so I turned on Netflix and browsed the Sci-Fi section and watched some movies that appealed to me. It really helped get me in the zone.
I do what @ChickenFreak suggests, write the scene with its flaws then go back and revise it. I'm not sure why that works for me, but it does. It's easier for me to replace the stuff that is glaringly wrong than to write it right first. The other thing I do with scenes I need to figure out is act them out in my head with the characters talking out loud (ie talking to myself) as I walk my dogs. If you only have places to walk with people around, get a phone headset and pretend you are on the phone. No one notices you talking to yourself that way. When I say things out loud the characters would say, I can tell if they sound awkward or if the characters would really say that. Other ideas come to me as well. Yesterday I was working out a scene and it dawned on me there was a big plot hole. I kept talking and was able to plug it just by talking it through. And definitely read how other authors handled the material.
I can sympathize, I have so many ideas churning around in my head that they constantly compete for my attention to the degree that I hardly get to write anything as I jump from one to another formulating and building the ideas up.
I have been at this for a few years. A friend got me writing back in 2004 and I am still going. I am working on a story I hope to publish one day. I have had something called a block to deal with and I think I understand what is meant by it. I have discovered that my stories are written in a story-board fashion. I use it to defeat the “blocks.” I think we all want a terrific story and worry if it is good enough and then we judge too harshly what we have or about to write. If I “block” my story then I don’t worry if it sounds good. Because is does not. At this point its only stick figures walking through my imagination. Later I go back to the story and fill in the blanks like action, scenery, thoughts and more dialogue. I do run into issues like what do I do with my characters so I close my eyes and go into the story and become the individual I may be having issues with. If I don’t like him or her I get ride of them some tragic incident or other. Another thing I learned the hard way was not all writing is dialogue. A lot of it is thoughts or description of scenery. I am an avid reader of Zane Grey. If you have read any of his work then you will notice it’s filled with descriptions of surroundings and scenery and what the West was like from a first person description. After reading his books I taught myself to take it easy on my dialogue and give the reader something else to chew on.
I feel paralysed. Moving forward doesn't happen; intentions, lists and plans - fail. That whole 'Fail Better' that Beckett goes on with, it assumes some attempt to begin with, so I can't make claim to that. A part of me believes that one day I will submit my work, but I don't. Notebooks fill, one at a time. Desktop files are parked neatly in folders, but nothing leaves, goes out, sits beneath the critical eye of a publisher. And yet I know inside there are more and more stories. I can't keep up with the ideas. I'm so overwhelmed by the possibilities I just freeze. Inactivity. Daydreamer. Something of a scaredy cat. Or, is it just me. Is this a part of my nature I need to accept, that I am a prolific dreamer. Perhaps. Maybe - who knows. I read recently the greater the doubt the bigger the talent- I must be Nobel standard! Or just a dreamer.
just put yourself together and organise your thought. Try as much as possible to write something down whenever the inspiration comes.
This is a tough one. I think that everybody once in a while doesn't have inspiration to write. I had it too, and I decided to turn it around and write about a writer with a writers' block and guess what? It turned into a story of 246 pages....
Not sure if I mentioned it already, and am too lazy to go back and check, but here's my idea: Make a separate manuscript. Have the setting be a room the characters would be familiar with. The room is where the characters can discuss freely among each other whatever problems they (you) have discovered in the actual prose, or study and analyze new characters and plot development. The key is that through writing about them discussing the story, the setting, the characters, anything, you break free from the writer's block and can write again. Hope that helps!
My method is to just start writing something. Anything. just one sentence. Then use that sentence to embellish and elaborate. Before you know it you'll have a torrent of ideas and your thoughts will be freed. Works great for me. John Krone
Yeah, I agree with John. I wouldn't call it a block as such, rendering me stuck and unable to write, I just get moments where I'm simply not in the right frame of mind for the particular piece of work I'm on. Bad day at work, an issue, unwell, hung-over, whatever. But I make up for that by writing anything that comes to mind so I don't miss a day of writing. Write absolutely anything. I lean to writing crime related projects but I end up writing something you'd categorise as fantasy or horror or maybe just a play with words. And strangely, even though it may have nothing to do with the project I'm up to my eyeballs in, it opens new doors and avenues. It's surprisingly rewarding. Give it a go.
I'm stuck. Even though I finished projects before (short stories, essays and a novella) I am bouncing between two stories for several years now, and out of desperation I just started writing a third. These stories have became a part of me, I know them and some of the characters intimately, and I wonder whether my careful outlining ruined it for me. But I just started writing a new one and one of the previous stories asserted itself into it within the second chapter. So I'm back to square one. I need to write a full-length novel, no more mucking about with short stories and such. Although, one option is to write a book with two or three 'books' within it, which are related. The stories are as follows: 1. A detective novel/psychological thriller - this features a female detective and a revenge story based plot, with elements of the occult. 2. Vampire/sci fi novel which has subplots and backstories rooted in historical times and the world here is quite rich and unique. 3. Magical realism piece. The issue is that they all feel like they could belong to the same world, which is all in my head so it makes sense. So I'm constantly tempted to combine them all into one world and tell them as different stories within it. Since I forever wanted to write about vampires, that is the one motif that keeps intruding into all the non-vampire stories. But I can't settle on it, even though I'm working on all of them in turn, and first drafts are plodding along, I know that everything would go much faster if I had a clearer focus. Additional, superficial manifestation of all this is that I have an issue with my protagonist's name, although two of them have names, but I keep changing them, like no name actually fits, even though my characters are quite solid in my mind and I have no trouble knowing how they'd react, what they would think etc. Any thoughts and advice are much appreciated
I have been in a similar boat. I have always written werewolves/shapeshifters. I have two more projects that I will be writing and I always find myself trying to see if I can put wither of those things into it, but I keep telling myself no... I haven't started either of those projects yet I am going to finish my werewolf series then work on the other projects maybe that will help me close the chapter of my werewolf writing. Who knows maybe that will work for you too. Judging by your three stories your plots could work well together in the same worlds, especially if they are all supernatural filled books. It just leaves it as a choice. Amanda
Thanks for the feedback @Amanda_Geisler it's a real relief to hear there are others with a similar conundrum. I suppose I feel like I'm slightly failing myself, because of my vampire obsession. As if that is something a twenty five year old would be justified to write, not so much a 39 year old. I could (?should) be writing profound books firmly based in reality, put my most deepest honest symbols and thoughts on the page, explore real and important themes using content firmly rooted in reality rather than dressing it with the supernatural. And yet, I love vampires, sci fi, speculative fiction and my writing mind is very dramatic. So as much as I enjoy these perfectly measured, introspective books (Murakami for instance), and wish I could write them, my mind gravitates towards the opposite end of the spectrum.
Everyone has their guilty pleasures, mine happens to be car racing, a 19 year old girl loving car races enough to go by herself is pretty rare. You need to write what you love, not what everyone thinks you should write. Amanda
I definitely understand your frustration. I've been carrying a novel in my head since I was fourteen - I should take a picture of the first draft so you can see what a whopper that is. ( since I'm *cough-38 ) I've had my story longer than certain friendships - lol. Worse the story is a manipulative woo-er - every two years or so I dream about the characters and dive back in attempting another draft. But in the last six years I haven't gone near it. Unfortunately it's spot has been usurped by another demanding project and I'm torn between it - and ...sigh...other novels. The trouble with the tug-o-war is I'm never getting anything done. I try to think through the projects logically - what do I want to work on? The answer is usually - all of them. And then I go through the pro's and cons - well one's got more research and I'm not crazy about research so maybe that one is out. In the end I might have to go the less logical eenie, meenie, miney, moe route. I don't think I have any advice persay, cause I'm in the same boat. But if I can take my own advice, it would be to choose one, anyone that you feel most strong about in this moment and write without ceasing. I wish I had continued my Nanowrite project past November and just finished ( I could've had a workable first draft by now. )
I have a similar problem. I've been trying to make any one of Coriolis Effect (semi-surreal, hoarding), Tulips and Butter (kid plots how to get her way against her guardian's influence) and Shuteye (a gimmick plus a gimmick) progress into a possible novel, and am considering how much of them I could combine. And that was all before the characters in Coriolis Effect became self-aware and started plotting how to break out of the novel.
If it makes you feel any better, you're doing a better job than I am. I've been working on the same 5-6 stories for the past few years. (Just typing that made me sad.)
@jazzabel - if it were me, I'd try to determine which endings I could see. If you can only see an ending for one, pick that one (even if you don't stick with that ending). If you can see an ending for two or all three, that should help you pick one (and figure a way to separate them from one another) - go with the one you like the most. And if you still can't pick among them, just pick one by chance. You need direction, and that direction has to come from within. I could pick one, but if you don't do the choosing, it won't take. Best of luck. I was in your shoes two years ago.
