Writing

[uscathena]

I have trouble completing stories. So a lot of times I'll force myself to ignore other bunnies until I finish my current fics. Problem comes when that doesn't motivate me to finish the fics in question, but just to end up not writing anything at all.

Thoughts? Not just for my situation specifically, but yours as well, or even just generally.

Poll

Comments

[uscathena]

Particular fics midstream. I always do fine for a while, but then lose interest. The best example is a 50,000 word fic where I just stopped about a third of the way through.

I'd like to be able to get good at writing short stuff, but the plot ideas are never there. Everything I come up with is for longer stuff.

Academic stuff? Never had a problem ... or at least not much of one beyond freaking hating it :p I usually would procrastinate until the last possible moment, then sheer terror would take over, resulting in a workable thesis (how this worked in detail, I cannot say). Then I would wake up early and write at least 5 fully completed (footnoted, etc) pages a day until I was done.

[bel_baggins]

I would say try a combination of things. If you're feeling inspired to write a particular thing, go for it. I don't know how picky you are as you write, but maybe try to write really fast and finish off as much as possible while the muse is working for ya

[uscathena]

I've heard it's a good idea to write out of order if the inclination strikes. I've never done it though. Thing is I think I like painting the scene and setting things up, but then I just don't know where to go with it. I've done outlines and they seem to take some of the burden away, like I can look at it and know where I need to be going. But, on the same token, if I don't like how the story ends in the outline, I'll find myself stalling on parts so early they have nothing much to do with the ending.

*sigh* My muse is being belligerent. And now I'm also having the problem - I guess I don't know if it's a problem so much as a matter of opinion - of not thinking what is coming out on paper is interesting or going anywhere or even entertaining. And that sort of stalls me, too, like, "oh I need a really witty or insightful line soon!"

I liked your NaNo stuff. I think about them the way I do published books. I'd love to see them published in something beyond a locked lj someday :p

[bel_baggins]

To be honest Atty, I think you're such a good writer than you don't need to stress over needing a witty or insightful line or being interesting ... your stuff will just come out good. I worship at the Altar of Atty. (Okay, I'm joking about the altar - it's really just a small figurine - but I do think this about your writing

[uscathena]

Aw, thanks, Bel *hugs* I just find writing so stressful sometimes. There's very few things that I've written that I can look back on and say that it turned out exactly the way I hoped it would. I think Mi, maybe?, had a quote somewhere like, "writing was so much easier when I sucked at it." It's so true! I'm always concerned about character development and making stuff mean something, I can't just seem to have fun with it :p

You need to write more! I haven't seen anything in a while from you :p

You should at least try. It's of publishable quality, imho, and I've read things by publishing-hopefuls that weren't nearly so good. *will stop bugging you, I swear*