Well I don't think the purpsose is to make your work non-linear. I mean, some writers use it this way, but you could also use it to see your writing from a different light and maybe find some words/phrases you missed before that make your poem better.
Wow, writing random unconnected passages, paste em together and having them present an enveloping story. I though writing had more creativity and heart then that, but if it works for ya, great. I've written four published stories and in two cases, I did hit a wall mid way through. I put the pen away for some time, when out and did some fun things I like to do, and the juices just started flowing again from everyday encounters in life. Just don't force it. If it ain't coming to ya, walk away and do something else, or start a new/different story. At least that works for me.
I don't know if all of us have been where I am right now. I've tried to write different stories with different characters over a span of years, and I'm fearing the worst: I'll never stick with one idea, I'll always keep changing, and I may never see a story to its very end. I've got a couple of protagonist/situation ideas, but I don't know which ones to focus on, because they're so complex, yet so interesting to me. Has anyone ever had this problem before?
This happens to me ALL of the time. I would even go as far as to say that it's one of the main factors why I haven't finished any full novels in the past few years. I have already completed two, though both are bad and were written during a time I was actually interested in the topics covered (no longer am, and so I see no point in revisitng the two novels to rewrite them, rework them, edit them, etc.). But, currently, with the stories I am trying to get down on paper/computer screen, I just can't. I'll come up with the first chapter and then it's like I lose my will to continue. That, or I'll suddenly become inspired by something completely different. It tempts me to drop that story I just started like a hot potato and go on with this "new" idea that popped into my head. I really hate it, because I know it's best and most deserving to a storyline, if you stick to ONE novel at a time. I think my problem is, I lose confidence and convince myself everything I intended to do and write, won't be worth it. Yes, yes, I know, bad.... but it's how my mind works. I have decided to completely devote myself to the story I began last week, and I have promised not to stray with several other novel ideas. I am going to finish this one I've started. Aha, let's see how long my determination overpowers my lack of confidence. ...I'm giving it 3 days. lol, okay, kidding, maybe a little longer than that.
I've had exactly the same problem in the past and I still do. A few days ago I re-read a part of the novel I was writing about half a year ago and I actually liked it and thought it was pretty good. So in the past few days I've been writing and rewriting it and I almost finished writing my first chapter. I already have plans for the next chapter so it's going pretty well and hopefully I will stick to writing this story! I always have new ideas for new stories and I hate it when I've just spent 4 days writing something and I lose all motivation. I read it is very difficult for many writers to stick to one novel at a time, but I guess you just have to force yourself to continue writing anyway, because it will all be worth it in the end (that's what I keep telling myself, anyway).
Maybe it's just me, but I don't get it. If you've set out to write a novel, with all the work entailed, how can it so easily be set aside simply because another idea has come to mind? From my experience, a novel, once started, must be adhered to until the first draft has been completed, at least. Developing the theme is what keeps me focused and attached, especially since, in my case, the personal value of the central theme or concept is what led to me beginning the work in the first place. For me, the project needs to be completed, even if the initial concept changes radically along the way. Writing is organic; it evolves. Like I said, maybe it's just me.
Sometimes, stories will evolve with me also and even split into two stories. Sometimes one will die or the other will adopt concepts from a previously unfinished work or resignating, forsaken ideas.
I am a victim to this. I love movies and each film I see inspires something different out of me. I utterly hate this curse, I call it TITSTI's The Inabiltiy To Stick To Ideas
This happens to me as well. I have a couple discarded novels I started and stopped about Chapter 3. The one I'm working on now I have actually made it to Chapter 5 but have hit a wall. When new ideas started to crop up I immediately wanted to sit down and start a few chapters on each of them, but instead I made myself jot them down on a Word document titled "Future Ideas" and then focused on figuring out why I couldn't move on with the current work. I am beginning to think that I just find my story idea for the middle of the novel flat and boring. I had the beginning which was intriguing figured out and I knew the end would be exciting, but the middle was a mystery and frankly everything I tried to move it along was terrible. Next goal -- I'm going to try to write a rough draft of the end and after that I'll figure out how to get the characters through the middle and still keep them interested. Maybe actually writing the end will inspire me for the middle.
I have SOOOOOO many story projects going on at the moment, my head spins just thinking about it. Not only do I have a novel on the back burner, but a bit of a short autobio and other short stories because I am working on a few of which I will be getting paid for Just need to make sure I keep a list of all of them so I can go back and pick them up once again and *FINISH*
Just like Crimson I'm currently working on several stories at once. Confusing at times, but what to do when inspiration strikes? I just hope I'll be able to finish them all at some point or another...
Ok, I really miss writing but my life is so demanding between work, starting college, and a billion other inconveniences. I love writing but I find it hard to motivate myself to write. Any advice?
Reading a good book or watching an inspiring movie usually manages to motivate me to write. You shouldn't force yourself to write; this will take all appeal out of doing it. If you dont feel like writing, don't write. The time will come when you feel like writing again. Have patience.
My Advice is: Focus on Life: take a break from writing and wait for when you have time. Don't force it. It is not like you loose the ability to write if you don't do it everyday. So, my honest and heartfelt advice is: Go, enjoy college, and take care of the millions of things you have going on. I would suggest that you should blot down what you are going though as that can be priceless material for future works later. You know "one day we are going to look back on this and laugh" well maybe it might be "One day I am going to look back on this and write several great poems" Good Luck with College! :: WOOHOOO College PARTY! ::
This thread has been presented on the forum in many variations. Short answer? There is no specific answer. There are many differing opinions on writer’s block, and the only important opinion should be your own. Some find taking a break effective. The movie, book, music idea, is effective for others. For me personally I must write every day, even just a few minutes. It doesn’t have to be anything specific, as long as I write. By the way, I have three kids, so I know how difficult it can be to find the time to write. I usually work on my stories at night when they go to bed. ---So work it out, try all the ideas the members give you and see which one works for you.
Personally, I find the longer I go without writing, the harder it is for me to get back into it again. That's why, when I feel a lack of motivation, I try to sit down and write my way through it. Sometimes this makes my work sound a little forced. Other times, however, I find I've actually got some pretty decent stuff down and I'm glad I made myself keep going. For other writers, of course, it may work differently. Everyone has their own way of dealing with these things, and I don't believe writing has many one-size-fits-all rules. It's just that I spent years as an on-again off-again writer, scribbling just when I felt like it. As a result, I never finished a single full length novel over a space of about five years. I just kept fiddling and rewriting and then putting my work aside again, waiting for the mood to come over me. Sometimes that meant a couple weeks of no writing, but often those weeks stretched into months. These days I sit in front of my computer everyday, if I possibly can, and try to get something done. Since I began this method less than three years ago, I've written three and a half novels, got beginnings and outlines down for several more, and I've completed over a dozen short stories. I hope to speed things up a little in the years to come, but for now I'm happy to be making any progress at all.
For myself , I find that if I don't make writing a daily habit , I lose all interest and motivation for it. Even when I have no ideas or anything to write , I find that if i sit down and ignore everything else for perhaps 5 minutes and try to write something (I count anything , like fragments of ideas , notes , character profiles etc as writing. ) then I get back into it and I find that I cannot stop . After I do this a few days I find myself craving to write. Maybe just sit down a few minutes and try and that will get you back into it.
Set your priorities and allocate your time based on what is most important to you. Good luck in college.
I honestly don't think that motivating yourself to write is the answer. Right now, you don't have the time. Its understandable and it happens to all of us. I didn't write for two and a half years while I was in college. I didn't feel motivated to write either. But now I'm taking a year off to work and I have time to write again, so I am. If you just give it time and if you truly love to write, you will do so again.
The lack of practice (when gone on for over a year or more) can start chipping away at you if you're not careful. I stopped writing for several years, and something just went dead inside of me. So I did what I had to do - Force myself to write again. First it was just 100words.com, then a diary, then this forum. During the time I wasn't writing at all because of uni and fulltime work, I did keep small notepad in my bag, or pocket, to jot down notes. Just ridiculous stuff like: People I met on the street, conversations I've eavesdropped in at a diner, what I wore, etc). You never know what might be useful later. College seems to be your priority for now, HippieLord, and there's nothing wrong with that. But perhaps, once a week you could try to take a few minutes to jot down inspirational notes or write in a diary. Just to keep those writing muscles flexing. Just a suggestion. I understand it works differently for other people.
I agree with Stilllife, try to write at least once a week. With me, it's like I have these bursts of inspiration for a while (anywhere from a week to a months time) and then I don't write for a few months. It was really bothering me so I decided to write something every day. Something included anything from chewing gum to pocket lint! It truly helps. Or if you are not writing, read as much as you can. I find that it really helped me with my writing. Good luck and don't be disheartened.
If you insist on waiting for some magical moment of inspiration or motivation or time to arrive to write, then you'll be waiting forever. There will always be a million inconveniences that make it "impossible" for one to write. You're going to have to make wanting to write as important a priority as college, work, the basics of life, anything else that currently demands your attention. You're going to have to MAKE the time, inspiration, and motivation to write, even if you don't feel like it, even if it means you have to forego something like an hour spent relaxing or a night out at dinner or a movie. Otherwise, like I said, you're never going to get the writing done, just waiting for a moment to arrive. You have to actively do something. Waiting for the right moment to arrive is just stalling, and seems to indicate that you don't REALLY want to write, at least, not as much as you insist. Are you willing to make the sacrifice? You have to be, to get any writing done.
Hi all, I think I used to be on these forums before, most possibly under a different name, but when I switched computers I lost all bookmarks so can't be sure... Anyway, 2 years ago I suffered the third prolapsed disc of my life, and I am only 34 (35 in two days) anyway....this has had a profound psychological effect on me and it seems to have taken away my will to write, when before it was one of my most keen passions. The problem is I want to get back to writing, but can't seem to make myself do it and this saddens me, I load up a piece i was working on and even though it's a fantasic story, I just don't simply have the will to take it forwards any longer....
Jamesdemann, I am sorry to hear of your continued health problems. Instead of working on a previous piece, consider starting a new story. A fresh start with new ideas and direction. Hang in there. Terry
Sorry that things are tough for you. But advice I was given not so long ago now was 'If you find you can't continue something, try and remember why you were so passionate about the piece. Why you wrote it. If you can't, find something in the piece that you can find that passion about and go from there.' Maybe even try writing a poem about how you are feeling and then get back into writing stories. Sometimes writing poetry, no matter how good or bad it turns out, can be a great excercise to get back into the creative writing frame of mind. Hope all works out for you. Torana
