The Sheilawisz's Guide: How to Finish your Stories.

[Sheilawisz]

After following Phil's thread about why you are not published yet, I realized how many of my fellow Fantasy writers here in Mythic Scribes have not finished their stories... That was quite a surprise, and so I decided to start another thread to give my advice about how to actually finish what you started to write.

I have been writing seriously my own stories since 2003, and after these nine years of work I have finished three novels in my first Fantasy series (now I want to expand it to seven) two novels of my Joan of England trilogy and last April 16th I finished my second series composed by five short novels, which took me loads of hard work after I started it back in 2007.

So, how have I achieved all of these novels?? We all can finish what we start to write, and my first advice to those who feel that they cannot finish a novel is this: You have to feel a true love for your stories, your characters and your worlds, you need to really be happy and proud with your creations...

Without that, you are not going anywhere!!

When I joined Mythic Scribes in November 2011, the first thing that I started to talk about was the discipline that it takes to keep writing and finish a novel- Without a good writing discipline you cannot finish a novel, you must always keep that in mind and practice, practice and practice even more to be a dedicated writer fueled by your love for your creations.

1- You have to really love what you are creating.
2- Believe in your own writing talent.
3- Practice to build up your writing discipline.
4- When that voice tells you that you are not good enough, shut it up.
5- Keep writing, even in those days when you feel sad, tired or not creative at all.
6- Celebrate when you finish every chapter.
7- Give yourself rewards for finishing a chapter or some important part of your story.
8- Keep writing!!
9- Keep advancing!! A great reward is waiting for you when you finish your novel.
10- I don't care if you don't feel in the mood to write today, sit down and write!!
11- When you feel that you cannot write anymore, think that your characters are waiting for you to finish their adventure.

12- Finish your novel at last, and celebrate... celebrate big time =)

To those of you who have never finished the novel that you started, let me tell you that it brings a great feeling of success and euphoria that you must experience someday... for me, writing a novel is just like climbing a huge and steep mountain full of challenges and surprises- Keep climbing, and eventually you will reach that summit so high and you will start to cry of happiness and pride.

Everything in this guide works well for me, and I wish that it will work for you as well... good luck!!

 

[Steerpike]

This is a good list, Sheilawisz. I find number 5, 8, and 10 are particularly important!

 

[TWErvin2]

It is so important for writers to finish their works--novels, short stories, whatever.

Many writers talk about their works or writing, but never actually finish. Sure, the odds of finding a publisher, even with an excellent work, are long. And even success with self-publishing, however one would define success, is not guaranteed.

Whatever long odds are out there, it's absolutely impossible to succeed if a project is never finished and never send out into the publishing world. Zero chance. None at all.

 

[Amanita]

Your post inspired me to write this evening. Even though I thought I was too tired before. And it went really well. So thumbs up. Discipline really is an important aspect if you actually want to finish your story at some time, which I definitely do.

 

[Leif GS Notae]

All right, since I've been away for some time, I'll be the bad guy here.

This is a nice list and all, but you didn't take into account the evolution of abilities to write, nor the tastes that might change while you are learning.

Many times we have large goals, but the skill to finish said goal isn't there. Other times we think we have the passion, but with learning new ways to express yourself, you tend to lose the fire and passion to continue with a fragment of your interest that now seems childish.

This is not the zen way of writing, in my opinion. Finishing to finish does not make a great novel. You must have passion and focus to do so. If any of that wanes, it transcribes itself onto the page and you will never know why you can't get behind the project anymore.

The other side of this coin is the ones who can't finish pants too much. They don't have the outline in front of them, even if it is only major points to cover. Too many people are afraid of outlining, but it can be as simple as you make it (as long as you cover your topics).

And one last thing you might want to include on there: Stop writing like a reader.

Don't get yourself into the trap that you "have to write beginning to end, and if you don't, you are worthless." If you can't get to the end, just write the end. See what you think it will be. It may give you a clearer picture on where to lead your story, if you still want to.

 

[Philip Overby]

Thanks for this list Sheilawisz. I hope some will read about your success in finishing and it will push them to finish their own novels. I think having a structured plan to write everyday and write even if you aren't in the mood for it, is advice that a lot of published writers give. Editing, is of course, a magical tool. Sometimes writers have said they've cut whole chapters, characters, and even 100s of pages from a manuscript before they get it the way they want.

But you can't edit forever. At some point you have to be satisfied.

So I think not finishing comes down to several things:

1. Quitting because it's not working
2. Losing interest and finding a shinier idea (which I call Creative ADD)
3. Editing too much
4. Fear of rejection
5. Feeling overwhelmed by a mixture of those

Whichever one is giving you trouble, target it however you can.

Finishing just to finish can be a good thing. Even if your novel sucks, it is complete. And the more you complete, the better you'lll get. Don't just write crappy stuff just to write it. But don't be afraid to have bad days of writing.

 

[Devor]

And one last thing you might want to include on there: Stop writing like a reader.

Thank you. Do you mind if I use that line?

 

[Leif GS Notae]

Thank you. Do you mind if I use that line?

Sure thing, I'm happy to share. Spread the unshackled writerly love

 

[Penpilot]

Quoting Wayne Gretzky (hockey player)
You miss 100% of the shots you don't take.

When you're just learning to write IMHO it's better to just finish even if it sucks. You can learn a lot from finishing a bad story. I know I did. Never stop being a student. If you think you've learned all you need to learn then you've probably said all that you've have to say.

But what the hell do I know? I suck. I hate my stories. I'll never be good enough. I'm too sad to write. I want to eat cheese fries instead. *Sob* *Wheep* Going to go have a Near-Beer and slam my head on the keyboard for an hour now. Infinite monkeys on infinite typewriters... *boo hoo*

 

[Leif GS Notae]

Quoting Wayne Gretzky (hockey player)
You miss 100% of the shots you don't take.

When you're just learning to write IMHO it's better to just finish even if it sucks. You can learn a lot from finishing a bad story. I know I did. Never stop being a student. If you think you've learned all you need to learn then you've probably said all that you've have to say.

But what the hell do I know? I suck. I hate my stories. I'll never be good enough. I'm too sad to write. I want to eat cheese fries instead. *Sob* *Wheep* Going to go have a Near-Beer and slam my head on the keyboard for an hour now. Infinite monkeys on infinite typewriters... *boo hoo*

Yes, but forcing yourself to end a book, to use a hockey analogy, is like shooting the five hole the entire time and expecting you'll make it past the goalie every time. You have to change your approach, use your teammates to help you, and every once in a while, it passes through with luck (not that it is a bad thing, of course).

Being fluid in your writing also means being fluid in your story. Write whatever comes to you, and if it all ties in together, then you did great. If not, that piece will help you build a better story (either now or in the future).

 

[Sheilawisz]

Thanks for your comments, everyone!!

@Terry and Phil: I agree about the importance of finishing your first novel, no matter if it is good, bad, short, long or whatever- The mere fact that you finished it instead of forsaking your creation gives you confidence to keep writing, and from that point it becomes easier to finish your second novel and then another... or at least, that's how it happened with me =)

I started my first Fantasy novel as a short story just to have fun, but then it seemed to just grow with a life of its own: I was starting to love my story and my characters, I wanted it to grow more and become a real novel, and so, after a great effort, I finished it and after that two more novels came and the story captured my imagination and my heart forever.

What would have happened if I had just abandoned it to collect dust as a few sheets of paper??

My first novel back in those days was clearly not my best work, at least not at first (I have edited it for years since then, and I still want to polish it a little more) but if I had not finished it, even finishing it as the poor quality that it was back then, today I would not have this story that is now such an important part of my life...

@Leif: I think that as writers, like anything else in life, we get better with experience- The first novel that a writer gets to finish cannot be expected to be immediately a highest quality novel, but the importance of finishing the first book is still there. Like Terry says, it's the first step to take because otherwise you have nothing.

I wanted to give my advice here because all of this is what works well for me, and I hope that it can work to help others too... However, we all are different in the way that we write and each of us, after all, has to find the way that works best for writing our own stories.

When you say outlining, you mean having in mind a clear idea of what the novel is supposed to be? I call that having the Structure of the novel and I usually write it down in paper, but I want to talk about that tomorrow =)

 

[Penpilot]

Yes, but forcing yourself to end a book, to use a hockey analogy, is like shooting the five hole the entire time and expecting you'll make it past the goalie every time. You have to change your approach, use your teammates to help you, and every once in a while, it passes through with luck (not that it is a bad thing, of course).

I disagree that it's like shooting five hole all the time. You learn from each shot you take and you use that knowledge to find the goalies weakness. If you only take one shot, you cant learn as much. Without enough information, how do you know if you should change your approach or not? The five hole may be that particular goalies great weakness.

Being fluid in your writing also means being fluid in your story. Write whatever comes to you, and if it all ties in together, then you did great. If not, that piece will help you build a better story (either now or in the future).

I'm not sure I'm understanding you here, so correct me if I'm responding to something you didn't say.

Fluid writing comes with practice and practice develops control over ones writing. Control means a writer will be able to do things on purpose instead hoping a piece of writing turns out because they were in the zone that day. Writing requires many different skills and a subset of those skills is acquired by finishing stories good, bad and everything in between.

I'd even go as far as to say finishing a bad and uninspiring story is more helpful than finishing a good one. If an author knows what they wrote is bad that's a lessoned learned. If they can figure out what's wrong with the story and can figure out how to fix it, that's two lessons learned. And all this acquired experience can be applied to the next story.

From personal experience, I've finished my share of terrible stories. But because I finished them, I had lots to work with when I went back. And I worked them into something better, dare I say even good. You mentioned people should outline, well, a terribly written story can be considered an outline, and for some authors, that's the way they work, first terrible draft is the outline.

 

[Phin Scardaw]

Phin's input:

I wrote a fantasy novel in highschool which I pantsed the whole way. It was fun, but it had almost no literary worth. The act was satisfying in and of itself, and the fact that I had finished the first draft of an full-length manuscript gave me confidence I needed to complete future projects.

My first serious attempt to write a manuscript that I intended to submit to agents and publishers began when I was 19 living in Vancouver with no friends and no job. At the time I was reading a lot of Neil Gaiman's work, but then I was introduced to Michael Ondaatje and Anne Michaels, neither of whom write fantasy but lyrical works of serious literature. I wanted to inject literary depth into my work and create the most sophisticated piece I could draft. Other influences were Douglas Coupland and Chuck Palahniuk - good writers with edge and human appeal.

It took me about five years to complete this novel. I wrote it longhand and transcribed it with paltry typing skills. I did about a year of research. I edited for another solid year, revising it three or four times. These last steps were tedious and tiresome.

At points when I flagged, I would go online and I would read interviews with my favourite writers. I would imagine what I would say to an interviewer about my own work. I inspired myself not to write, because the writing was done. I inspired myself to become a successful author. Then I would toil late into the night doing what had to be done, visualizing myself as successfully published and recognized for my work.

Since then my writing methods have become much cleaner. I no longer write longhand, but have the ability to compose creative passages on my laptop which is portable but not always as convenient to take with me as a notebook and a fountain pen. It is definitely easier to remain organized this way. So Leif is right about evolving as a writer - and that evolution includes the ability to see which stories are worth writing out to the end, and which should be dropped for whatever reason.

I also gave myself clear and realistic deadlines that I pushed myself to meet. A self-imposed deadline is like a promise to yourself. We all like to write about heroes who fight for honour and glory - well the honour of a writer is keeping these promises, and the glory is the book you get to print out and share with others. No one wants or expects this process to be easy.

A lot of people like to write, and that is well - but not everyone has the ability to motivate themselves to go the lengths they need to go in order to become a serious author. It's tough work, like composing a symphony or painting a complex mural. Exercises are invaluable: write short stories to practice the art and hone your skills. Completing those can give you the confidence you need to finish longer projects.

The end of a novel is like the endgame of chess: it is a completely separate part of the game from the opening and the middle. It has its own rules and identity. A writer must be equally familiar with its aspects as he or she is with the beginning and the long climb to the ending climax.

Finishing something is deeply satisfying; when you are able to tell people that with pride that you are a novelist, it will mean a great deal to you. Being published probably feels even better, but that is a step much further down the track.

Outlining and other tricks of the trade are very useful. Whenever I needed to know how a scene would unfold, I sometimes would just write the dialogue so that it would read like the script to a play. That can be immensely helpful to shape the scene and direct the story. You go back and add in the descriptions after. Also, this can be a good way to get the juices flowing.

I'm not too keen to force myself to write if I am not inspired. I know that these very organic processes have cycles and that sometimes it is necessary to let ideas steep and to let your mind digest certain themes. The pause can be just as vital as the word. A break or hiatus is no block to your writing.

But discipline and passion are critical in order to return to the craft that calls you.

 

[JCFarnham]

I'm not too keen to force myself to write if I am not inspired. I know that these very organic processes have cycles and that sometimes it is necessary to let ideas steep and to let your mind digest certain themes. The pause can be just as vital as the word. A break or hiatus is no block to your writing.

But discipline and passion are critical in order to return to the craft that calls you.

You certainly sound like you're on the same page as me!

If you have to force yourself to write then you're going against the most important rule of writing effectively and efficiently: enjoy what you're doing. Forcing isn't fun to me and that would show in my writing. I'm not going to kid myself.

 

[Philip Overby]

Professional writers force themselves to write everyday. I've read several interviews like that (Chuck Wendig says that a lot and he considers himself a freelancer). They have to write or they don't eat. I guess that's the difference between a hobbyist and professional writer though.

 

[JCFarnham]

Indeed Phil.

But I've also read blogs, interviews, etc. that state the professional writers in question couldn't possibly write everyday to the quantities they do if they wrote stuff they didn't enjoy. Hence why I hold the position I do. As human beings we just love to complain about anything we can haha, so I'd hazard a guess at saying that even when professional writing "becomes a drag" they still enjoy it somewhere along the line.

Enjoyment is more important to productivity than we may think. To me at least.

Alas! Who knows what I might say if/when I get published though

 

[Devor]

In my opinion, if you want to be successful, you need to manage your enthusiasm, rather than let it manage you. It's your key resource, and you should know how to utilize it in a way that's sustainable. How? There are ways. I might do a post or article about it. But you need to find what works for you.

I also think you should battleplan your book. Write an outline, give yourself space and goals, and be flexible - in these three chapters, two things need to happen, wait, now that I've thought ahead, there's four or five things so I should give it an extra chapter. In your outline, track info-leaks, plot and story in separate columns. Wherever there's conflict, circle the affected chapters - there should be lots of overlap. You need to space how characters develop and where they end up. Change your battleplan constantly.

Give yourself space to write, edit, and plan/research regularly. Say, two hours to write, twenty minutes to edit, ten to review the battleplan.

Finally, don't waste time. If you're having trouble writing your novel, you still need to write. Take a break and post on Phil's challenge of the week. But you have to write.

 

[JCFarnham]

It does interest me in seeing how often pantsing correlates to not finishing. Of everyone I've talked to about the subject of productivity and finishing what you start, I've lost count of how many people have said they used to "pants it" but started planning (even only a tiny bit perhaps) now find they complete things a lot more.

It can swing the other way of course what with getting bogged down in details, but still. Interesting observation right?

 

[shangrila]

So, basically, just write as much as you can.

Pretty much the same as anything else in life.

 

[Sheilawisz]

Many times I have had to sit down, stare at the empty page of my Word screen and force myself to write: I was feeling sad that day, or my writing energy was low (a very frequent problem for me, these days) or it was just that I did not feel the mood to write... However, I have deadlines and without those mornings when I force myself to keep advancing, finishing a novel would be very difficult indeed and maybe I would never finish a story after all.

I have discovered that forcing myself to write can sometimes give very positive results, and some of my best scenes have been written exactly when I was not feeling the best mood or the inspiration to write well =)

Forcing yourself does not mean that you do not like your writing or your stories: It just means that you are not feeling particularly good that day, but just as a climber in the Himalaya must keep climbing even when they are lacking of sleep or worse, as a writer and a storyteller you must keep advancing to meet your deadline and finish your novel in the end.

Now, let's talk about Having the Structure for your Novel:

1- Take a few blank sheets of paper, and write at the top the name of your story.
2- Write as #1 the name of your first chapter, and then add the details of what is going to happen in that chapter: What the characters are doing, where they are in your world, what plotlines are to be defined...

3- Keep adding numbers to your list, each dedicated to a different chapter.
4- Always write as many details as you can think of!! This is like writing a little guide about every chapter of your novel.
5- Keep in mind how your story will end.

I view the Structure sheets as my climbing route to reach the summit within my deadline, and I find that it's a very effective method to know your story better, be well prepared for the adventure ahead and even calculate the number of chapters that your novel will have in the end...

Good luck!!