Why Can't I Get it up?

Garpy · Sep 26, 2007

Ahem...excuse the vulger title but it sums up the point quite well.

When you re-e-e-ally can't be arsed to get on and do the word count for the day on your latest WIP, what's going on?...what's the reason behind that kind of apathy?

- is it just one of those things, every writer experiences from time to time?
- do you suspect it's your subconscious editor has a problem with your WIP?
- is it simply laziness?

I've struggled writing my 3rd book. It's finished now, and actually, I'm very happy with it, but boy was it a hard slog to get on and write it, utterly unlike my first two books which were damned good fun to write. And you know, I just can't figure out why the hell that was.

Perks · Sep 26, 2007

God I wish I knew. I would buy stock in Inspirational Viagra.

Congratulations on finishing, though!

Perks · Sep 26, 2007

Actually, if I was going to give it some thought and be serious, just for a moment - don't worry, I'd say I have two problems. One is a matter of justification (you, sir, with your credentials don't have this worry.) Why do I do this?

And the other is part of an ego element that doesn't want the rest of me to get lost in the work. Which is weird and stupid and probably slightly schizophrenic. When I get on a roll, I dive. I'm gone. And as much as I love it and as refreshed as I feel when I've done it, there's the part of me that doesn't want to jump into the deep end; doesn't want to lose the time in the forefront. I struggle with it every time I sit down to write.

seun · Sep 26, 2007

I usually hit the can't get it up moment 20,000 words in. It lasts for a little while, I slog through it and often end up with something completely different to my original plan.

The only way through it for me is to just keep going at it.

StoryG27 · Sep 26, 2007

Garpy said:
- is it just one of those things, every writer experiences from time to time?
- do you suspect it's your subconscious editor has a problem with your WIP?
- is it simply laziness?

Yes.
Yes.
And yes.

Every writer goes through it. It is possible it is a red flag that your story has veered off course. And yeah, you could just not want to put that much effort into reviving the passion in your work.

Writer's block doesn't always mean there's a problem, but when you have it, it's a good time to look at your characters and storyline with a new perspective.

You know that fake it 'til you make it saying? Well, it's cliche, but that's what I do. I just force myself to write, even if I know it'll be total crap. Usually, it evens itself out fairly quickly and if there was a problem, it usually comes to me as I'm writing my way through the hurdles.

Don't be too hard on yourself and don't expect too much from your writing right now. Just write. The rest of it will fall in line later.

sneakers145 · Sep 26, 2007

Sometimes I just need a breather to get new ideas. Yesterday I was going like gangbusters and I got to a certain point. Then every thought from that point was not right. So I left it. I still don't know where to go. I may need a few days for what I've written to gel. And since this is a first draft, I don't go back to rewrite.

Sometimes I need to take a break and read.

ChaosTitan · Sep 26, 2007

seun said:
I usually hit the can't get it up moment 20,000 words in. It lasts for a little while, I slog through it and often end up with something completely different to my original plan.

I hit that moment at almost the same mark on the latest WIP. Didn't have that problem with the previous two books. They came quickly and easily. This one smashed into a brick wall. I floundered for almost two months, barely adding to the story. Perhaps I just needed the break to get my ideas in a row, but when the solution finally came...boy howdy! I've added 50k to the word count in the last six weeks.

Sometimes it's a flaw in the story. Sometimes it's a flaw in my own mind (that devil on my shoulder telling me I'm not good enough, that it's all pointless, no one wants to read my crap, blah blah blah). I just have to get past that hump.

JimmyB27 · Sep 26, 2007

You need some PHENTERMINE.

Ken Schneider · Sep 26, 2007

I used to hit the wall at 44, 45,000 words. Now, if I feel I'm slowing down in a certain area of my plot, I move on to the next scene or portion of my plot.

Some folks EAT-up their plotline by a certain number of words and are at the end of their work before a novel length ms is achieved.

If in fact you set in your chair and stare at the screen for two hours a day, you'll find something to write. If you are stuck at a point in your progression through the plot, but know what comes next, go to the next part of the plot and later you'll be able to fill in the part you were stuck at.

If you are just plan stuck, you may want to step back and figure out where your plot is going if you aren't an outline type person.

But I find if I have developed my characters into their roles in my book, they tell me what I'm going to write because of their personality and place in the sceme of things. I'm just watching a movie unfold and writing down what they do as I watch.

Good luck

EriRae · Sep 26, 2007

I would have to say it's getting stuck on AW all day that made my word count suffer

Just kidding. I've been spending a lot more time on my WIP now that I can't be on here so much, though.

wayndom · Sep 26, 2007

I've read that it's usually because of a problem with a character -- that the character is being "asked" to behave in a way that isn't in character, or some such.

In my own experience, it's usually because there's some sort of problem with the story that I know about, but haven't admitted to myself. Someone's motivation doesn't ring true, something along those lines. If I ask myself what's wrong with the WIP enough, I eventually figure it out (though sometimes it means having to throw away large portions of already-written material).

And by the way, it took me a while to get past the title of this thread...

spacejock2 · Sep 26, 2007

Skip the scene you're working on and find another more interesting one. If you don't have any more interesting ones to write, invest some of your writing time in outlining.

laffarsmith · Sep 26, 2007

I've slammed against it at the moment actually. Just over 40,000 words and about half way. I'm finding in the time I'm not adding more words that my mind and my notepad is reworking what I've got, strengthening the internal weaves of the plot and creating a firmer base which is fleshing out what's to come.

Basically, I've noticed whenever I have an urge not to write it's because I didn't put enough planning in before I attempted to start. It's probably just something that happens to me, others can work without any planning at all and not have a problem.

Congratulations on finishing despite the challenges.

Simple Living · Sep 27, 2007

This will go against the grain of everything writers have been taught. Writers who are disciplined often overwork themselves, pushing themselves too hard. A daily word count goal is great, but goals don't have to be accomplished every single day.

Cut yourself a bit of slack. Take a three day weekend and do anything but write. Go hiking. Go to a double-feature, put together a poker night, sit on the couch and eat Cheetos while watching the Twilight Zone Marathon, play golf, go to the Science Museum, go camping for a couple days... The business world gets holidays and three day weekends, but writers - disciplined, writing every day - often don't give themselves enough breaks.

We're human BE-ings, not human DO-ings. Everyone needs some time just to be. Of course, if a writer isn't already disciplined to sit down and produce on a daily basis, meeting deadlines, it's a different story. You, Garpy, have proven your discipline. Give yourself a Cheeto break!

clockwatcher · Sep 27, 2007

I just went through this for about a month and I think it had a lot to do with overworking myself. So I stopped writing for a while but now I'm writing again. Not as quickly as I used to but I'm getting there.

Prawn · Sep 27, 2007

I agree with Storygirl.

Write it, even if you think is sucks. When you look at it later, you will probably think is ins't half bad. Sometimes I would get to the end of my words for the day, and write at the top THIS SUCKS, REWRITE. When the book was done, the parts I thought sucked while I was writing them didn't turn out to be so bad.

LeeFlower · Sep 27, 2007

I'm trying to remember who it was (Uncle Jim? Jim Butcher?) who came up with The Great Swampy Middle, but that seems to be what you guys are talking about with hitting a slump around 20-40k. The energy of kicking off the story is beginning to wane. The story's been established, the characters introduced, and you're staring down the long stretch between the springy new beginning and the really cool stuff at the end. Demotivation abounds.

Generally for me, when I can't even force myself to work, it's because there's a clusterfrak in my plot that needs to be addressed. I can't get anywhere until I've got my outline sorted. A complete outline means the book's already written in my head and I just need to write it down. Without that, I could sit down every day and 'wing it' for five hours straight without ever getting any closer to finishing.

So yeah, for me, it's a no-brainer why I can't force myself to sit down and work on the thing. The longer I stare at it, the more convinced I am that my idea is just stupid and the plot's never going to sort itself and even if it does no one's going to want my book because I totally suck at this and everything else too and their are children starving in Africa and God hates puppies... Eventually, that one stray piece will fall into place and slice through this Gordian Knot I've been making such a mess of, but until then? Ugh. I hate this part.

Prawn · Sep 27, 2007

Don't stop writing. Skip to the end and write that, then join the two together. It is easier to get thru the swampy middle if you know where you are going.

Garpy · Sep 27, 2007

Wayndom posted that 'not getting it up' might be the result of a character questioning the author, of a motive that isn't sitting square with a character....and I think he's right.

I'm taking a break from the book between finishing and editing...but I was thinking about if for a moment today...and I'm almost certain now, the misgivings I was struggling with all the way through were to do with a couple of characters' motives....being forced (by me) to do things without a really compellingly argued motive.

So I know, when I start editing, I'll be looking at these 2 characters and reverse-engineering them to some degree.

Why Can't I Get it up?

Garpy

keyboard monkey

Perks

delicate #!&@*#! flower

Perks

delicate #!&@*#! flower

seun

Horror Man

StoryG27

Miss Behave

sneakers145

ChaosTitan

Around

JimmyB27

Hoopy frood

Ken Schneider

Absolute sagebrush

EriRae

:P

wayndom

spacejock2

laffarsmith

Simple Living

clockwatcher

Prawn

Writing is finite,revising infinite

LeeFlower

Lurker Extraordinaire

Prawn

Writing is finite,revising infinite

Garpy

keyboard monkey