I like Terry's idea of starting a new story. Starting a new story will renew your interest and help you regain your "umph". Good luck!
Like I've mentioned before, I'm in the process of writing my first novel. I'm a perfectionist, especially when it comes to my writing. And, as I work on the plot, I'm beginning to doubt both my story, my ideas, and my overall ability as a writer. Is their anything I can do to regain my confidence in my writing so I may continue onwards? Thanks.
I had a similar thing happen to me not long ago, I ruined both my knees due to sporting injuries and can no longer play sport which sucks massively, seeing as I'm nineteen that was a fairly large amount of my life. When I tried to work on all my old stories I just couldn't do it, I had no passion for them anymore. I suggest writing something new using the physical and psychological experiences you've gained from your injuries, that's what I've done and I now have no issues with getting myself to write. Well, hope i helped.
Have you fully plotted the start of your story? If your questioning your story and your ideas you need to leave the plot for a bit and just write it, I know it'll be really hard and it probably won't be any good and will probably be deleted later when you're better, but it's something different about your story to focus on and should get some different lines of thought involved.
I might just have to strip down the story and start over, building back up around the central ideas. I wouldn't like it, but it may be necessary.
Scarecrow28 and AnonymousWriter, I think it is fairly common for writers to have concerns about the project they're working on and doubt their ability to 'pull it off'--to write something that meets their expectations, and reaches publication (if that's the goal). Talking about writing is easy. Actually writing, producing the best prose you absolutely can, isn't easy. It takes time, internal motivation, and perseverance. Researching, learning how to write (some call the craft) and sitting down and clicking away. Planning, Pondering, Writing, Revising, Editing, Polishing, Submitting. Realize that having actually participated in learning a bit about writing (well, you're on this site and I suspect you've in put more effort than that), pondered your project and have begun writing, you're farther along than a large chunk of 'writers' who only talk about it and occasionally dabble a bit. And you're obviously not satisfied with just whipping out a story and sending it off, falsely confident that some editor will see it as a diamond in the rough and will do the work to bring it up to the necessary quality. No one can tell you with certainty what you're working on will look like at the end. One thing that I can say for sure is that as you write, you will improve. Scarecrow28, you indicated you're a perfectionist. Then realize that you have to push through the first draft. By the time you reach the end of the novel, you'll be a better writer and can go back and edit/fix the flaws you see. And don't get too overly concerned about our novel being perfect. If you submit it for publication, and a house accepts it, an editor is going to work with you on it anyway. So don't obsesses about perfection. What you ultimately submit isn't going to be set in stone. Yes, submit the best work you're able to produce, but once you have, move on and write something else while your first project is seeking a home. Odds are, good as your first work was, the second's quality may be just a bit better. Hang in there Scarecrow28 and AnonymousWriter, do what it takes, push through the self-doubt, and don't give up. True, there is no guarantee of success, but not doing it guarantees failure. Terry
Thanks Terry I think I'm just going to end up scrapping everything I've done so far and start over from the beginning with only the basic plot points and build back up from their. The way I look at it, if I truly thought my plot was good enough, I wouldn't be questioning myself.
Happened to me, too-- after my dad lost his job, it brought out the absolute worst in my family but being the youngest there was nobody I had any right to bully and pass over the bad feeling. I got depressed in almost every way, and not being able to write creatively was one of them. Unless you write as a profession, though, I wouldn't force it. I stuck with rambling diary entries and objective articles and reports, and reading more about how to write than actually writing (since I was still interested, just tired.) I even took up a couple other hobbies instead, to replace writing for a while. I still had ideas, but didn't develop them. One time inspiration just dropped in, giving enough energy to actually get a vignette written out, and then the dry spell returned for another several months. Now I'm almost back to normal writing habits as I remember them. Just listen for what you need, I'd say, and the passion will return at its own pace.
Showing up is half the battle. I don't know if that's actually a saying, but it sure as hell sounds like one. Just write. It doesn't matter what you write. Try to set up a time during the day where you're not allowed to do anything else and just write about anything. Hopefully, things will begin to flow and your passion for writing will be reignited. I'll admit, there are a lot of days where I hate writing, yet I feel a driving urge to. On those days, I just sit down at my computer and start typing. Never try to "force" ideas, though. It just won't work.
I'm sure a ton of you get the I'll-die-if-I-can't-write-something-NOW! feeling. I get it too. And most of the time we can satisfy that feeling by writing. I don't have anything to write. I write to tell stories and I don't have a story to tell. This is annoying because it was my ultimate plan to write a lot this summer before I have to go back to school (and actually have to sleep at night). But all summer I've been searching for something to write. Something exciting. What I have been doing is writing little scenes. Most of them are in between 300 and 2,000 words, not very long. Originally, they were going to be the beginning to some story that hopefully after writing some of, I could come up with a plot and keep going (and actually, they didn't have to be the beginning, they could have fit in other places in a story). After looking at some of them, I realized that most of them were exactly the same. The issue was somewhat the same and the characters were the same (for some reason they are the same three main characters in every single piece I write). I've noticed that a lot of people on here write fantasy or sci-fi. I'm a realistic fiction person. Maybe my imagination just sucks. And it's hard finding something realistic that isn't the same story as any other. Does anyone else feel like this?
Every story that can possibly be told, has been told. It's just all in how you tell it. Just something to think about.
Yeah Alex, I've been there ... we all have. I think the fact that you are putting so much oressure on yourself to write is creating a mental roadblock. Relax.... yeah, I'll probably get ripped apart by the professional writers for this, but the fact is if you write for the joy of writing, stop forcing it and just let it happen.
Everyone has a story to write. You say you're a realistic fiction writer, so derive your stories from what's real. You can write fiction that heavily draws from your own experiences. In my opinion, that's the best kind of writing. Readers will be immersed in what's real, and if you write something that is your story, it will be much more enjoyable for you. Everything can be interesting, and everything can be creative-- even the most everyday things. Creative writing isn't fabricating an entirely new reality, it's taking what already exists (maybe something that's been done a thousand times), and rendering it in a way that makes it seem new. In the end, you don't need to look far for something "exciting." What you're looking for might already be there. Think about your life, think about your conflicts, think about what drives you, and think about the things that you see. It's a strange world, and in the end nothing is stranger than reality itself. Don't try to "force" the idea. That doesn't mean don't write-- write every day-- just don't try to force that idea to the surface. If it's there, it will come. Try to be aware of the world around you; observe the subtleties of your daily life. Know what you write, write what you know. That especially applies to "realistic fiction" writers such as you and myself. Some days, all I do is write about the frustration of not knowing what to write and the affliction of needing to write in general. Writing can be frustrating and cruel. I'm actually in the same boat as you. I just try to write what I know and what I care about. If what you write about is extracted from your life, it will be reflected in your writing.
I'm the same way. My plan was to write and hopefully finish my novel by the end of the summer, but the plot fell apart and I just couldn't get the motivation to write because I was "trying to hard".
It's definitely not the genre: you can put as many vampires and space ships in the piece as you want, but if the emotions can't apply to this world then I doubt it would necessarily be more interesting. I might suggest, to shake things up... - Raise the stakes. Pressure the characters until they betray hidden traits or take a course of action you didn't think you could make them do. - Subtract one of your three main characters (especially consider your favorite for the chopping block,) just to see how the dynamic changes. - Examine the flip side of something in your story. Like if it's a story about someone plotting revenge, try writing about somebody learning to forgive. If the scene is about a couple getting together, write another scene about their breakup. If the biggest concern is about the future, let it inspire you to write about someone researching the skeletons in their family closet. On the other hand, maybe it's simply the story you need to be telling / theme your psyche needs to explore, at the moment.
You say you want to write something exciting and original. Maybe that itself is limiting you too much. You're placing your expectations too high. Since you're having trouble just coming up with an idea, any idea, and getting started, maybe just try writing "boring" stuff first. Nothing monumental. Kid gets up and goes to school. What happens at the bus stop? On the bus? At school? At lunch? What about his homework or afterschool activities? His interactions with teachers, other students, etc.? Sounds really boring, but there are all sorts of mundane (realistic) story ideas there. Just pick something and start writing. And don't worry that it's probably already been done by somebody because chances are, it has. Again, you limit yourself too much. If you tell yourself you HAVE to write something exciting and original, then you'll probably not get anywhere. Then, once you get into the habit of writing lots of mundane, "boring" stuff, maybe more creative ideas will come to you. You have to take small steps, not a giant leap.
I know that feeling completely. I'm having the same problem myself right now. The worst part is that I get stuck on the stupidest things! (I haven't written in a week because I can't decide on a title for a chapter I'm starting.) It's an irritating feeling because, like others said it's tough to "force" yourself, but at the same time you don't want to let your ideas sit and rot, and then lose the drive to write something. There's a thin line between forced writing and working to cultivate an idea. Advice from a hypocrite: Take your time, and write down whatever comes to you, even if it means just throwing unrelated ideas onto paper. Sometimes that's enough to get you going.
When I force myself to write, the results are typically disasterous. But when I write when I get a "writing urge" the results are generally quiet good. The way I look at it, I'd rather take longer to write a GOOD novel that write a bad one in a month or two.
Plenty of good suggestions above. I'll add one which I've found helpful when things are going bad, as they sometimes do. For once, instead of writing everyday, take a week out of your life and write absolutely nothing. Nothing. Read as much as you can, but let not a pen hit paper or finger keyboard. It's a bit like keeping a greyhound back during training so it'll have a better incentive to chase the 'hare'. Sometimes, results can be achieved by giving your mind time to digest and filter ideas and themes. Resting the process of expression (writing) and giving the subconscious the chance to kick in can go a long way to producing the required effect.
Hey everyone, happy thursday to you all. I've tried finding a similar thread but I didn't manage to. I'm in a band, and we're doing really well in our town and we've got quite a big fan base. I'm loving every second of it! Anyways, we've started to write our own songs again. Being the vocalist, and "The guy who writes" I'm expected to bring the lyrics to the band. I love writing lyrics and stories but I havn't written lyrics in such a long time and now I can't get back into it! The rest of the band have made tons of instrumental pieces and many lyricless songs, which we've recorded so I can sit at home and write to. I'm having such a hard time writing pieces to fit to the material they've made, and it's amazing stuff they're coming out with. I don't want to sit and wait for inspiration to hit me, I wanna smack inspiration in the face first because I feel I'm letting the rest down by making them wait so long. Especially when we've got loads of shows coming up and we want to play our new songs. Does anyone have any similar experiences or tips they can share to help me? I'm in desperate need!
I never have figured out a way to "smack inspiration in the face", dazbiz. Lol. Good luck with that. My advice always remains the same. Write your way thorugh it, and maybe you'll wind up with something worth keeping.
I don't know what to tell you, Alex. I usually have the opposite problem. Too many stories to tell and not enough time to write them all.
