Wearing my heart on my sleeve

Cassiopeia · Feb 28, 2007

Lately, I have trouble writing. It seems my emotions are way too close to the surface and I can't seem to articulate any of it. Along with that my novel has come to a dead halt. I have tried to sit in front of my pc...no I don't write out by hand...and I will read my last paragraph and think..what am I doing?

I want to bang my head on my desk over and over again. The only work I got done as of recent was to search for -ly words and delete them and reword. I don't like to edit while I am working on my novel but I am not working on it so I figured what the heck.

How do I get past this one?

Sage · Feb 28, 2007

Write: "Blah!" Highlight it so you can find it later. Skip ahead to the next scene you know is going to happen & are excited about. That's how I used to get past writer's block, & it will help you get over that last paragraph you seem to be stuck on. (This assumes you know what's going to happen. I know some people don't write that way).

But it could be that something's not working with the scene you last wrote, & you have to backtrack. I've seen that advice a lot around here.

Mr. Funktastic · Feb 28, 2007

Yeah, I just had a similar problem, so I just backtracked until I found what was wrong and started anew from there. Luckily, I didn't have to backtrack far.

Anyway, you might want to give it a shot. It worked for me.

ATP · Feb 28, 2007

work effectiveness / & emotional-physical state

It seems that our work effectiveness is subject to numerous influences - we are neither machines nor live our lives in a vacuum.

If your emotional state is being deeply affected by some other personal issue/s, or immobilising you, then it is time to leave the work alone. Your psyche and corresponding 'head space' will bring you back to the work when the personal issue causing the problem is adequately resolved.

AnnieColleen · Feb 28, 2007

Write something else? Look for one of the short challenges around the boards here; maybe something little with no pressure attached with get things flowing again.

Or, yeah, give yourself a break. Life gets in the way sometimes.

Cassiopeia · Feb 28, 2007

ATP said:
It seems that our work effectiveness is subject to numerous influences - we are neither machines nor live our lives in a vacuum.

If your emotional state is being deeply affected by some other personal issue/s, or immobilising you, then it is time to leave the work alone. Your psyche and corresponding 'head space' will bring you back to the work when the personal issue causing the problem is adequately resolved.

*nodding my head* this is where I think I am. I am one of those who is strong in the storm and then falls apart...I think I came apart at the seams recently...and I am picking up the peices now. And I am facing some very insecure times ahead...

thank you...I wondered if this was going on .

Cassiopeia · Feb 28, 2007

Mr. Funktastic said:
Yeah, I just had a similar problem, so I just backtracked until I found what was wrong and started anew from there. Luckily, I didn't have to backtrack far.

Anyway, you might want to give it a shot. It worked for me.

I think part of what is going on is...I keep rereading what I wrote in the past..this is a novel in the works since 1996 and sometimes I think it is just crap.

AnnieColleen · Feb 28, 2007

Casiopeia said:
I think part of what is going on is...I keep rereading what I wrote in the past..this is a novel in the works since 1996 and sometimes I think it is just crap.

This may or may not be helpful, but for me...writing something else for a while is great for this. (Yes, I know I just said that,

.) Something little and fun without the pressure to get it right now, for me, helps to revive the enjoyment of writing.

Something else to keep in mind, especially when you have a lot going on, is that lack of sleep can affect some people pretty strongly. Again, my personal experience -- with a lot of stress I tend to sleep less, do a lot of mindless time-filling (re-reading, browsing, etc.), stare at the page when I want to write something, feel bad for not writing, more distraction/time-filling because I feel bad...... I don't know if this is anywhere close to where you are! But do make sure you're taking care of yourself (sleep, exercise, etc.) while everything else is going on. It really does help break the cycle.

:Hug2:

Raphee · Feb 28, 2007

Casiopeia said:
I think part of what is going on is...I keep rereading what I wrote in the past..this is a novel in the works since 1996 and sometimes I think it is just crap.

Casi,
I am somewhat in a similar situation and work on my WIP has been halted. My mind refuses to budge and work on it.
I have temporarily halted work and am reading other authors, SYW forum and spending time with family. I guess I am too stressed out.

Take a break, it'll all get back ........for both of us I hope.

Cassiopeia · Feb 28, 2007

AnnieColleen said:
This may or may not be helpful, but for me...writing something else for a while is great for this. (Yes, I know I just said that, .) Something little and fun without the pressure to get it right now, for me, helps to revive the enjoyment of writing.

Something else to keep in mind, especially when you have a lot going on, is that lack of sleep can affect some people pretty strongly. Again, my personal experience -- with a lot of stress I tend to sleep less, do a lot of mindless time-filling (re-reading, browsing, etc.), stare at the page when I want to write something, feel bad for not writing, more distraction/time-filling because I feel bad...... I don't know if this is anywhere close to where you are! But do make sure you're taking care of yourself (sleep, exercise, etc.) while everything else is going on. It really does help break the cycle.

I have been suffering from insomnia the last couple months...and I have had Mono again...migraines..and been in so much physical pain that I gave in and went on Welbutrin which is really for people to quit smoking but I knew it from before and it has killed the migraines and interupts the pain receptors...not only that but I get to have a little dopamine to counteract the stress. I am on a mild dose though and I can't imagine having much of it for very long...I tend to be a big scattered at times. But thank god the pain is gone

Cassiopeia · Feb 28, 2007

Raphee said:
Casi,
I am somewhat in a similar situation and work on my WIP has been halted. My mind refuses to budge and work on it.
I have temporarily halted work and am reading other authors, SYW forum and spending time with family. I guess I am too stressed out.

Take a break, it'll all get back ........for both of us I hope.

I have been talking to jvc...and through talking with him I have come to realize that I think my novel is just not what I am wanting and not what I feel I should be writing right now...that and I really wanted it to be different and even though I never revise while writing I think I can't go forward without changing it.

PeeDee · Feb 28, 2007

Before changing, might I humbly suggest you take a step back from it for awhile and just let it be? It sounds to me like, among other things, you're too close to your work right now and it's messing with you.

Birol · Feb 28, 2007

Casi, I give you permission to write crap.

It doesn't have to be perfect. It doesn't have to be good. You just have to put words on a page. They don't have to make sense or be coherent or anything. Just words on the page.

Cassiopeia · Feb 28, 2007

PeeDee said:
Before changing, might I humbly suggest you take a step back from it for awhile and just let it be? It sounds to me like, among other things, you're too close to your work right now and it's messing with you.

BUT PEEDEE...it reads like a romance novel right now....at least that is how it seems to me suddenly and I am writing a mystery!

Btw...I posted a memoir on the Share your work part of the forum...this is the story BEGGING to be written and I am not sure I am brave enough to do it. Either self help or novel would be my guess.

Cassiopeia · Feb 28, 2007

Birol said:
Casi, I give you permission to write crap.

It doesn't have to be perfect. It doesn't have to be good. You just have to put words on a page. They don't have to make sense or be coherent or anything. Just words on the page.

You just made me cry. LOL...I am such a mess. So many emotions. One thing this medication has done has stopped the adrenaline from two years ago that seems to have a hold on me..and now..looking back at everything I have been through...I am so very very sad. Everything seems so raw to me. I guess dclary's post about his foster daughter brought to the surface the things I want to forget.

PeeDee · Feb 28, 2007

Casiopeia said:
BUT PEEDEE...it reads like a romance novel right now....at least that is how it seems to me suddenly and I am writing a mystery!

Btw...I posted a memoir on the Share your work part of the forum...this is the story BEGGING to be written and I am not sure I am brave enough to do it. Either self help or novel would be my guess.

You were intending to write a mystery. Now you're writing a romance novel. Perhaps you're writing a mystery novel with more-than-most romance in it? Or vice versa? This isn't always a bad thing. And this is also exactly why I think you need to step away from it for a few weeks, or however long, until you can look at it again and go "Oh. I see where it's going. I never would have planned it going there. How weird," and then get back to writing it.

Go write the thing that's BEGGING for your attention right now, and then come back to the thing you WANT to attend to once your mind has stepped far enough away from it.

I suggest, anyway.

PeeDee · Feb 28, 2007

Casiopeia said:
You just made me cry. LOL...I am such a mess. So many emotions. One thing this medication has done has stopped the adrenaline from two years ago that seems to have a hold on me..and now..looking back at everything I have been through...I am so very very sad. Everything seems so raw to me. I guess dclary's post about his foster daughter brought to the surface the things I want to forget.

Well, we love you if that helps any.

Cassiopeia · Feb 28, 2007

PeeDee said:
You were intending to write a mystery. Now you're writing a romance novel. Perhaps you're writing a mystery novel with more-than-most romance in it? Or vice versa? This isn't always a bad thing. And this is also exactly why I think you need to step away from it for a few weeks, or however long, until you can look at it again and go "Oh. I see where it's going. I never would have planned it going there. How weird," and then get back to writing it.

Go write the thing that's BEGGING for your attention right now, and then come back to the thing you WANT to attend to once your mind has stepped far enough away from it.

I suggest, anyway.

Okay..I will trust you on this one. *hugs* thank you so very much.

Cassiopeia · Feb 28, 2007

PeeDee said:
Well, we love you if that helps any.

OH GREAT! NOW I am blubbering!

Birol · Feb 28, 2007

Casiopeia said:
You just made me cry.

Now, get to work.

Rhea L · Mar 1, 2007

Sounds like me at the moment, too. Sigh. I just know it's the emotional mess I'm in that's getting in the way of writing. Sometimes you just need to take a break. Write something else... be good to yourself.

Cassiopeia · Mar 1, 2007

PeeDee and Birol...I have to tell you. I really thought about what you both had to say..as well as everyone else. You made a lot of sense PeeDee when you said...

You were intending to write a mystery. Now you're writing a romance novel. Perhaps you're writing a mystery novel with more-than-most romance in it? Or vice versa? This isn't always a bad thing. And this is also exactly why I think you need to step away from it for a few weeks, or however long, until you can look at it again and go "Oh. I see where it's going. I never would have planned it going there. How weird," and then get back to writing it.

Then I posted a short story about my daughter on the Share your work forum. Which by the way took an incredible amount of coaxing and support from jvc. The thing that was BEGGING me.

Then I did what Birol said and I got to work. I went back to my novel and yes...I had to edit. What ever works right? It just flowed. I was able to accept that my novel isn't probably going to scare the shit out of anyone and yes it could have some romance but I could weave a story that had suspense and be a bit funny as well. Chapter one is updated but I don't consider it a proper revise. I just made the story more mine if that makes sense.

I don't know if anything else will need lining up but I have a feeling this will get me back into my story, my characters and my dream of being published one day.

Thanks so much. I felt stupid at first posting about it but it helped more than I can say.

Love you guys!
Casi
OH and PS...*shock* I actually added some real live swear words!

Hillgate · Mar 1, 2007

Well done Casiopeia - writing is a tough old game, but if you keep going you WILL be published!

johnzakour · Mar 1, 2007

Birol said:
Casi, I give you permission to write crap.

It doesn't have to be perfect. It doesn't have to be good. You just have to put words on a page. They don't have to make sense or be coherent or anything. Just words on the page.

I totally agree. I said, it once, I'll say it again, putting crap down on a page acts as fertilizer for better words to grow.

You might also want to try some chocolate from some extra happy endorphins.

When all else fails I find watching TV helps relax then spark me.

citymouse · Mar 1, 2007

Casi, Sounds like you need a good break from your novel. If writing something else helps you get comfortable then by all means do that.

As for being stuck, you might try this, it works for me. Think of where you want to end up in your story. Then write that scene or end chapter. It doesn't matter that you end up writing another one when you finally arrive at the story's conclusion. Doing this should give you an end point to shoot for.
For my first book I wrote the first chapter and three final chapters befoe I wrote anything else. I used only one of these. The point is I knew where I wanted to go. Because of this filling in the middle was easier. I've used this trick in all three of my books. It works for me perhaps it would for you too.

Good luck.
C

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