Comments on: Getting Unstuck With Your Fiction Writing http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/08/16/getting-unstuck-with-your-fiction-writing/ America's Mad Professor of Fiction Writing Wed, 16 May 2012 17:17:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1.3 By: Tim http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/08/16/getting-unstuck-with-your-fiction-writing/#comment-11627 Tim Mon, 16 Aug 2010 17:20:10 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/08/16/getting-unstuck-with-your-fiction-writing/#comment-11627 Kevin, I think Randy is right about the rewriting part. My first novel I would not move forward until I was happy with the chapter. It drove me nuts and sometimes rewrote the chapter five or six times. My suggestion being one who likes to do everything up front, would be to do some world building while writing, the more you know about your storyworld the easier it is to write. Kevin, I think Randy is right about the rewriting part. My first novel I would not move forward until I was happy with the chapter. It drove me nuts and sometimes rewrote the chapter five or six times. My suggestion being one who likes to do everything up front, would be to do some world building while writing, the more you know about your storyworld the easier it is to write.

]]> By: Jacob http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/08/16/getting-unstuck-with-your-fiction-writing/#comment-11639 Jacob Tue, 17 Aug 2010 10:07:07 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/08/16/getting-unstuck-with-your-fiction-writing/#comment-11639 Nanowrimo helped met there. This is a great way to stop rewriting, and it keeps the critique buddy away. After a month you will have a lot of material. Then you can organise this material using the snowflake method. You can do your pre-work now. in November Nanowrimo starts. Nanowrimo helped met there.
This is a great way to stop rewriting, and it keeps the critique buddy away.
After a month you will have a lot of material. Then you can organise this material using the snowflake method.
You can do your pre-work now. in November Nanowrimo starts.

]]> By: Morgan L. Busse http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/08/16/getting-unstuck-with-your-fiction-writing/#comment-11642 Morgan L. Busse Tue, 17 Aug 2010 12:17:38 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/08/16/getting-unstuck-with-your-fiction-writing/#comment-11642 Hey Kevin! I'm a fantasy writer and the mother of 4 young kids (and the wife of a pastor). That equals almost no time to write :) But here's how I do it: I write 500 words 4x a week. It can take me 15 minutes to one hour to do that. Sometimes if my family or other responsibilities allow, I can write more. But 500 words 4x a week is doable. Secondly, move on. Go onto chapter 2. First drafts will always look awful (even if you're the best writer in the world). And in fantasy (especially if your world is still forming in your head), you will most likely be going back and changing things to fit with what you discover later on in your book. So don't perfect chapter 1 because its probably going to change. Find a good critique partner. One that will be honest with you. Like Randy said, you don't need a pessimist right now. You need a cheerleader. Someone who will see the gold in your story beneath all the beginning writing. When you just don't want to go on, it helps to know someone believes in your work. Hey Kevin! I’m a fantasy writer and the mother of 4 young kids (and the wife of a pastor). That equals almost no time to write :) But here’s how I do it: I write 500 words 4x a week. It can take me 15 minutes to one hour to do that. Sometimes if my family or other responsibilities allow, I can write more. But 500 words 4x a week is doable.

Secondly, move on. Go onto chapter 2. First drafts will always look awful (even if you’re the best writer in the world). And in fantasy (especially if your world is still forming in your head), you will most likely be going back and changing things to fit with what you discover later on in your book. So don’t perfect chapter 1 because its probably going to change.

Find a good critique partner. One that will be honest with you. Like Randy said, you don’t need a pessimist right now. You need a cheerleader. Someone who will see the gold in your story beneath all the beginning writing. When you just don’t want to go on, it helps to know someone believes in your work.

]]> By: Davalynn Spencer http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/08/16/getting-unstuck-with-your-fiction-writing/#comment-11644 Davalynn Spencer Tue, 17 Aug 2010 13:35:41 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/08/16/getting-unstuck-with-your-fiction-writing/#comment-11644 Excellent advice; follow it. Excellent advice; follow it.

]]> By: Katy http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/08/16/getting-unstuck-with-your-fiction-writing/#comment-11646 Katy Tue, 17 Aug 2010 14:29:02 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/08/16/getting-unstuck-with-your-fiction-writing/#comment-11646 Kevin, I agree with Randy and the others who have written here about moving on and keeping momentum. I'm sure you'll get tired of people detailing their own experiences for you, but for what it's worth, before i started on my current novel, which I have serious intent to try to get published, I also dabbled in a lot of "just-for-fun" writing, which I would post on the internet for the enjoyment (and also critique) of others. This writing always came easily to me and I progressed through even the most complex plots quickly and happily. When I started to write my "serious" novel, I hit the same problem as you. After about four or so attempts at the perfect first chapter (which I was secretly convinced would catapult me into a perfect first novel) I became so frustrated I didn't even save the fourth. I closed the document, opened a new one, and wrote a scene from chapter three that I really liked and was looking forward to. It was easy, it flowed. Buoyed by my love for that small 800 words, I wrote the scene that lead up to it, and the one before that, and then chapter four, and etc. I haven't tried to write my first chapter again yet, but I know how I'll do it, and I'm sure it'll be better than anything I could have come up with before. Deciding you want to write something seriously can be very intimidating, but you've got to let go and return to why you started it: because you love to write! So write a bit you love, and go from there. Also Kevin, you said you were sure your writing was garbage, but let me just say that from the way you wrote your question I can tell you have a very advanced grasp of language for your age, and you really should give yourself some credit. Kevin, I agree with Randy and the others who have written here about moving on and keeping momentum. I’m sure you’ll get tired of people detailing their own experiences for you, but for what it’s worth, before i started on my current novel, which I have serious intent to try to get published, I also dabbled in a lot of “just-for-fun” writing, which I would post on the internet for the enjoyment (and also critique) of others. This writing always came easily to me and I progressed through even the most complex plots quickly and happily. When I started to write my “serious” novel, I hit the same problem as you. After about four or so attempts at the perfect first chapter (which I was secretly convinced would catapult me into a perfect first novel) I became so frustrated I didn’t even save the fourth. I closed the document, opened a new one, and wrote a scene from chapter three that I really liked and was looking forward to. It was easy, it flowed. Buoyed by my love for that small 800 words, I wrote the scene that lead up to it, and the one before that, and then chapter four, and etc. I haven’t tried to write my first chapter again yet, but I know how I’ll do it, and I’m sure it’ll be better than anything I could have come up with before.

Deciding you want to write something seriously can be very intimidating, but you’ve got to let go and return to why you started it: because you love to write! So write a bit you love, and go from there.

Also Kevin, you said you were sure your writing was garbage, but let me just say that from the way you wrote your question I can tell you have a very advanced grasp of language for your age, and you really should give yourself some credit.

]]> By: Radhika http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/08/16/getting-unstuck-with-your-fiction-writing/#comment-11648 Radhika Tue, 17 Aug 2010 14:44:26 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/08/16/getting-unstuck-with-your-fiction-writing/#comment-11648 My type of writing is just to keep on going, and review it later. It's how I've always written, so I've never fallen into such a predicament. My first draft is usually the outline and very free-flowing, whereas my second is a lot more in-depth and interesting. Though, I find my way to be quite awkward, because I never know the ending and I never know my characters and do character analysis. So, I do dislike my way. But I agree, get rid of the pessimistic, especially right now. And, just to say about Paolini; his writing was directed towards children who want to understand the book, especially without too much depth, otherwise they'd have nightmares at night. I love his books, though I agree he could've written it better, just think about the audience. My type of writing is just to keep on going, and review it later. It’s how I’ve always written, so I’ve never fallen into such a predicament. My first draft is usually the outline and very free-flowing, whereas my second is a lot more in-depth and interesting.
Though, I find my way to be quite awkward, because I never know the ending and I never know my characters and do character analysis. So, I do dislike my way.

But I agree, get rid of the pessimistic, especially right now.
And, just to say about Paolini; his writing was directed towards children who want to understand the book, especially without too much depth, otherwise they’d have nightmares at night. I love his books, though I agree he could’ve written it better, just think about the audience.

]]> By: Koos http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/08/16/getting-unstuck-with-your-fiction-writing/#comment-11650 Koos Tue, 17 Aug 2010 14:56:40 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/08/16/getting-unstuck-with-your-fiction-writing/#comment-11650 Kevin, i never finished my first novel because i gave it to my brother and buddies to critique. They loved it. The critique, i mean. Thankfully, i got over that and am now in process with my "second first novel". And i know who i am not going to ask to critique this time around. Kevin, i never finished my first novel because i gave it to my brother and buddies to critique.

They loved it. The critique, i mean.

Thankfully, i got over that and am now in process with my “second first novel”. And i know who i am not going to ask to critique this time around.

]]> By: CarrieLLewis http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/08/16/getting-unstuck-with-your-fiction-writing/#comment-11654 CarrieLLewis Tue, 17 Aug 2010 15:29:29 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/08/16/getting-unstuck-with-your-fiction-writing/#comment-11654 The only thing I'd have to add is to not let anyone read your first first draft. You almost need to go through that struggle on your own. What I've found is that a beginning writer is way too much like tall grass on the prairie. He or she goes whichever way the wind is blowing and that's a certain guarantee of stagnation. Crit partners are great, but in order to make a first draft work with crit partners, you have to have written enough to know what your goal is with every new story and to know that goal well enough to be able to analyze crits well enough to know which ones advance you toward your goal and which ones are irrelevant. Most first time novelists don't have that ability. Carrie L. Lewis The only thing I’d have to add is to not let anyone read your first first draft. You almost need to go through that struggle on your own.

What I’ve found is that a beginning writer is way too much like tall grass on the prairie. He or she goes whichever way the wind is blowing and that’s a certain guarantee of stagnation.

Crit partners are great, but in order to make a first draft work with crit partners, you have to have written enough to know what your goal is with every new story and to know that goal well enough to be able to analyze crits well enough to know which ones advance you toward your goal and which ones are irrelevant.

Most first time novelists don’t have that ability.

Carrie L. Lewis

]]> By: Don http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/08/16/getting-unstuck-with-your-fiction-writing/#comment-11657 Don Tue, 17 Aug 2010 16:13:17 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/08/16/getting-unstuck-with-your-fiction-writing/#comment-11657 On the getting stuck in chapter 1, perhaps for being unwilling just to let something unfinished or incomplete sit on the page and move on: I don't have a reference handy, and someone into dark fantasy (most of us were there, at age 15) wouldn't stumble across it in the ordinary course of their reading, but if you can find it, it's a good example of just getting a sketch down and moving on: It's an partly finished work from PG Wodehouse, that I think was contained in one of the Wodehouse omnibus publications, probably one of the Jeeves publications, but possibly one of the Psmith [the "P" is silent, as in ptarmigan] or his Mr. Mulliner story collections. I find it helpful to have a model, and this one may be worth chasing down. And reading some Wodehouse is usually a wonderful counter to the dark, even at age 15. On the getting stuck in chapter 1, perhaps for being unwilling just to let something unfinished or incomplete sit on the page and move on:

I don’t have a reference handy, and someone into dark fantasy (most of us were there, at age 15) wouldn’t stumble across it in the ordinary course of their reading, but if you can find it, it’s a good example of just getting a sketch down and moving on:

It’s an partly finished work from PG Wodehouse, that I think was contained in one of the Wodehouse omnibus publications, probably one of the Jeeves publications, but possibly one of the Psmith [the “P” is silent, as in ptarmigan] or his Mr. Mulliner story collections.

I find it helpful to have a model, and this one may be worth chasing down.

And reading some Wodehouse is usually a wonderful counter to the dark, even at age 15.

]]> By: Scene 1, Chapter 1, “ACTION”, Take 2 « Dragonfly Scrolls http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/08/16/getting-unstuck-with-your-fiction-writing/#comment-11883 Scene 1, Chapter 1, “ACTION”, Take 2 « Dragonfly Scrolls Mon, 30 Aug 2010 00:13:25 +0000 http://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/08/16/getting-unstuck-with-your-fiction-writing/#comment-11883 [...] Getting Unstuck With Your Fiction Writing (advancedfictionwriting.com) [...] […] Getting Unstuck With Your Fiction Writing (advancedfictionwriting.com) […]

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