So It Happened...Again

[DPayne]

Hello Everyone,

I was curious as to how some of you overcome any sort of writer's block. I've had an epic tale in the development process for the better part of 16 years but I find it so hard to get it started. Not for lack of motivation but the difficulty of creating a hook in the prologue to keep the readers engaged. Have any of you experienced this? If so how did you overcome it and ultimately finish your project? Thank you for your time.

-D

 

[Butterfly]

You don't have to write chronologically. Sometimes, you need to just make a few notes of the basic events that happen or could happen, and jump ahead or skip a few things to see where the story needs to go. When the problem is solved (and it will be with a bit of time and thought, and looking at all the other options) go back and do some (what I call) infilling = filling in the bits you missed.

Sometimes, the beginning isn't what you think it is. Maybe it needs to start earlier, or later, and it may take a few attempts to get it right but don't let that stop you getting on with the rest of the story, otherwise you will never get it written.

 

[T.Allen.Smith]

First, consider if you really want, or need, a prologue. In my opinion, the story's best starting point is as far into the story as possible while still being able to tell it well.

Second, understand the hardest, and scariest part of writing is starting. Not writing is the easiest thing in the world to do. I face these feelings almost every night, but I still sit down and start writing. Often, you just need to start, and the writing will then flow easier. The first few sentences act like a spark.

Third, realize that your first draft doesn't have to be good. You'll make it a good story during editing & revision. Give yourself time to turn it into something better while allowing for errors early in the process. Above all though, don't compare your draft to another writer's completed work. It's unfair.

Next, decide if this is something you really want to do. Are you certain you want to be a writer? It's hard work. It has no guarantees. In fact, statistics show that our chance of commercial success is slim. If you want to be a professional though, you're going to have to act like one. You'll have to treat writing like a job and get words on paper, especially when you're not feeling inspired or confident. That's when it matters most. Don't allow yourself to believe your own excuses. Hold yourself accountable.

When it comes to writer's block, I'm not sure of its existence in the classical sense. It seems to me that writer's block is more a case of fear, mixed with lacks of desire & confidence, sprinkled with a dash of laziness. In the end, only you can decide to be brave, sit down, & work. You can't rely on inspiration to last for the length of a novel. Determination will carry you to your goal. Keep those goals daily. Make them small enough to be realistic & attainable. The additive effect of incremental writing can get you your epic, IF you have the discipline to work a little bit every day.

 

[NellaFantasia]

The important thing to remember is what you write in the first draft might not be there in the final draft. You'll find yourself editing sections, rewriting them, or taking them out completely. Don't worry about getting it perfect right away. Just keep moving the story along.

 

[topazfire]

Butterfly has a great point about not writing chronologically. Scene ideas and dialogue may come to you in bits and pieces, and when they do come to you, write them down right away as not to lose that inspiration. Since you have been in development of the story for so long, build off the pieces that you love. Create a plan of 'next action' (from the book Getting Things Done by David Allen). "In order to move my story forward 'x' needs to happen to this character," and then just write it, even if it is bad. As was said above, you can fix it in the editing stage or cut it out completely if it is no longer needed.

Write every day, even if it is only for a few minutes. Getting into the practice of sitting down to work at your story in a consistent way can help switch your brain into writing mode. Write when inspiration strikes, but successful completion requires writing no matter what.

 

[ThinkerX]

Allow your first draft to suck.

Once you start making headway, things will change. We get many threads here about people who are most of the way through their initial draft and find themselves worrying about plot holes, character issues and more.

And once you start revising, don't be shy to break out the ax. Even if its entire chapters, including some otherwise prime material. Don't get rid of it permanent like, you just reuse it elsewhere.

 

[Saigonnus]

You don't have to write chronologically. Sometimes, you need to just make a few notes of the basic events that happen or could happen, and jump ahead or skip a few things to see where the story needs to go. When the problem is solved (and it will be with a bit of time and thought, and looking at all the other options) go back and do some (what I call) infilling = filling in the bits you missed.

I do this myself, not writing chronologically as it were. I tend to see things a bit disjointed and randomly so I write whatever comes to me. My principal WIP is like that, large chunks are missing, so now I am having to go back and "in-fill" and organize the whole thing (70K+ words) so I can see what I need to fill in for a complete story.

I tend to think it's best to start when the action begins if at all possible, so the readers don't get bored while you describe the entire life of the main character up to that point... or how the clouds pass across the landscape, allowing you to give a general description of the terrain.

 

[Philip Overby]

When it comes to writer's block, I'm not sure of its existence in the classical sense. It seems to me that writer's block is more a case of fear, mixed with lacks of desire & confidence, sprinkled with a dash of laziness. In the end, only you can decide to be brave, sit down, & work. You can't rely on inspiration to last for the length of a novel. Determination will carry you to your goal. Keep those goals daily. Make them small enough to be realistic & attainable. The additive effect of incremental writing can get you your epic, IF you have the discipline to work a little bit every day.

First off, I echo everything else T. Allen said. But this part I quoted is most important. I've long championed the fact that I think writer's block is an easy excuse for writers to not write. It's a nice, tidy phrase to blame on inactivity. Along with what he mentioned (fear, desire, laziness) I'll also add the "This Didn't Turn Out the Way I Wanted" factor. There's often times in my head that I'll have these great ideas. I can see the whole thing playing out perfectly. But when I sit down to write it, it may come out bland, directionless, or not nearly as engaging as I hoped. This causes a lot of cases of writers quitting or getting "blocked." They're not happy with what they're producing so instead of trying different methods to get over it (pushing through, studying technique, reading more) they get frustrated and just stare at a screen.

Like T. Allen said, you have to be sure you even want to be a writer. Is it something you're truly passionate about or just something you like the idea of? If your 16 year project isn't working out for you, then perhaps it's time to try something simpler.

Try this:

Write a simple novel. No epicness, no twisting, turning plot structures, just something simple and straightforward. Consider this your "practice novel."

Come up with a character with simple motivations. Think of his strengths and weaknesses. What are his short and long term goals? Does he have any quirks? Don't think about this too much. Simple is good enough in this case.

Next, there are the 12 steps of a hero's journey novel. It's a formula, yes, but pretend like writing is chemistry just this once. Follow this path and see where it takes you. If you can write a novel with this basic plot and formula, then you can try more advanced things such as writing an epic.

I found this from the Oracle Education Foundation Library:

1. Ordinary World: This step refers to the hero's normal life at the start of the story, before the adventure begins.
2. Call to Adventure: The hero is faced with something that makes him begin his adventure. This might be a problem or a challenge he needs to overcome.
3. Refusal of the Call: The hero attempts to refuse the adventure because he is afraid.
4. Meeting with the Mentor: The hero encounters someone who can give him advice and ready him for the journey ahead.
5. Crossing the First Threshold: The hero leaves his ordinary world for the first time and crosses the threshold into adventure.
6. Tests, Allies, Enemies: The hero learns the rules of his new world. During this time, he endures tests of strength of will, meets friends, and comes face to face with foes.
7. Approach: Setbacks occur, sometimes causing the hero to try a new approach or adopt new ideas.
8. Ordeal: The hero experiences a major hurdle or obstacle, such as a life or death crisis.
9. Reward: After surviving death, the hero earns his reward or accomplishes his goal.
10. The Road Back: The hero begins his journey back to his ordinary life.
11. Resurrection Hero - The hero faces a final test where everything is at stake and he must use everything he has learned.
12. Return with Elixir: The hero brings his knowledge or the "elixir" back to the ordinary world, where he applies it to help all who remain there. 


So, try writing something with this formula. Let this be your practice novel. Maybe even it make it less than a normal novel length (80,000 words). I actually recommend this for a lot of writers who just can't get things down on a page. In this case, it's all laid out for you, you just have to fill in the blanks. Don't worry about if it's mind-blowingly awesome. It just needs to be competent. Then you can take what you learned through this process in which you completed a whole novel and figure out what techniques work best for you. After that, you can go back to your project you've been working on and see if you can find a new approach to making things work for you.

And outline. If you have trouble keeping things in order and coming up with the next thing to write, I guarantee outlining will help you. People who are pantsers can afford to be so because they don't get blocked. People who get blocked need to outline, I believe.

Hope this helps.