I know how you feel... I was working on my book, very much on-and-off, for a number of years. At some point I think every writer questions themselves. It's normal. Just keep going, you've come so far already Good luck
I have plenty of unfinished or stalling writing projects and ideas accumulating, but I usually complete the stories I set out to complete. Something I did pick up along the way is that a lot of the times planning gets in the way. You may have planned for your story to go right and when you started writing it, the characters or events wanted to go left. You hesitate at such times because it doesn't stick to the plan, doesn't follow the intended path you set for it. Sometimes it's just a matter of letting it stray away from the plan and tagging along with it to see how it flourishes.
Thanks to everyone who has posted. It's actually made me feel a lot better knowing that I'm not alone in doing this. After having reflected on what people have said I think that my problem is probably that I want to write something amazing rather than just average - or worse - and so when I sit down to start I fixate on how I could improve it before I've even really given the original idea a proper chance. I'm going to take ZombieHappyMeal's advice in that I try and finish a truly awful first draft rather than having a few decent first chapters floating around and I'm hoping Ged'll be right in that it won't seem so bad when I've finished. Thanks again to everyone though - there wasn't a single unhelpful comment at all.
I agree with much of the advice already given. You need to stop rewriting and editing, and just get your first draft out. Then you can go back and edit / move things arounds and add news twists etc Remember that no matter how perfect you try to make it, if you're lucky enough to get published, your editor is going to ask you to change a lot anyway so stop agonizing so much over individual sentences and focus more on the bigger picture.
This is a problem I used to have. Until two years ago I found it near impossible to finish anything. Now I've realised that if a novel idea is going to fizz out on me it'll do so either in the outlining stage or within the first 5,000 words of the first draft - if it can make it pass that point then I'll take it all the way to completion. I find what keeps me stuck into a draft is the characters. I grow attached to certain characters during the planning stage (not to the point that it would make me change my mind about killing them off, mind!) and I stick with the story so I can continue writing about them. I also look for any specific scenes in the novel that I'm really psyched to write and then work towards getting to that point. I recently finished a 185k story that existed in mind for two months, took six weeks to plan (resulting in a 36k outline) and then nine months to write. In total, that's a year and two weeks from conceiving the idea to finishing the first draft. About halfway through I realised it would work better in first person rather than third person limited, and the tone wasn't right, but I knew if I restarted before I reached the end then I'd risk getting into a habit of restarting rather than finishing a project.
I know what you mean. Personally I oftentimes get a decent idea for a story in my head and I start to write. I do wonderfully until i hit a difficult section and have no idea how to continue, I get up, take a break, and never actually get back to the story. The majority of my stories are crafted in one sit down interval and if i can't finish it before then they are toast. Either I lose interest in the story and never return to it, or I start reading through the work that I performed and begin changing things, eventually giving the project up for a loss. I found that writing an outline for a story helps, giving me a clear cut road map on where to go. Eventually though even the outline can't help you if you are going through a slow section and it all comes down to discipline.
i'm actually in a similar position right now, except i'm finished with the rough draft and am now editing... and i hate my writing. I'm really proud of the first few chapters, but as i move on, i can't help but think, "What happened to my talent?" I've tried putting it away for a while, i've tried buckling down and pushing my way through the editing process... Nothing seems to work. i've gone through the entire novel at least 3 times making changes, and i still feel like it's no better (and in some cases worse) than when i began. anyone have any advice? (and my apologies, not trying to steal your thread. i just figured it would be better to post hear than post a new one on a very similar subject and clutter up the board)
I feel the same way sometimes. I have gone through the story so many times and Im happy with the beginning and most of the end, but it's the middle that keep bothering me. I can't turn it into something equal to the best parts, and I wonder, is it normal? I mean that the story is of different quality, that some parts are weaker and others stronger? I know when I read, some parts of the books I read are more boring than others, and it's not only because of what happens, but maybe the writer goes on and on about description of houses, places etc, which can be too much. or something happening at some point that I would like to skip but I don't etc. I think almost every book has those kind of passages that we feel we could skip or just read through quickly.
I'd say let someone else read it - someone who's a good writer/reader himself, someone you trust and someone whose opinions you respect. Make sure it's someone who will help you by being gentle and sensitive to your book, and then take the blow on the head and work on all the flaws that you may have missed. Take in the fresh perspective. And then I think, at some point, just push it out. If you've read it a million times and feel that you can't do anything to make it better - even if you don't feel it's perfect - just push it out. Sometimes maybe it'll never be perfect because in the end, words and rhythm don't really capture our imaginations 100% - it only captures a fraction of the emotion we have towards it, and the love we have for it. You're probably just afraid that it's not everything you want it to be. Trust that the reader will understand what you mean and your words will resonate with them somehow, and take the leap. Truth is, if Stephanie Meyer and Dan Brown could become international phenomenons - then I think we all stand a good chance, even if our writing isn't perfect (not read anything as flat as Meyer's writing, ever, and Brown's plain annoying and patronising - but they're an international success!) I think they are pretty good examples of when the quality of your writing matters far less than if your story intrigues people. They had a story people resonated with (not ones that I liked, but that's besides the point) - and that's all readers care about. It's only us writers who actually care about the quality of writing. I think I only know 2 or 3 friends in my whole life who actually care about the writing - the rest couldn't care less and only want the story. So as long as your images are clear and it follows an interesting plot, really, you're fine. And you might as well take the leap and instead of second-guessing yourself, maybe say, "Maybe they'll love it," instead of "Maybe they'll hate it."
thanks, that's actually quite reassuring. I think my biggest problem is i don't have many people i can trust to read it. most of the people who i want to read it don't have the time, and the people that do, i know i'll only get "i liked this" or "i didn't like that" out of 'em. i've thought about posting some here, but i need to do critiques before i can post any work of my own, and that in itself makes me nervous because i'm just a regular dude that likes to write; i don't know if my opinion will be all that helpful. (hence my signature) i've been working a bit on it today, and i've already nailed down one of the things that i wasn't happy with, (a character's personality didn't seem right) and now that i'm working on it, i'm feeling much more confident.
Proserpine. Yes, if I wasn't feeling blue, I would just be night. LOL. But I wanted to say I liked your part about finishing the story earlier. It's true. If I had finished, let's say a year ago, then I would have left out some of the best stuff. Sometimes I wonder if a story is like fine wine; the longer you hold out, the better it gets. I appreciate you saying what you said. Those few words make me feel better. But now another thought popped into my head. Alot of people brag about kicking out a novel in months. I wonder what they left out. Hmmm.
Put it into a drawer for one month to three months and come back to it. Don't touch it or think about it until then. It will help a lot. Promise.
Man, I can just imagine how that feels. Halfway through the story and the drive just dies. Well, do you have your complete plot-line down and have you written down a few lines for scene in your story? You may not work like this, but I used to just write out my story as an idea came along, waiting to see how it all developed, but I noticed I'd rarely ever get anything finished that way. Then I found the Snowflake Method and started writing down a line for each scene in my story, so I have a map of what happens. I noticed it's helped a lot and prevented my story from becoming a 'blur', as you said. I'm not sure if this is your issue, though. Maybe you've just spent so long on the story that you need to take a break and gain a fresh perspective on it. Maybe having another story that you can turn to, in a completely different genre, may help
Been writing since I was twelve, a knock on the laptop, a hundred words a day, seven days a week, well-nigh four frigging years, this year - the worst - I am equally convinced I should give up the whole dream. Wrote ten books since "The Big Inspiration", unfinished (of course), indulge in computer games and friends and fantasies( you know it), at every page thirty I say "Not good enough", and the books get forgotten. First book - I wrote about were-wolves. Jest, "My name is Tom Hankens, and I always knew I had super powers" that was my first sentence ever. Now writing long sentences of nothingness, of which the plots I totally lack control - war, woe, love, realism, existentialism, bohemians. Lost, right now. My friend helped, saying : "These sound crap." Remedy?
A warm summers day. A nice field in the country. A mountain of shrooms and then some speed for when you sit down to write about the stories that came into your mind.
Keep writing no matter what. We all have felt that way and yet for some crazy reason we continue on. It's in our blood and there is nothing you can do about it, lol. Perhaps try writing a short story first. If it is not good enough after the first few chapters, start another one and another one until it is. Good luck and know you are not alone in this crazy writing world of ours.
Hi, First up relax. Take a little time out and forget about it. There's nothing worse then simply knocking your head against a brick wall again and again and again. You need to have some fresh eyes to return to your book at this stage. Next I would suggest doing something related to your writing, but not actually writing your book for a time. You mentioned reviewing, and yes, I'd heartily recommend it. So do get involved, and in going through other people's work here, and finding what you think works and what doesn't, you should advance your own thought processes about your own work. Next, though I know you've invested a lot in your book, don't be afraid to start anew on another writing project. When you've reached a dead end where you're basically rewriting everything you've just written over and over again, you need to become fresh. And a new piece, even if its just a short story may help you with that, and allow you to return to your book in time. Also, though I know no one here will want to hear this, sit back and understand that writing is a long term project. Three years in? You're just getting started. I'm about sixteen in, and I only published my first book last year. You would also not believe the number of novel stubbs, many of them hundreds of pages long, that I have sitting on my computer. Probably the first thirty or so novels I wrote are still sitting here, never to be published or even completed. The next thirty are all at stages where I could consider returning to them and finishing them off now, many years later. And as I recall I was passionate about them all when I began writing them. So don't be in a rush. Think of writing as a marathon, maybe an ultra-marathon and not a sprint. Hope that helps and please don't think I'm trying to discourage you from completing your book. I'm not. But from my perspective writing has to be about passion. You have to love the story, you have to burn with excitement at what you write, what you want to write, and it sounds to me as though you've reached a point where you're no longer feeling that. My thought is that you need to find that feeling again. Best of luck.
I'm a pretty decent writer, I think, but I lack discipline, discipline and self-confidence. As soon as I start on something, I'm full of fire and energy -- then, as I get going, I start to question myswelf, and doubt. Before I know it, I'm questioning the viability of the entire project. After a few weeks, or months, I abandon the whole enterprise for something else, for a new topic, only to find myself entering the same cycle all over again... Any advice on how to get the self-doubting machine to stop?
THAT .. is a loaded question. I know of what you speak. The hampster running around in my head has been threatened with certain death when my mind whirrs in that way. Just like a break up or other difficult situations, take it one step at a time. Don't allow yourself to worry about the end of the project "will it be any good"? etc... Worry about what you are writing in front of you at the time. Maybe jot notes down about how awesome you feel at the start of the project and keep it handy. Find somewhere that inspires you to write more than others and focus on that - or try somewhere new each time to shake it up. You won't know what works for you until you try and break the pattern that you are in. I, for one, have a difficult time finishing my projects - so I am changing my pattern (slowly, but surely). I now write at different times of days, in different formats and places and it seems to be helping me keep at it. Good luck
When I first started writing, I was very self-doubting, and still am to some extent. Personally, the way I got round it was I stopped thinking of every project as the be-all and end-all of my writing career and when I found problems with it I finished writing it merely to write, and get better at writing. If you think something you're writing isn't great, just use it as a learning experience and at some point you'll find the project that you were born to write! (sorry, that last bit sounded a bit stupid)
Leah and CH878 have given some great advice here- sticking to a project and seeing it through to the end are really what writing is about. Otherwise anyone could write and the world would be flooded with half-finished books. As far as how to stick to something, learn to love the process. Self-doubt plagues every one of us, but remember that you are accomplishing something special by simply putting your words on the paper; so few people ever have the nerve to do so and you should be proud of that. Save the pieces you never finish because you might just decide to "cannibalize" them as Chandler put it and work parts of them into other stories. Every story is an exercise until you finish it, and they can all be useful even if they never go anywhere. Use feedback from forums like this one to encourage you to keep going, and best of luck!!! J
This is THE biggest problem I have as a writer as well but I have a couple of tips that may help overcome it. 1. At the beginning of a project, when you're excited and full of ideas and energy, write out several positive affirmations on index cards and post them over your desk. Read them to yourself every day until you start believing them. 2. Create artificial "deadlines" for yourself, as if you were a news reporter working for a demanding editor and had to get the your work done on time or face loosing your job. Alternatively, imagine that your deadlines are for a term paper, etc., for a course you're taking and must pass. No late submissions are allowed. You'll get a failing grade if you don't turn it in on time. No matter whether you're satisfied with it or not, you have to turn it in! Both of these techniques help me but I still struggle with this problem constantly and probably always will.
You just have to adopt the mindset that you are going to finish what you start. But that alone may not be enough to get you through, so you should break down the project into manageable pieces, and take pleasure in achieving small goals.
