# Ive lost my story within my story



## YoShoKenDai The Dragon (May 16, 2017)

It seems that with the excitement to write chapters and immerse my readers in a world I have misplaced the story...I deeply need to flush out the development of characters which I've done poorly up to now...I wanted to leave a sense of wonder to my characters but I believe I've failed...now I've put my main character in a fight he shouldn't win..in a meeting that should impact him tremendously but something he is clearly not ready for...sigh...but I fear rewriting it.


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## Michael K. Eidson (May 16, 2017)

YoShoKenDai The Dragon said:


> It seems that with the excitement to write chapters and immerse my readers in a world I have misplaced the story...I deeply need to flush out the development of characters which I've done poorly up to now...I wanted to leave a sense of wonder to my characters but I believe I've failed...now I've put my main character in a fight he shouldn't win..in a meeting that should impact him tremendously but something he is clearly not ready for...sigh...but I fear rewriting it.



Best get over your fear...

writing is rewriting - Google Search


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## YoShoKenDai The Dragon (May 16, 2017)

Michael K. Eidson said:


> Best get over your fear...
> 
> writing is rewriting - Google Search



Yeah...I've done it before...I just never enjoy it


"Secondly, there was YoShoKenDai the Dragon, who was ambitious and powerful."


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## Michael K. Eidson (May 16, 2017)

I guess that's why some writers believe in outlines and adhering to them.  Not that my outlines are edicts that I must obey at all costs. But I find it tremendously helpful to write with story structure in mind. It has kept me from writing certain scenes too early in the WIP, which sounds like it might be your problem.

I have a target overall word count for my WIP of 120K. With that target, I know that the First Plot Point should come after about 30K words. Those first 30K words are for character development, an inciting event, getting the characters (and the reader) ready for what's to come in the second act. The characters are interacting, but not with the impact of a First Plot Point. I don't know how much thought you've given to story structure, but writing with it in mind can help to keep you from jumping too soon into certain scenes that you're eager to write.


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## skip.knox (May 16, 2017)

Happens to me regularly, even though I'm familiar with the pitfall. Even though I plan for character development, have backstory written, and so on. As I write, I just get too eager to tell the plot. I have to keep slowing myself down, doubling back, rewriting. 

When I get discouraged here's the pitch I make to myself. Writing is an art form, like playing the piano, painting, whatever. I do not expect myself to be able to write a new song simply by sitting at the piano or picking up a guitar and have the thing come out whole and hale. No, I noodle around, jot down phrases, wander off and come back. Even when the song is "done" it still sounds different when I record it or perform it, and right away I see problems I ought to have avoided from the start.

I take that in stride. It's part of the creative process. No big deal.

A novel is so much more ambitious, why do I think somehow the first draft should be anything other than a disaster? Yes it's a lot of work. For a five minute song I could easily put in a hundred hours when I was getting started. I haven't done that in ages. I'm not fast, but I'm faster.

So it must be with writing. I just need to keep practicing. That means keep *finishing*. Just writing doesn't count. I've got that one down. It's the whole beginning, middle, end thing that I need to practice. I don't have enough years left for hundreds of attempts, but I sure do need more than two or three attempts before I should start expecting to see noticeable improvement.


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## Rkcapps (May 16, 2017)

I often write scenes I cut but I put it down to experience and getting to know my characters and story better. I don't expect this book to be readable for any but a few helping me improve. That knowledge doesn't stop me, finishing a book is the experience I need no matter how I get there so I keep editing. I've finished mine but I just cut 60000 words. The story is changing and ever evolving but it's all part of my process. Be brave enough to keep going and find your process


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## R Snyder (Aug 30, 2017)

Michael K. Eidson said:


> I guess that's why some writers believe in outlines and adhering to them.  Not that my outlines are edicts that I must obey at all costs. But I find it tremendously helpful to write with story structure in mind. It has kept me from writing certain scenes too early in the WIP, which sounds like it might be your problem.
> 
> I have a target overall word count for my WIP of 120K. With that target, I know that the First Plot Point should come after about 30K words. Those first 30K words are for character development, an inciting event, getting the characters (and the reader) ready for what's to come in the second act. The characters are interacting, but not with the impact of a First Plot Point. I don't know how much thought you've given to story structure, but writing with it in mind can help to keep you from jumping too soon into certain scenes that you're eager to write.



"I don't know how much thought you've given to story structure, but writing with it in mind can help to keep you from jumping too soon into certain scenes that you're eager to write."  Patience. It's hard to learn, it's necessary. I would add to your point that there is nothing wrong, if you have a good idea for a scene, one you know that your going to write at some point, to put what you're doing aside and knocking it out, getting it down. Scenes, especially important ones, get better with time. So write it and PUT IT IN ANOTHER FILE until it's time to plug it into the story. When you need a break, open that file where you've put that scene and other odds and ends and play with them for a while. Then get back to writing patiently.


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## CardboardKing (May 18, 2020)

Rewriting might seem intimidating, but it is easily overcomed.
Atleast for me.


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