Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Having trouble writing...

Options
  • 09-01-2013 9:06pm
    #1
    FudgeBrace
    Registered Users Posts: 216 ✭✭


    Hi :( So I just tried to write some more on my novel, but I just couldn't summon up the will or enthusiasm to write. I feel like it's not that great a story. Is this normal? Any cures? I don't ant to just leave it, it's at 12,000 odds which is the most I've ever written. I'm sad :(


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    Toasterspark
    Closed Accounts Posts: 273 ✭✭Toasterspark


    Sometimes you have to go back to the drawing board and look at what you were hoping to achieve from the story, and then reboot and get motivated from that.

    Maybe take a break from this particular story for a while? Write about something else and allow the creative juices to flow on another project.

    Another idea is to take a scene or a chapter from your story so far, and write it from another character's perspective. It never needs to be part of the story, but it can give you a new insight into another character, and motivate you to write more.


  • Options
    #3
    Das Kitty
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 17,231 Mod ✭✭✭✭Das Kitty


    It's normal to feel doubt.

    One day I could look at something I've written and think it's poetry on a page. The next day I might think it's utter horsesh1t.

    I have a pact with myself when I feel like that, I just battle through it and decide if it really is crap when the story is done. Go for a long walk and think about your story, inspiration may hit you.

    My advice would be just finish the thing. Even if you don't like it when it's done, you'll have learned a lot and the next thing will be better.


  • Options
    #4
    EileenG
    Registered Users Posts: 5,775 ✭✭✭EileenG


    You won't like this: Just write the damn thing. It's like going to the gym. Some times you really don't want to go, it's torture putting on your runners and getting out there, but you still do it. And like going to the gym, usually once you are there, it's okay and you start to enjoy it. But occasionally, it sucks all the time, but you do it anyway.

    Set yourself a writing target every day (or at least six days a week) where you write either for an uninterrupted hour, or write at least 1000 words. Keep telling yourself it doesn't have to be good, it just has to be words on paper. You can go back and edit all the crap out, all that matters is that you have something to edit.


  • Options
    #5
    dogmax
    Closed Accounts Posts: 158 ✭✭dogmax


    Oh yes this is very normal, as for cures, you need to chill out, get a few beers get yourself a good movie or a good book something that hopefully resemble close to what you're writing if you can then just relax, believe me you're not alone.

    (it's at 12,000 odds which is the most I've ever written)

    Congratulation so leave out the feeling of sadness okay, maybe reply to a few thread here or somewhere else just to get you back into writing, but whatever you do don't throw it in the bin.

    ( I feel like it's not that great a story)

    Remember, it was when you started, and I'm sure you didn't think you get (it's at 12,000 odds which is the most I've ever written) ah sh1t, now you have me feeling sad, but seriously, don't worry it will past.

    Ah fect it, one more time (it's at 12,000 odds which is the most I've ever written) you must be good.

    Now relax okay. :D


  • Options
    #6
    FudgeBrace
    Registered Users Posts: 216 ✭✭FudgeBrace


    dogmax wrote: »
    Oh yes this is very normal, as for cures, you need to chill out, get a few beers get yourself a good movie or a good book something that hopefully resemble close to what you're writing if you can then just relax, believe me you're not alone.

    (it's at 12,000 odds which is the most I've ever written)

    Congratulation so leave out the feeling of sadness okay, maybe reply to a few thread here or somewhere else just to get you back into writing, but whatever you do don't throw it in the bin.

    ( I feel like it's not that great a story)

    Remember, it was when you started, and I'm sure you didn't think you get (it's at 12,000 odds which is the most I've ever written) ah sh1t, now you have me feeling sad, but seriously, don't worry it will past.

    Ah fect it, one more time (it's at 12,000 odds which is the most I've ever written) you must be good.

    Now relax okay. :D
    Thanks for the reply, although I don't think I can get a few beers as I'm not eighteen but sure who has to know?hahah
    Yeah I wrote a bit more today and feel like it's going ok .:)


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    FudgeBrace
    Registered Users Posts: 216 ✭✭FudgeBrace


    EileenG wrote: »
    You won't like this: Just write the damn thing. It's like going to the gym. Some times you really don't want to go, it's torture putting on your runners and getting out there, but you still do it. And like going to the gym, usually once you are there, it's okay and you start to enjoy it. But occasionally, it sucks all the time, but you do it anyway.

    Set yourself a writing target every day (or at least six days a week) where you write either for an uninterrupted hour, or write at least 1000 words. Keep telling yourself it doesn't have to be good, it just has to be words on paper. You can go back and edit all the crap out, all that matters is that you have something to edit.
    Thanks! I just said to myself today, I said WRITE SOMETHING! ANYTHING!
    And it worked haha


  • Options
    #8
    FudgeBrace
    Registered Users Posts: 216 ✭✭FudgeBrace


    Das Kitty wrote: »
    It's normal to feel doubt.

    One day I could look at something I've written and think it's poetry on a page. The next day I might think it's utter horsesh1t.

    I have a pact with myself when I feel like that, I just battle through it and decide if it really is crap when the story is done. Go for a long walk and think about your story, inspiration may hit you.

    My advice would be just finish the thing. Even if you don't like it when it's done, you'll have learned a lot and the next thing will be better.
    Yeah that's true, even if it's terrible it's good to know what to do and what not to do from learning from mistakes.


  • Options
    #9
    Das Kitty
    Moderators, Arts Moderators Posts: 17,231 Mod ✭✭✭✭Das Kitty


    FudgeBrace wrote: »
    Yeah that's true, even if it's terrible it's good to know what to do and what not to do from learning from mistakes.

    Someone once said you have a million words worth of crap to write before you write something good, best get them out of the way. :)


  • Options
    #10
    dogmax
    Closed Accounts Posts: 158 ✭✭dogmax


    You're not eighteen, ah fect it, now I need a few beers. :D


  • Options
    #11
    pavb2
    Registered Users Posts: 2,919 ✭✭✭pavb2


    One strategy I'm trying out at the moment is writing biographies and describing the personalities of my characters, more detail for the main ones.

    What I am finding is the characters are becoming more lifelike, more human and this seems to trigger sub plots and a direction for them to go in. I'm taking each character and trying to visualise how the events and plot is perceived from their point of view.

    My thinking is that once I actually start writing I'll have a good idea of where the story is going and hopefully the words will flow more freely without the roadblocks and this groundwork will mean less time editing.

    Edit:One advantage of doing this is that breaking the whole thing in to tiny chunks means you don't get bogged down or daunted in thinking about the overall size of the project.


  • Advertisement
Advertisement