Historical fiction writer with writer's block

Hello everyone. My name is Brynn Summers, and I write poetry and historical fiction. I have two novels under my belt and am working on my third but alas I have the dreaded writer's block. The story is sketched out but the actual writing of it is not coming. I hope to find help here. I will critique other works and offer advice to fellow authors as I have time. Thank you.

 

Hi, Brynn, and welcome to the forum! Please check out our New Member Quick Start Guide - it links to the Rules and has a bunch of other helpful information. It'll get you going around here.


Participate and have fun!

 

I love most historical fiction! What kind do you write, @BrynnSummers ?

 

I have one set in Ancient Greece. My other novel was a civil war diary analysis. The one I am working on now is based on Bonnie Prince Charlie's rebellion in Scotland.

 

Welcome.

 

Just an idea to try to get past that log-jam...I saw a TV production of Shakespeare's Macbeth set between two rival gangs in modern-day Glasgow. (A bit like West Side Story, but retaining the location and accents of the original - oh, and NO catchy songs!)

 

Thanks for the idea. I have the plot and the storyline all mapped out. But when I sit down to actually write, the words just won't come easily.

 

OK, you're more experienced than I am, so this may sound like teaching you to suck eggs, but my WIP is, likewise, pretty much plotted and mapped. But, where to begin? So, I've picked an inciting moment where there's some conflict. The actual historical record is pretty slim, basically a fracas occurred and some people on both sides got killed. So, I "invented" these people, tried to imagine how the fracas started, and wrote it. It may need expanding, but for now it's down. Next, enter my MC...and in this case, a bedroom scene with his wife. Ditto the imagination. Got it. Now, MC meets the authorities reacting to the fracas.

 

Thank you. I will see what I can come up with.

 

Welcome! I'm just a tiny newbie compared to your experience! I'm so excited to see people with completed works here. When you were first getting started, first considering writing, did you feel like you knew you could do it?

 

Yes, I did. My first book was a historical fiction piece set in Ancient Greece. I thought about the plot during my teen years but I did not write it until my first year in college. I would write 3,000 words each time I sat down to write a chapter. Then I would type it up and critique it until I liked it. Eventually I had 32 chapters and the story was complete. I had friends critique the work and then I selfpublished it.

 

To the little gentleman in the black velvet waistcoat!