This is exactly right. I feel as though nothing I put down is going to be as good as what's in my head. It's like a paralysis
The obvious solution is to write. Look. Professionals have to take advantage of windows of opportunity. A farmer has to harvest his crop in the week-long harvest window. A carpenter has to finish his work by the deadline. Brick layers must finish before the concrete or grout dries. Writers put their stories in tangible format (handwritten or computer, usually, although there are some typewriter fans out there) before their brains get bored and they lose the story. People will get bored at different rates, but it's not reasonable to think that if we would get bored reading a short story thirty times, we would magically not get bored thinking about a story every day for thirty days. So sit down and write. There really isn't any other solution, save possibly writing a plot summary and filing that in the "to be written later" file. The thing is, of course, that many people aren't actually serious about writing, and they ignore the window of opportunity when it comes. That's fine, but it is their choice. Someone who gets tons of ideas but who doesn't write them out isn't serious about being a writer. (This doesn't stop the person in question from thinking they're serious, of course. We all know someone who smokes but is going to quit "soon," and people who want good grades but don't do the homework. Same deal.) So. Sit down and write. Don't "mentally plot it out," don't daydream, and close Wikipedia the next time you're looking up sword types for your story. Instead, open up your word processor and start typing. If you really find yourself stumped on some detail, write "He raised his ASIAN SWORD TYPE to block the oncoming spear" and then fill in the specifics later. It doesn't do any good to daydream or research for a story that never materializes. So write the story, and do research to fix errors and fill gaps afterward. Is this harsh? Yes. It's also the truth. In order to be a writer, you basically need to get ideas and then write them down. "Good writers" are people who do the writing down part with correct grammar, a coherent timeline, and sufficient detail that readers can see what is going on. Many more people want to write than actually do, just as there are more people who are totally going to get in shape this year than will actually do so. Some of these would-be writers get stumped by a lack of ideas, and I don't know that there's any help for them. (How can you write without story ideas?) But the others are only held back by themselves: when they get their story ideas, they don't take the time to write the stories down. This is why the golden rule of writing advice is "Write!" You have your ideas, and you have a month-long window to write them down. So take advantage of it.
Do I get bored with my ideas, yes! I have written a bunch of short stories that are uhh... medium successful here in Iceland. But the thing is for a year I could only write in TV Script format and only comedy. Because If all you write is that, that becomes a standard. Now at the age of 17, I actually can write anything. I stopped these comical stories because I want to write crime and mystery. I fell in love with crime/mystery after seeing movies like Clue.
Writing is sometimes very fun, and sometimes it is work--hard stuff that has to be hammered out and refined to make it good enough. Ideas are easy. It's getting them into story/novel form that is the hard part. Find a good story, work in it, hang in there and get it finished. The experience and success will only improve your ability to complete projects, improve your writing and move forward.
Like they say, writing is 1% inspiration, 99% perspiration. You seem to get stuck when the progress-bar is at around 1.1% Start with smaller stories. Get used to the full process of writing a story. Once you know how much work a story takes for you, you'll likely also be more critical of your initial ideas.
Hey all, I assume that there are some people on here who have or have had depression, me being one of them. I got over a particularly screwed up bout after making my first feature film which was kind of an awful experience. Anyway. Since then I have been writing screenplays on what i want to make next and for some reason everything I write feels like it is awful. When I start Iam kind of stoked but by the time the script is completed and I have gotten out all of the kinks I think it sucks and wonder what I was thinking. People who have read my stuff love it and wonder what I am talking about but I only see bad atmosphere and awful mistakes and feel trapped by it. I'm working on horror films and for some reason I can't seem to see whats cool or scary about these ideas. One of them I wrote is a werewolf film and before my depression I loved it more than anything and couldnt wait to see realised, now I think it's mediocre and not that scary, either that or I have lost my ability to be scared! I also don't see things as cool or get a buzz off ideas the way I used to even though I know technically they are good. It's like I automatically see everything in a really bad light, a grim and doomy one which seems to sour the project after completion. They used to be ideas as well where I thought that if someone else had made it I would be so jealous and eager to see it so I was making stuff that stoked me personally. It's like say I wrote the star wars script with the intentions of making, instead of seeing the magic of the film and that it could be much greater than the sum of its parts I would see it as a dumb crappy movie that's childish and probably wouldnt work and would be laughed at. I'd just like to add that I've been doing this for a very long time and know that I know my stuff not in a smug way I've just been doing this for 13 years now and I know when an idea sucks and why usually but this is something different. I also don't feel depressed at least not bad I have highs and lows here and there but I am out going and doing lots with myself. Help please.
I'm not a psychologist, and I have a very low opinion of those who practice amateur psychology. This does not sound like a typical writer's problem. What caught my eye in your post was, "I also don't feel depressed, at least not bad." You may want to seek an outside professional opinion on this. Good luck, and hang in there.
I'd suggest talking with your doctor about the depression. Also you may be burned out on your genre. You may just need a break from your normal work. Have you considered doing a project in a different genre, or perhaps do a horror spoof? Take a few days away from writing--read nonfiction, watch documentaries, go to museums, listen to music you don't normally listen to, read non-horror fiction, watch non-horror movies. In short, shake up your routine and thought patterns. Hope this helps. Good luck.
I agree with EdfromNY, You sound a little bipolar to me..ups and downs and then severe doubt that paralyzes... I would suggest medication from a good Psychiatrist (not talk therapy).
Self-critique is hard, post some stuff up here when you have settled and have commented on others to see what the general feel from everyone here is. Chin up soldier, real life is REAL!
I really do not like this statement. People who suffer with depression cannot simply "put their chins up". Statements like that add to the stigma attached to people with mental health issues, as if depression is a choice or the same as being sad for a few days.
I must agree with PurpleCandle. And I must go further - telling someone who has suffered from depression "chin up, soldier" is worse than saying nothing. It is callous and irresponsible.
I agree with Purplecandle and EdFromNY. Saying something like "Get happy, now!" is just really annoying and pointless. And impossible. I know the feeling, Appleguy. Just remember, you're judging your own work much more harshly than other people are.
Depression is a hard cloud to view the world through. While not clinically so, I had a very life-altering event in my life a few years ago that really altered how I feel about life and have been spending the two years hence to overcome some level of depression. My point is that it's hard to have an honest look at these things and even things we enjoy with a clear vision. From your post, it sounds like you are not at a low point but still feeling the tug of depression. If you see a Doc for it, good. If not, I agree with others that it's a good way to go. Someone very close to me (whom I lost..and is the cause of my issues...) was clinically depressed but understood what she needed to do to overcome the effects. That is to say, seek counseling and good psychiatric advice with regard to medications etc. It really worked for her and she was able to have a pretty enjoyable life. But yes, I should stop the pop-psyology/psychiatry too... To your issue with writing: You should probably allow yourself the same starting point most all of us have...We all hate our own work! You may already get this about yourself and unless you're delusional, you are going to be like most creative people with the will to get better. You want the quality of your work to not just be ok but to be professional quality and weigh your output against that. This is a good thing. It's hard to improve if you think your stuff is great from the get go. Problem is; how do get over the part of the mental gremlin that tells you it's junk? That's a hard one. I do freelance graphic design on the side (CD/DVD/Poster). I think pretty much everything I do is not good enough. I see Hugh Syme (for instance) and feel like a worm. Yet, last night I get a call referred from an occasional client to do another movie poster. I must do ok if, unadvertised, I get clients returning and doing referrals. I have an objective touchstone for me. People pay me and come back and send more people to me...Must be decent enough, I guess. That's the point for you. You may have written something wonderful but as do most normal creative people with the will to grow, it's hard to be objective with out output so the easiest default is to hate it. We all do it. You, my friend, are normal. I'm here for writing and have spent time reviewing others work which has been a great thing for my writing growth. I also posted a bit of my work and have got objective reviews from people who aren't family. Step outside of the family and friend realm...You will never trust their opinion. They aren't objective even if they think they are...and you know that. So, you have two layers to really navigate (emotions and objective reviews). These are practical and reasonably 'resolvable'. Good luck!
No but I don't plan - the story is as much a surprise to me as it would be any story I was reading. Even on rewrites characters change, develop, appear etc. For me it is exciting - I go on a journey with my characters.
For me new ideas are like falling in love. When it's new there is nothing better. This feeling that consumes you in every way. Over time that newness fades and you start having to remember why you still love it. I think we are addicted to that first rush. I know I am. It took me awhile to realize that it isn't boredom, it's just a that stage where the rush is gone and now it needs a little work. It's amazing how much we overlook while under the influence of that feeling. The hardest part of writing is getting that idea in the first place, everything else can be fixed or tweaked. Don't doubt your ideas, jump ahead to the next scene that gives you that feeling again. I did that and fell in love with my novel all over again. On my first novel it was like a roller coaster. Some days I would stare at the screen cursing it and myself. Others it was all I could do to keep up with myself, the words flew out of me. Like someone else said it's windows of opportunity. You can create them though, do it and take advantage.
That's a big probelm of mine too. I hate it too.. I won't like 5,00 words and I really didn't like it so I trash it. My friend said, ''why did you that? I liked it, it couldn't have been a book. '' Though on idea stays, but I am not wrting it until I know i can be a good Arthur. I wrote it onces before for publishing, I'm glad I said no. It could have ruined.
I'm gonna have to agree with her. If you want to be serious about writing, you have to get through it. You think carpenters love having to spend months on end building that building? Or that a professor loves reading through pages upon pages of term papers? If you made a goal to write something within a month, you need to keep at it regardless of how boring it seems.
Now I have a (I think) genius idea for a novel(no not a plot question, *whispers*cotigo!*whispers*) I just can't get myself to sit on my donkey and work on it. It is not that I have no free time, I have more then I need. AND I always have access to a computer. So I was just wondering what you all do to get your self writing agian. Please do not say it is your job so you have to do it Thanks in advance
I write because I want to write, and so I make the time to do it, especially when I have an idea that excites me. I daresay that if and when you really want to write, you will. You don't mention anything in particular that is keeping you from writing - no time-consuming commitments, no ailments of your own, no crushing personal problems. It sounds like the only thing keeping you from writing this great idea is...you.
You sound like one of the one hundred million would-be writers who will never write that novel they've had in mind for so many years. It's just not going to happen, because you won't do it. Millions of great novels have not been written because the would-be writers who thought of them just never bothered getting around to writing them. Would-be writers who just can't be bothered writing do not get any sympathy from me. I know that isn't what you wanted to hear. But we didn't want to hear that you have a great idea that you're just not going to write, either.
One suggestion: Make yourself sit down and write every day, but start with a small goal. For example, you must sit down and try to write for fifteen minutes, or you must write 100 words, something like that. At this point you don't have to work on your specific plot, you don't have to write good stuff, you just have to write words. Your _entire_ goal at this point is forming the habit, no more; don't distract yourself with any other goal. When you're reliably doing that, increase or add to the goal. This is what I'm doing--I'm working on the itty bitty goal of 200 words of fiction a day. (I already write several hundred words of nonfiction a day; that's not the problem.) ChickenFreak
You work on your novel 15 minutes a day--no more, no less. If you work on it more, you will burn out. If you work on it less, you won't get anything done. If you work on it for 15 minutes, you will look forward to doing it the next day. But if you have a genius idea for a novel, and your not going to write it, by all means, PM it to me.
I second what minstrel said. Writing takes discipline. You have to put in the time in order to succeed. If you're feeling overwhelmed, then perhaps you should try taking on a smaller project (i.e. short stories).
