I just (finally) finished a chapter that I never thought was going to end. Not because it was so long, but because it was so hard to write. It seemed every sentence I had to stop and rethink wording or scribble out what I wrote and start over. My only thought is that it is because the chapter was so important, an emotional shift that really changed the direction in the story, but it took over a week to finally finish. One chapter! And by finish I mean it's still pretty ugly and will need some major work. Does this ever happen to you?
The chapter that wouldn't end
- Thread starter sadiemay
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All the time. Although strangely it's not the emotionaal or climax scenes that I have trouble with. It's just random ones here and there that don't make much sense.
I guess that's just me though, not the scenes.
I guess that's just me though, not the scenes.
Oh this happens to me all the time. In my novel, most of the chapters are 2,000-2,500 words long each. Chapter eighteen, my longest chapter, ended up being 4,000 words exactly. It just wouldn't end.
Been there. I've found that the chapters that are super hard to write are often either missing something important I haven't figured out (or realized was missing) yet, or it's something I thought needed to be there, but really didn't. "Going through the motions" chapters so to speak. Most times, I discover once I'm done what that is and when I revise I hack most of the chapter out and it goes much better the second time.
You could look to see if your characters are doing what they want or need to do (and thus driving the story on their own) or if you're forcing them to fit plot (and thus not driving the story). This might not be the issue, but it's happened to me often enough it might be worth a thought
You could look to see if your characters are doing what they want or need to do (and thus driving the story on their own) or if you're forcing them to fit plot (and thus not driving the story). This might not be the issue, but it's happened to me often enough it might be worth a thought
Ugh YES. Happened to me a couple times this novel. The first time was a really insane action chapter that just kept stretching out b/c I had so much trouble writing the action. And then it happened again, at the climax; I used up so much story adrenaline leading to the climax that I had nothing left for the climax itself. Every paragraph was agonizing. Hated writing it.
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Heh... usually when that happens to me, I just start writing something else instead until I can make myself go back and write it. I just figure if I can't figure out how to do it that instant, I'm not in the mood to work on that scene and should be writing something I am in the mood for. I suppose I should note I haven't been particularly productive lately. :/
The most unmotivated I've ever been to write a scene is always when it's been accidentally deleted, for one reason or another. It drives me up a wall when I have to re-write it, especially because it always happens with scenes I had to meticulously plan out to start with. Those I will just plain ignore until I've spent a good hour at least scowling about it.
The most unmotivated I've ever been to write a scene is always when it's been accidentally deleted, for one reason or another. It drives me up a wall when I have to re-write it, especially because it always happens with scenes I had to meticulously plan out to start with. Those I will just plain ignore until I've spent a good hour at least scowling about it.
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Every. Other. Chapter.
Not kidding. My last book, the odd chapters were the biggest pain in the ass. Each and every one of them. Nine in particular. That one was just heinous. I have no idea why. Not a clue. The evens were a breeze. I'd blow through them in a week, and then spend a month on the odds. Thankfully it only had thirteen chapters total, but man...that was so frustrating.
I even had an insanely long chapter in there (100ish pages) that was super easy and I blew through that one as well because (you guessed it) it was an even.
Weird, huh?
Anyway, you have my sympathy.
Not kidding. My last book, the odd chapters were the biggest pain in the ass. Each and every one of them. Nine in particular. That one was just heinous. I have no idea why. Not a clue. The evens were a breeze. I'd blow through them in a week, and then spend a month on the odds. Thankfully it only had thirteen chapters total, but man...that was so frustrating.
I even had an insanely long chapter in there (100ish pages) that was super easy and I blew through that one as well because (you guessed it) it was an even.
Weird, huh? Anyway, you have my sympathy.
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