What's the hardest part of the story to write?

C. L. Richardson · Sep 3, 2007

Is it the beginning, the middle, or the end, and why?

For me it's definitely the beginning. I'm just never satisfied with those first few pages. They either seem too boring or not descriptive enough to make an effective setup. For this reason I always have trouble starting new projects.

maxmordon · Sep 3, 2007

I am either in the beginning or the middle. The end usually appears to me in the outline

ChimeraCreative · Sep 3, 2007

The end. I write short stories and by the time I'm ten or twenty pages into it and I have two or three new story ideas I want to tinker with. So I rush the ending so I can move on to my next project. Such a dreadful thing to have no patience. Bad me. >.<

-An

stace001 · Sep 3, 2007

I'd have to say the middle is the hardest part for me. My first few chapters are usually the ones I love the most.

Writing the beginning is exciting, with the new characters and storyline zipping through my head. But once I get to the middle, I find myself stumped for the most part. I usually have the ending sorted out in my mind (I've never been able to write outlines) but how my characters get there can be frustrating to the point where I want to throw in the towel. I usually work my way through it and then the excitement of the ending hits and I'm away.

Most definitely the middle for me.

Ravenlocks · Sep 3, 2007

For me it's the end. I get scared that I'll screw it up or I won't tie up all the loose ends or I'll otherwise ruin it in some way. I guess I get third-act anxiety.

DocBrown · Sep 3, 2007

For me, the hardest part of writing is the words.

Well, seriously, it is the end for me. Making sure everything is tied together nicely and sensibly can be so tough!

Rhea L · Sep 3, 2007

The climax. Ironically, because having it in sight is what keeps pushing me forward. Once I get to it, I get petrified, convinced I can't pull it off, and keep putting it off.

Middles are when I'm most involved in the story, so that part has never been a problem.

OctoberRain · Sep 3, 2007

I'm writing my first novel, and in my limited experience, I've got to say it's the middle. Which is where I am right now. The beginning was easy - I had a seed of an idea, it grew, the first 100 pages poured out. I know how I want the book to end. But how do I get to the end? I feel so... constipated. Right now I'm forcing it out, page by page, and it's not fun anymore.

Stijn Hommes · Sep 4, 2007

I write mostly short stories and it's always the middle that is doing me in. I can usually come up with great beginnings and I don't start writing until I have an ending, but when I'm writing, I often have trouble getting the events to play out in a logical manner.

In my WIP novel it's pretty much the same. I have the beginning and the ending, but I'm not sure I'm happy about what happens in between. I'm not even sure I can do it justice.

EriRae · Sep 4, 2007

The middle is the hardest for me, too. I begin with the end in mind. I get to know my characters before I start, so they provide the beginning. The hard part is getting said characters from that beginning to the ending. Sometimes they derail and go their own way and I find myself at an ending I didn't expect, but it's the end. I love it when that happens. The whole time I'm dreading being stuck in the middle forever, and then the end appears. Like I started out for Toronto and arrived in San Antonio. Not what I had in mind, but I got SOMEWHERE.

Jamesaritchie · Sep 4, 2007

Hardest

The beginning. Writing a beginning isn't necessarily hard, but writing a beginning that's right, and leads to a perfect middle and end, is far and away the toughest part of writing for me.

Stijn Hommes · Sep 4, 2007

You can always revise a beginning. Revising middles usually leads to a whole lot of complications.

ccarver30 · Sep 4, 2007

Middle!! That's where I am now and I am losing steam. DOH!

Sage · Sep 4, 2007

The beginning. It's always daunting to take on that new story no matter how excited I am by it.

AND

The middle. That's where I hit the "my writing sucks" blues & feel like I'm never going to get to the ever-exciting climax

maestrowork · Sep 4, 2007

It's hard for me to find the right opening, but in general the middle is the hardest to write well (they often drag and the mid-book blues attack all the time), and the ending is relatively the easiest for me.

Spiny Norman · Sep 4, 2007

The beginning.

You can always tell when you're uncertain because it's when you start babbling and brining in tangents. And I babble a LOT at the beginning.

I don't have much trouble with the middle, because I usually have the flow of my story sketched out in my head beforehand. It usually looks like a slump, which is good and works well with "mid-book blues," fortunately.

aadams73 · Sep 4, 2007

No part of the novel is as hard to write as the synopsis. At least for me

Glenda · Sep 4, 2007

C. L. Richardson said:
Is it the beginning, the middle, or the end, and why?

For me it's definitely the beginning. I'm just never satisfied with those first few pages. They either seem too boring or not descriptive enough to make an effective setup. For this reason I always have trouble starting new projects.

None of the above, the hardest for me is the editing.

larocca · Sep 4, 2007

The title is the hardest part for me to write.

Seriously, I spend months on the characters, conflict and first chapter. It must be like shaking a can of beer, because once I pop the top (start writing), it just spews outta me like nobody's business.

But then, what do I call it? Somehow, I've never called one of my novels "Spewed Beer."

Azraelsbane · Sep 4, 2007

Glenda said:
None of the above, the hardest for me is the editing.

2nded. The hardest part for me is being so close to done I can taste it, but then I look at the two or three chapters I have left to edit and want to cry. I want to be sending it ALL to betas. I tried sending half of it two days ago...I thought "I'll be done in a few days, they won't even be ready for it." Wrong. A couple finished it in one night and want the rest...it kills me to keep them waiting while I work through final edits. I want it to be OVER, but more than that, I want it to be the best it can be.

kaybounds · Sep 4, 2007

Hi I'm new to this whole writing gig and I found that the beginning of my novel just poured right out and I knew the ending , but when I got to the middle of my plot I started having different ideas which would change my ending. I want to keep my original ending but the new plots are so good, I foresee a sequel or two.

Manat · Sep 4, 2007

For me it's the end. In fact I'm 95,000 words in and no end in sight. I'm hoping it will come to me while I sleep.

WorldPlanter · Sep 4, 2007

Based on my very limited experience I would have to say that the middle is the most difficult for me. I usually have a very good idea of how I want the story to begin and almost always know where it will end up, but I don't always know how I'll get there.

That's usually where outlining comes in handy. For my current work, outlining has definitely helped, though I know not everyone here advocates outlining.

donroc · Sep 4, 2007

For me, it is the beginning, which I tend to overwrite -- the rest usually flows naturally. As for the dreaded synopsis, it is many times easier to write one for a story I have not written than one I have. Always hated precís exercises at the U.

www.donaldmichaelplatt.com

Writer14 · Sep 4, 2007

I think the middle may be the hardest, only because it holds the largest part of the story and its what gets you passed the beginning and moving towards the end.

What's the hardest part of the story to write?

Penúltimo

Been there, Done that.

Look into my eyes

How novel.

Hopes to one day write for food.

-enchanter-

I triple dog dare you.

Know what you write...

:P

Know what you write...

Nicole Castro

Our Lady of Parentheticals

Fear the Death Ray

A Work in Progress

Proofreader

Agony is defeat

kaybounds

Historicals and Horror rule

Christina.