I think the point is professional writers -- those who must write in order to earn a living -- are not stopped by writer's block. They write to meet deadlines. Personally, I think writer's block is purely an amateur construct. Entirely psychological. Professionals often don't have the luxury of waiting to be in the mood to write.
I have gone years (like, almost 15 I guess) without writing, and I didn't think of being a writer THEN! When i finally took it up last summer I got totally captivated by it and now I can't stop either I was talking about the right timing of things, if writing is not a priority in your life then maybe this is not the right moment for you, but it doesn't mean there never will be. at some point you might wanna write just for pure fun without wanting to dedicate all your free time to it, but maybe further ahead you will be ready to make a serious effort of becoming a professional writer. We shouldn't force something that doesn't come natural. (and I'm not talking about the kind of forcing that Spklvr was talking about, I take that as a need of discipline rather than forcing.) Like you being a writer was all I wanted from childhood, but in the same way as you i've ignored that, I considered that an impossible dream, so impossible that it wasn't even worth pursuing. Now that Im older and (hopefully) wiser I know every dream is worth persuing, if you want it bad enough, and no one else is going to make your dreams come true for you. you gotta go for what you want and that is what I am doing. even the knowledge that you do something actively to fulfill your dream is a kind of satisfaction. I might never be a published writer but at least I'll know I tried my best to make that dream come true. no one can do more than that.
Does anyone ever spend ages planning out a story idea they've had but then as soon as they're a few chapters into it get bored? This has just happened to me - again. It's starting to bug me a little that I can't see to finish anything I start. My current work in progress is only two chapters long and is something I've been working on for a few years. But now I've started writing it I'm having doubts about the style and perspective - like I'm wondering if it would be a better story if written in third rather than first person and if the main storyline would be better as a sub-plot so that one of the current sub-plots could take its place. I think I'll probably end up changing it again but I'm sort of worried as soon as I start working on the newer version I'll get bored and want to change it again. So I was just wondering firstly if anyone else ever has this problem and secondly what you do about it. Anything vaguely helpful would be appreciated. Thanks
What you've described is almost exactly the same problems I have (the first person/third person thing is something I'm currently experiencing). I've started countless amounts of stories but never get past the second or third chapter. I find that when I write a detailed plot outline so I know exactly what to write in each chapter or section of my story, I tend to get "bored" a bit slower, though there have been times when I write just for writing's sake so I can wrap up a story I've lost interest in.
Sounds like you didn't make good use of your planning time if you're running into elementary problems like this. Selecting a point of view boils down to how close you wish to be to your character and his thoughts. Regarding plot, ideally you should know how the story ends before beginning. It will save you a lot of time. From there, it is just a matter of creating the requisite number of scenes in order to make the ending credible. So you may find it helpful to create a scene list. This is what I do, and I find it works very well. List all of the scenes of your story, write a small paragraph summarizing what the scene is about, the key characters, and what is supposed to happen by the end. That's all. The point is to leave it open enough for exploratory writing, but structured enough that you know where you're going. Sometimes boredom can be a subtle nudge from your mind telling you the story's gone off track. However, sometimes you may feel bored because the scene is outside your comfort zone, and you'd really rather be writing something else. You have to figure out which is which. If it's just a difficult scene, there is no option but to push forward.
I would suggest another approach: less planning. Try experimenting with just writing, straight off the cuff. Of course it helps to have some overview on where you're going, but I find that I get the best ideas when I'm in the actual process of writing.
My problem exactly. I've started so many novels, the farthest going only up to 25 thousand words. Then again, I don't think I planned those enough, and I'm trying to plan a basic event timeline for each chapter for this novel. If I'm getting bored with an idea, I just throw in another twist to make it interesting for myself.
I feel like what happens with a story that I plan far to much. I get an idea of how great my story is and if everything isn't perfect in the first draft I am unhappy. The perfection is in my head already and when it is not perfect on the page I give up. I end up being afraid to fail because so much time and effort has gone into the planning of the novel. I think that the answer is to give yourself permission to write a terrible book. That's what I have done in the past and it works for me. I put all the planning in and sit down to write a real piece of crap. Granted I don't try to make it bad I try to write the story as best as I can, but I give myself permission to fail. Having the preconceived notion that the the novel is not going to be perfect and might not even be good, lets me explore everything I want to explore and write without restraints. My advice to you. Write a terrible novel. I think you will be happy with the results.
Posted the same thing twice for some reason and couldn't figure out how to delete the second copy of it.
Choose a concept that you feel is urgent for people to know or for people to be reminded of. Build a novel or short story around that concept. For example, that people should be made more aware of: 1. The need for peaceful resolution to international problems 2. The need for a better educational system that produces responsible citizens. 3. The need or better health-care system 4. The need for more research on longevity 5. The need for less military spending 6. The need for a shift to non-polluting renewable fuel 7. The need to provide training for those who would be parents 8. The need to have a better detection system for possible incoming asteroids. etc If the need's urgency is felt strongly enough and you feel that your writing will make a difference, then boredom is far less likely to set in. Also the previous advice about giving yourself some rope is important. Remember, even professionals revise their work because most of the time their first draft and even their second draft isn't good enough and needs polishing.
Maybe because you are writing simply to write instead of really having something to write about. Not being derogatory, but I noticed I couldn't finish some of mines because I tried to stretch a little idea into a big thing.
I second this. Don't obsess over having a perfect first draft. Allow yourself to write the story you want and worry about the quality later. You could also turn the planning thing into an actual first draft, a very rough draft, but still. Or maybe you're the kind of person that find planning a story and develop it more satisfying than the actual writing it down, because you have already explored the story world in your mind. Maybe less planning could be helpful. Start with just a general idea or a theme and get straight to writing and see where it leads you.
Guilty. Do this a lot. I know full well I shouldn't, since the plot's already been done for me - I'm writing biographical historical fiction. But I still do it, and it drives me crazy. What I find helps is just writing a scene entirely in dialogue, and filling the gaps with description and action later. At least that way you've got something down. Writing dialogue is much easier than writing full prose when you're in a bit of a pickle.
Day after day, week after week, month after month I have been writing; sometimes in the morning, sometimes in the evening and sometimes during the day. I re-read and edit, throw things out and add things in. It’s been 3 years and 2 months since I began my story. 52,000 words later, I’m only half way through. Now I’m feeling a little down. This is my first story. I want to put my best effort into it. But now it’s becoming a blur. Anymore, I don’t know what’s good about it or bad about it. Have any of you gone through this?
I started my story, didn't touch it for two years, then finally finished this spring. It was incredibly depressing in that time when I wasn't making progress on it, so I can relate to your feeling. I agree with you that the longer the time spans and the more time you spend on it, the bigger a blur it all becomes. The best advice I can give you is to quit re-reading and editing. rereading what you wrote the day before and making basic obvious changes would be fine, but don't let yourself get bogged down. At this point, you just need to get the draft done. When finished, you can figure out all the plot holes that you totally missed and start fixing for a second draft. A lot of people don't do this, but I had someone (an avid reader and writer) read my draft and we talked through the issues together... this was helpful in doing the second draft. Push through to the end... it will feel fabulous.
All i can think of is Writer's Block? I know this sounds ridiculously crazy, but you can change the gender of your main character. Or change the theme of the story. Or just write whatever comes to mind and mix it up. For example, two words that are coming to my head right now: Rain and School. So if you put those two together, you can write about a school where it rains alot as improv to stir up your writing juices. But this is all a example. It might not work for you as it does to me. But just keep trying! Eventually you will get there!
AJ Smith. Thank you so much for your response. I appreciate your reply and your motto. I needed that. I have a co-worker who is an avid reader. But I guess I have been stuck in my own world. What do I do? Do I just ask her to read it? That's probably the hardest thing for me to do. I have never let my manuscript out of my hands. But your words hit me deep and hard. Maybe it's time for just that. Actually, that's a good idea.
Have you literally stopped writing new stuff mid-plot? Or have you completed it and need to fill in the blanks? If you know where your story is going just write. It doesn't have to be good or complete writing. I think when you've hashed out the entire plot it will be easier to come in and add more, alter the beginning and so on to make it more cohesive and complete. If you don't know where the plot is going you probably want to move on from revising what you have as well because spending so much time on it and not even knowing if the revisions will hold once you've completed the story can be frustrating now and in the future. Maybe try writing scenes that are NOT intended for the story using the same characters, settings, themes, etc. to help you come up with ideas of what these characters might realistically do; and maybe even some new dialogue and better details to add in to what you already have. This only might be a good idea. You've clearly been working on this story for a long time and it might really be time to back off. Start a new story--maybe those two will end up colliding and becoming one in the future when you come back this one. Good luck
Definitely know what you mean haha. I had my story in my head since I was 19, and then hit a 2 or 3-year-long writer's block after 44 pages. First ever novel too, so can't give it up, I just can't do it. Anyway, got rid of the block, got writing again - I'm at around your stage - about 51,000 words so far and yes, I'm about half way through! I'm 24 - so the story's been with me for the past 5 years and continuous writing probably for about a year altogether. I've rewritten the whole thing twice already and my first draft isn't even done yet. At the moment I've hit a minor block - no matter how new the writing is, even if it's just a day-old and I've only read it once, I can't feel it. I can tell it's not that it's bad - I just can't seem to FEEL the writing and KNOW it's good, rather than intellectually realise that it can stand on its own two feet (or so I hope anyway). It's all a blur, as you say. Truth is, I think it's fear. I was writing an email about this and then I just started crying when I got to the part where I wrote "I'm just afraid that the whole story SUCKS." (after 5 years of loving my story, that'd be quite a bombshell I tell ya ) Anyway, the editor I hired basically told me to read a few books on how to write good fiction and - here's the key piece of advice I picked up - ENJOY BEING TOLD THAT YOU'RE A GOOD WRITER. Just enjoy it, enjoy being told that you should write, and that you're gonna be successful. Is that a bit too much daydreaming? Yeh, sure, maybe. But will that get you writing if you eventually bring yourself to believe it? Yeh, I think so. So that's the tactic I'm gonna try - besides, no harm done studying the techniques to good writing. I got nothing to lose I'd say share your story once you actually have a first draft - by the sounds of things, you don't have that yet. Pick who you choose wisely, because someone once almost gave me back my writer's block (and though I shouldn't hate, I do still hate her for it) - she almost convinced me to give it all up, throw in the sack, called me talentless and hopeless and that I should stop wasting my time. She had me convinced. I trusted her judgement. I'm just saying, when you're feeling low about your writing, you gotta be all the more careful about who you share with. Make sure it's someone who will be gentle and sensitive to you and your story - that doesn't mean they shouldn't criticise it, but there're constructive ways of doing that. I just mean find someone who's actually good at HELPING you rather than simply critiquing you. There's a world of difference and I learnt that the hard way! However, do share your story. They say if you love someone, you let them go. So apply that to your story Let your story fly out of your hands and see how it transforms and returns to you looking even more beautiful than you'd thought possible. There's nothing sadder than a book that's never read, or a story that's never written.
Wow Summer. You are straight forward. Thank you. I'm just a little overwhelmed at the responses I've had. This is a great site. Okay, I've finished my story and yes, I need to fill in the holes. I've had two great suggestions so far. And I like the idea of writing a new story. I have been wanting to do that. Maybe you're right. Maybe they will come together. What can I say? I'm new here and I'm getting blown away. That's awesome. Now, maybe tomorrow, I can actually digest what all of you are saying. Too much info coming right at me. Love it.
mckk. Ya'll are killing me. Too much good stuff. Why am I responding? I don't know. I made a post and two minutes later I'm getting shredded. This forum has no mercy. You wrote a long piece and I read it word for word. Good Info. Thank you. I'm just going to say it now. I'm going to have a beer and check this page tomorrow. This site is too much.
You could ask your co-worker, but as someone else said, be careful about who you ask to read it. Not only should they be an avid reader and aware of what goes into a good piece of writing, but they should be skilled and open to discussing the good and the bad with you in a constructive way. Not everyone can do that. Some people will just read and say 'it was great' or 'it was terrible'. You need someone who can read it and say 'this is what I liked, but this area needed work'. It is not someone to re-write, but to give you feedback so that you can get a direction on how you want to re-write. I hope that makes sense.
Blue Night, if you weren't feeling blue, would you just be Night? So much good advice here already. I will just add that I have had the same characters in my head for the better part of a decade now. After several false starts, I am finally writing a fuller plot with a better understanding of my characters. I am an eternal optimist. Think of it this way- if you had finished writing your novel earlier, you would not have the experience and skills that you have now to better enhance your characters, and your story. Good luck with your writing!
This, but with a twist. I agree with not having exigent standards the first time through, but don't assume your novel will be absolute shyt once you finish the first draft. It's quite possible that you'll have a decent novel on your hands, no matter how choppy or senseless it seemed to you during writing. All I'm saying is that not even the first draft will be crap, unless your vocabulary comprises 10 words and you've been taking writing lessons from Meyer.
