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Post by HDSimplicityy on Dec 5, 2021 23:41:11 GMT -6
I know I am not the only one who wants to complete stories in a reasonable amount of time. Lately, I have been restless about it. I want my book out of my head. I want my short story about the young hunter finished and submitted to publishing houses. I want to write a full short videogame if I am not finding game writing jobs to apply for.
They take too long to brew even when I write consistently. I also work on an article occasionally. These are all in rotation to spell off writers' block, and to allow me to kinda brainstorm a starting idea to resume another story. But gosh... I just want things done and to get PUBLISHED and have a writing credit, like a few of you have!
To solve this its a simple answer: keep going.
Tell me what you all do to relax. I have this same problem with focusing on reading; its why it has taken me weeks to read half the Compendium. Gaaww its annoying.
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Post by Alatariel on Dec 6, 2021 1:48:35 GMT -6
I RELATE.
I've been working on things for such a long time, I just want them DONE please. It might be harder because I chose to start my novel from scratch after having a finished draft, so I'm dragging my feet a lot. I don't want to make the same huge missteps I did before and find myself in this position again. So I go slowly to be careful and precise. I've been thinking it'll be done for a couple years now and UGH. WOW. It's taking forever. Can't believe I finished the first draft back in 2018. Had it edited in 2019 and started the new draft in 2020. And now we're heading into 2022. BLARG.
I feel like I keep saying I'll be a published author but like WHEN? At this point, it's just a hobby because I'll never be done. Waaaaaaah.
So yea. I can relate.
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Post by RAVENEYE on Dec 6, 2021 12:16:39 GMT -6
Oh yeah... Dealing with this very thing right now. But I've dealt with it before, only I didn't have children or day jobs to contend with my writing time -- but it still took 6 years to finish my novel project -- but, again, I ended up with five completed novels.
This time around, I've been working for three years on a single novel. What gives??? Every fiber of my being seems to be resisting the repetition of the writing process. I'm allowing anything and everything to distract me, and I feel enormous relief when something comes along to interrupt the writing. What giiiiiives???
Not sure it's the same thing y'all are talking about. BUT I have to wonder if a lot of this comes from our culture of immediacy. Long waiting periods are generally a thing of the past (or something we rarely have to suffer through), so when it comes to writing books, something we cannot speed up, we get frustrated with ourselves and the process. So, really, we're fighting ourselves as much as the stories/editing/distractions. Not sure if that's relevant to anyone, but it seems to make sense.
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Post by HDSimplicityy on Dec 6, 2021 21:39:49 GMT -6
I RELATE. I've been working on things for such a long time, I just want them DONE please. It might be harder because I chose to start my novel from scratch after having a finished draft, so I'm dragging my feet a lot. I don't want to make the same huge missteps I did before and find myself in this position again. So I go slowly to be careful and precise. I've been thinking it'll be done for a couple years now and UGH. WOW. It's taking forever. Can't believe I finished the first draft back in 2018. Had it edited in 2019 and started the new draft in 2020. And now we're heading into 2022. BLARG. I feel like I keep saying I'll be a published author but like WHEN? At this point, it's just a hobby because I'll never be done. Waaaaaaah. So yea. I can relate. Your creative process plays a huge part in this. What you might not have done is set up either an outline format, a time to research, a time to write backstory and generate ideas. But I don't know for sure; my guess is that. Makes you feel like your dragging your dirty feet through the muddy depths and through tall grass with no end in sight!
The past month-ish I have realized my own process for writing Just as Human is GARBAGE. Just plain bad. Its coming along, and I am loving it, but its either fast some weeks or slow in others. Sometimes that is okay; another piece of writing gets worked on. I didn't know I was writing a novel until three years ago THIS WEEK. Too much time split between stories and school and not writing consistently. So now I realize, and I bet you will too, I need an actual, like, plan for when I finish this second draft. For anything more substantial than five pages, really. A time for brainstorming, a time to research if necessary, some kind of development time (snowflake outline, bullet points, random lines on paper or on screen...) and a lot of outlining. All just so you have a clear path forward.
Well, I am excited for you to be published, so keep doing the good work.
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Post by HDSimplicityy on Dec 6, 2021 21:44:22 GMT -6
Oh yeah... Dealing with this very thing right now. But I've dealt with it before, only I didn't have children or day jobs to contend with my writing time -- but it still took 6 years to finish my novel project -- but, again, I ended up with five completed novels. This time around, I've been working for three years on a single novel. What gives??? Every fiber of my being seems to be resisting the repetition of the writing process. I'm allowing anything and everything to distract me, and I feel enormous relief when something comes along to interrupt the writing. What giiiiiives??? Not sure it's the same thing y'all are talking about. BUT I have to wonder if a lot of this comes from our culture of immediacy. Long waiting periods are generally a thing of the past (or something we rarely have to suffer through), so when it comes to writing books, something we cannot speed up, we get frustrated with ourselves and the process. So, really, we're fighting ourselves as much as the stories/editing/distractions. Not sure if that's relevant to anyone, but it seems to make sense. Historical fiction would take a lot longer if you are doing it for the first time.
Good point! Immediacy, yeah that did not cross my mind. Since you have several books published, you had to have made a creative process. That roadmap that you need if you're making it into a business. I dont have any organized one, but Im gonn have to create it for books after I finish Draft 2 of the book.
Oh shoot, before I forget again: I dont know if you saw me ask you on another thread about Love Thy Nerd, who I write for. Have you contacted them for being an editor?
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Post by pelwrath on Dec 6, 2021 23:59:49 GMT -6
Perhaps I'm on a different location on a writing cycle. Rushing a story has always been an issue, along with confidence in my writing. It took me six years to write Sundowners, while working on my Space Opera, other stories, having the good fortune to have four short/flash stories published.
I looked at the started and never finished stories I had and decided it's time to clean them up. So, I'll be doing that. For next year the story to finish is my alternate history of an invasion of Malta by Italy in late 1940. Along with, hopefully, publishing Sundowners#2, The Space Opera book (my very first story I started to write) and three related sci-fi, long short stories to short novelettes.
The other day when a person on Twitter said that my blurb was so creative they had to read it. They did purchase an e-book copy. For me that was proof that I can write, and rather well. I'm also accepting that a contest writer I'll never be, so if I participate in a contest, it's only to see how I score compared to my previous contest.
I fully believe we need two categories for this, as there is an obvious line of demarcation between those who are competitive and those who aren’t. Why? IMHO, constructive criticism is nice, welcome, and looked forward to, but it’ll never be close to finishing 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in a contest. That’s success and success is fickle, like lady luck. Hopefully if Lady Luck goes to the dance with you, she leaves with you. Maybe that’s our line, if you’ve come in the top three is a contest, you get promoted to the upper tier.
Well, we lost power as I was writing, about 11:40pm. I took an early retirement option (yeah, I’m 21 with 41 years of experience.) on my SSI so right now I'm not working, except the room by room remodeling my wife has decided to do. A bathroom, two bedrooms, and half the downstairs entertainment room. I was hoping for a writing studio but alas.
As writing, if I can help others, I’ll do my best. As for my writing, clear up my To Be completed folder, start sending stuff out again. I only set general goals, like finish Sundowners #2 draft this year. Do the same this year, don’t worry about putting too much on that list.
Power has returned, at 12:47am.
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Post by HDSimplicityy on Dec 9, 2021 0:22:06 GMT -6
Perhaps I'm on a different location on a writing cycle. Rushing a story has always been an issue, along with confidence in my writing. It took me six years to write Sundowners, while working on my Space Opera, other stories, having the good fortune to have four short/flash stories published. I looked at the started and never finished stories I had and decided it's time to clean them up. So, I'll be doing that. For next year the story to finish is my alternate history of an invasion of Malta by Italy in late 1940. Along with, hopefully, publishing Sundowners#2, The Space Opera book (my very first story I started to write) and three related sci-fi, long short stories to short novelettes. The other day when a person on Twitter said that my blurb was so creative they had to read it. They did purchase an e-book copy. For me that was proof that I can write, and rather well. I'm also accepting that a contest writer I'll never be, so if I participate in a contest, it's only to see how I score compared to my previous contest. I fully believe we need two categories for this, as there is an obvious line of demarcation between those who are competitive and those who aren’t. Why? IMHO, constructive criticism is nice, welcome, and looked forward to, but it’ll never be close to finishing 1st, 2nd, or 3rd in a contest. That’s success and success is fickle, like lady luck. Hopefully if Lady Luck goes to the dance with you, she leaves with you. Maybe that’s our line, if you’ve come in the top three is a contest, you get promoted to the upper tier. Well, we lost power as I was writing, about 11:40pm. I took an early retirement option (yeah, I’m 21 with 41 years of experience.) on my SSI so right now I'm not working, except the room by room remodeling my wife has decided to do. A bathroom, two bedrooms, and half the downstairs entertainment room. I was hoping for a writing studio but alas. As writing, if I can help others, I’ll do my best. As for my writing, clear up my To Be completed folder, start sending stuff out again. I only set general goals, like finish Sundowners #2 draft this year. Do the same this year, don’t worry about putting too much on that list. Power has returned, at 12:47am. It helps having this mindset. You have had the experience to not rush. Like all of us, I am just excited to tell these stories! And I want them done to keep moving on. But thats.... thats just exhausting. Its sort of the same with my personal life and my career goals. But, there is life to live... lots of it. I guess it comes down to thinking I will never have time to write all I want or get as many stories published as I hope to get. You are very calm about all you write and I like that. You're taking the necessary time to make great writing.
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Post by pelwrath on Dec 9, 2021 0:38:39 GMT -6
Thank you for those kind words.
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Post by ScintillaMyntan on Dec 11, 2021 17:17:55 GMT -6
This thread is making me realize just why I write so little. It's what Raveneye said about being used to immediate gratification. I write short stories, so I quickly have a finished product, and almost always for some external purpose such as our contests, so it's a short wait to see reactions from others. It would be so hard to delay gratification long enough to finish a whole novel. Yes, I do have bigger stories and ambitions in my head. Partly, I don't start them specifically because of a sense of restlessness. What if I somehow die before it gets done? What if someone else takes my idea while I'm hard at work writing it? And so much room for doubt between start and end.
I've read and watched some self-improvement-type material about forming good habits, and a big point that gets made is that the brain looks for a reward, positive feedback. I think it's relevant here because not every day you work on a writing piece you get a good feeling out of it, and especially with a novel it's a long time before you get the satisfaction of a completed piece.
I watched a talk by the psychologist Jud Brewer, and he says to really teach your brain to associate your desired habit with good feelings, and bad habits with bad feelings, for that matter. He said he treated overeating by telling people to recall and focus on the bad feelings they get from eating too much, the heavy sensation in their stomach for instance, and teach the brain gradually to associate overeating with that bad feeling instead of good feelings. Eventually they won't even want to overeat. I should try the same to reinforce the good habit of writing at some point. I know I'm in a different position than most people in this thread because I don't currently have a habit of writing fiction; I only do it on occasion when we have a contest or an anthology that appeals to me comes up. But sometime I will try to focus on how much joy I get out of the process of writing when I actually do it and make it something I'm really motivated to turn to for fun.
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Post by pelwrath on Dec 11, 2021 17:33:12 GMT -6
An excellent post Scintilla, thank you.
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Post by RAVENEYE on Dec 13, 2021 11:58:09 GMT -6
This thread is making me realize just why I write so little. It's what Raveneye said about being used to immediate gratification. I write short stories, so I quickly have a finished product, and almost always for some external purpose such as our contests, so it's a short wait to see reactions from others. It would be so hard to delay gratification long enough to finish a whole novel. Yes, I do have bigger stories and ambitions in my head. Partly, I don't start them specifically because of a sense of restlessness. What if I somehow die before it gets done? What if someone else takes my idea while I'm hard at work writing it? And so much room for doubt between start and end. I've read and watched some self-improvement-type material about forming good habits, and a big point that gets made is that the brain looks for a reward, positive feedback. I think it's relevant here because not every day you work on a writing piece you get a good feeling out of it, and especially with a novel it's a long time before you get the satisfaction of a completed piece. Oh, yes, the positive reinforcement of quick turnaround times. It may be because I started out writing long pieces that way back when I was a kid, my brain learned to accept finishing a single scene or a whole chapter as that "short work" that conveyed a feeling of satisfaction in between start and end. It's not quite the same though as finishing a short story and being able to move on to the next cool idea in the queue. However! Celebrating each milestone while writing a novel becomes necessary for some brains to keep plugging away at it, month after month, year after year. Finish that difficult emo scene? Cheer a bit, tell somebody who cares, and treat yourself with an ice cream cone. (Also, breaks in which you get to write short stories for contests add spice to the mix along the way -- and much needed relief.) But, yes, so much doubt between start and finish. Is this worth my time or a waste of it? Do I have what it takes to stick this out and make it worth reading? Does this utterly suck sour grapes? So much time for the brain to get fearful over the project. And it's a wrestling match between commitment and freedom, sacrifice and time for others, etc. I have definitely let certain important relationships deteriorate as a result of single-minded focus on novel projects. But it does take so much focus, and non-writers are not going to understand why we vanish for long periods of time. But to give in to fear and not write the idea at all is to let the idea die with you. No one else in all the universe, in all of time will have that idea precisely as you have it, or would write it as you would write it. Therefore, it will never exist at all. So, is Story worth it? That's one of the big questions I've had to face lately. Is Story worth the inner pain, fear, doubt, sacrifice, struggle, weakened relationships, financial burdens, etc? That may be a question for a different thread, however.
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Post by ScintillaMyntan on Dec 13, 2021 15:51:50 GMT -6
But to give in to fear and not write the idea at all is to let the idea die with you. No one else in all the universe, in all of time will have that idea precisely as you have it, or would write it as you would write it. Therefore, it will never exist at all. Yeah. I'm thinking more and more I ought to start one of the two big novels I have in my mind, and I even might soon. I just doubt so much that I have the will or the ability. There've been short stories I get halfway through and then become convinced they're not going to work out, whether because the story doesn't work out or I don't have the skills to pull off what it would need. A novel would be even worse: so many points to doubt, and getting halfway through before quitting is a far bigger thing than with a short story. For positive reinforcement, I guess that's why we have the Development Lab board. Probably posting about what you've gotten done is a good way to feel like every small success in a novel counts for something.
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Post by RAVENEYE on Dec 13, 2021 19:00:27 GMT -6
But to give in to fear and not write the idea at all is to let the idea die with you. No one else in all the universe, in all of time will have that idea precisely as you have it, or would write it as you would write it. Therefore, it will never exist at all. Yeah. I'm thinking more and more I ought to start one of the two big novels I have in my mind, and I even might soon. I just doubt so much that I have the will or the ability. There've been short stories I get halfway through and then become convinced they're not going to work out, whether because the story doesn't work out or I don't have the skills to pull off what it would need. A novel would be even worse: so many points to doubt, and getting halfway through before quitting is a far bigger thing than with a short story. For positive reinforcement, I guess that's why we have the Development Lab board. Probably posting about what you've gotten done is a good way to feel like every small success in a novel counts for something. Oh, Lord, I can think of three novels off the top of my head that I've started, gotten well into, like several months of writing, then stopped because the idea/passion/confidence in them fizzled out. So... rest assured, if that happens, you're definitely not alone.
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Post by Alatariel on Dec 13, 2021 20:40:35 GMT -6
Yeah. I'm thinking more and more I ought to start one of the two big novels I have in my mind, and I even might soon. I just doubt so much that I have the will or the ability. There've been short stories I get halfway through and then become convinced they're not going to work out, whether because the story doesn't work out or I don't have the skills to pull off what it would need. A novel would be even worse: so many points to doubt, and getting halfway through before quitting is a far bigger thing than with a short story. For positive reinforcement, I guess that's why we have the Development Lab board. Probably posting about what you've gotten done is a good way to feel like every small success in a novel counts for something. Oh, Lord, I can think of three novels off the top of my head that I've started, gotten well into, like several months of writing, then stopped because the idea/passion/confidence in them fizzled out. So... rest assured, if that happens, you're definitely not alone. YUP. I'm close to finishing this novel and I'm stalling because of a) lack of confidence and think my story is crappy and no one will ever want to read it and how can I compare to so many amazing authors out there b) I'm just gonna screw it up again and need to completely rewrite and I don't have it in me to do another rewrite c) stuck and don't know what to do with my characters because I keep thinking it's not enough for a climax.
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Post by pelwrath on Dec 13, 2021 21:23:54 GMT -6
I fully understand the lack of confidence in a story. Mine comes after I finish that first draft. Except for my few abortive attempts at horror, then it comes when I think of writing it.
Once I finish, I see how bad it is, for the most part. Typo’s, some spelling and I even question a comma or two, until I check Shatner’s book, “Your Friend, the, Comma.”
I’m slowly accepting this, “Dude, it’s a first draft. Manufacturing has quality inspection for what it makes, writing has editors.” We all have our strengths and weaknesses. Some of us need beta readers( a smart thing), others need developmental edits still others need line by line edits.
I wish my drafts turned out more like many of yours do. Well, at least what I believe they do. Heck, it’s possible that some wish there’s was more like mine. It comes down to this, Raveneye, Foxglove, Alatariel , ScienceGirl, and the rest of our members.
People like your stories (mine included) because you write like you and that’s the best building block for confidence.
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