That is what I keep telling myself. I just want to stick with it this time so I can see this story through!
-
Basic Writing questions is not a crit forum. All crits belong in Share Your Work
Motivation to finish writing a novel
- Thread starter CalRazor
- Start date
That is what I keep telling myself. I just want to stick with it this time so I can see this story through!
- Joined
- Oct 22, 2016
- Messages
- 138
- Reaction score
- 25
- Location
- Martinsburg, WV USA
- Website
- www.rjacques.net
One strategy I employed for my second novel was to write scenes from the middle of the story I knew I wanted to happen. I had a romance, an argument, and an action scene That played big parts in the story, so I wrote them out in their entirety. These gave me 3 "dots" to connect and helped me focus my narrative on arriving at those dots. Naturally, those scenes had to be rewritten a little bit, but a little revision is par for the course.
Yeah. My habit has been to write spontaneously, rather than follow through on plot schematics. Because of that, it's very possible the plot/character arcs have suffered. I do have an issue with finishing ideas, though. So, no matter how interesting the story is, my eventual reflex is to drift on to something else, but I've been able to stay the course thus far so, fingers crossed. Putting that aside, it's likely the main plot isn't that compelling after a certain point, and there's little in the way of subplots...
I'll have to check out the books you recommended.
Yeah, sounds like a terrific strategy. Might try it out in the near future. Definitely beats dropping yet another attempt at a novel for no good reason.
I also found that using Scrivener helped me with pushing through the novel-- and see it in terms of plot and character arc.
The very ability to see all the chapters, dip into any of them with ease and make notes, helped. Different writers work differently, but 'seeing' a structure in the form of folders made me think of the story as a whole, and helped me mover forward when I stumbled. This is just a suggestion-- I'm sure there's equally good software as Scrivener out there, and people write their novels on Word, too.
Is this different than google drive? I've used google drive to make notes, and that's helped, but not in the sense of being able to develop a "bird's eye" view of my fledgling MS. I think you can separate things into folders too, but drive hasn't always felt like the most intuitive layout as far as organization goes.
It is a software for writers. You could google it up--I'm new on AW and not sure of the rules on linking to products. The learning curve for the software is steep, but in some ways it makes things so easy--- like moving chunks of text around, meta-tags so we can track certain events, a possibility to have notes on character/ plot/ setting/ whatever right next to the scene being worked on, ability to work on scenes and various drafts, and also to compile the manuscript into a proper format requested by editors. And of course-- the folders and the binder, and index cards. It is like having all the stationery needed for a novel inside of a software.
A quick google search should give you the details.
I like the analogy of the scenes as "dots," and focusing on major scenes that are paramount to the story. Focusing my writing efforts on writing around a few key scenes would probably help immensely with organization.
Sounds interesting. I will check it out.
- Joined
- Oct 22, 2016
- Messages
- 138
- Reaction score
- 25
- Location
- Martinsburg, WV USA
- Website
- www.rjacques.net
I'll second the notion of authoring software. Scrivener is good, or if you're on a budget, try WriteWay Pro, which is now free.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Oct 26, 2015
- Messages
- 1,586
- Reaction score
- 642
I didn't think so, and I'm as tech-challenged as they come. Of course, I don't feel I use it to it's full potential either, which is nice too. There's always more you can do with it, but I found it quite intuitive to dive into.
As far as cost, you could always try winning NaNo. There's a huge discount code for winners. Had I known about that, it would've saved me a bundle.
- Joined
- Nov 10, 2007
- Messages
- 320
- Reaction score
- 92
Someone mentioned writing shorter stories. You might look into writing a novella, novelettes and short stories. I had a similar problem as you do... kinda. I hate reading novels. I used to love it years ago and swallowed them up. Now I try and try and can't get into them. But I found I like reading shorter works like short stories. Maybe you don't have the steam in you to write a full novel, at this time at least. You might grow to love it after working on shorter works. But I might be wrong.
Also, have you tried taking a class that pushes you to write. I think that the Oxford online has a writing class about finishing a novel. You would be writing along with a group of individuals online to finish your novel along with online videos that talk about writing and finishing a novel. The Oxford class is expensive but there might be some other classes online that are less expensive. There might even be some online writing groups where you keep each other accountable and motivated to get er done.
Also, have you tried taking a class that pushes you to write. I think that the Oxford online has a writing class about finishing a novel. You would be writing along with a group of individuals online to finish your novel along with online videos that talk about writing and finishing a novel. The Oxford class is expensive but there might be some other classes online that are less expensive. There might even be some online writing groups where you keep each other accountable and motivated to get er done.
I did write a novella about a year ago. Apparently writing in the second person isn't "what sane people do." Anyway, you live and learn. It was definitely an experience that helped me grow as a writer.
I'd say I have a decent catalog of short stories, and the thing I like about them is they help blow off "creative steam." They don't help me directly to write longer stuff, but they're a good palate cleanser.
The Oxford online class is a good idea, but I am a bit short of money. There are probably similar things out there that would achieve a similar effect though, so thanks for the suggestion!
Last edited:
I'd like to add a slightly different perspective, try and figure out how you study, how you study will give you a clue as to how you write.
For me personally I learn lots of little details until I understand the big picture. Once I understand the big picture I don't need to remember the details because I can put a detail in and understand how to manipulate the system. My writing works in reverse, I know how the major plot points and I know how i want it to end for me the trick is teasing out the little details in between the major plot points, after the intro it gets hard because I don't need the details to understand the story, but without them the story won't make sense to someone else. I generally write the basics and come back several times to change the details. I find it hard to start writing but once I get into it time just disappears.
If your struggling go out and socialise because believe me real life is much stranger than fiction and a lot of the stranger parts are worth sharing.
For me personally I learn lots of little details until I understand the big picture. Once I understand the big picture I don't need to remember the details because I can put a detail in and understand how to manipulate the system. My writing works in reverse, I know how the major plot points and I know how i want it to end for me the trick is teasing out the little details in between the major plot points, after the intro it gets hard because I don't need the details to understand the story, but without them the story won't make sense to someone else. I generally write the basics and come back several times to change the details. I find it hard to start writing but once I get into it time just disappears.
If your struggling go out and socialise because believe me real life is much stranger than fiction and a lot of the stranger parts are worth sharing.
- Joined
- Nov 5, 2013
- Messages
- 188
- Reaction score
- 17
- Location
- Cornwall, UK
- Website
- markhuntleyjames.wordpress.com
Try to quit. If you can, enjoy, but if you can't, keep going and finish!!
(Don't remember the original quote source, but I love it.)
I would add another vote for this - even when I've written myself into a corner, or have no idea how to move my plot forward, I can't leave it alone. It nags at me until I write something. Even writing total rubbish I bin later helps.
glitterandbones
Registered
When I'm at a loss for language and my imagination feels cold and barren, I pick up a book that has inspired me to write in the past, one that is rich with character development and prose so gorgeous I want to crawl into the text for days. I flip it open on a random page and read a paragraph or two. It sounds too simple to work but it really does fill the creative well and fuel me to write better than I have ever done before.
If I feel tired or uninspired I stick to an element that I'm relatively good at and focus on that. For me that's dialogue. I'll fill in the pretty prose and descriptive work on a day I feel more alert and confident.
I don't set my goals as word count either. Sure, If I push out 2,000+ words in the morning that's great but I'd rather focus on quality or more specific, smaller goals like how I'm going to get the character from a to b or effectively depicting a scene on the page as it is in my head.
If I feel tired or uninspired I stick to an element that I'm relatively good at and focus on that. For me that's dialogue. I'll fill in the pretty prose and descriptive work on a day I feel more alert and confident.
I don't set my goals as word count either. Sure, If I push out 2,000+ words in the morning that's great but I'd rather focus on quality or more specific, smaller goals like how I'm going to get the character from a to b or effectively depicting a scene on the page as it is in my head.
I'm always glad to see I'm not the only one (selfish as I am…) I've had long periods too when I've really struggled to keep writing. So demoralizing. The longer I went without getting anything done, the worse it got. I knew that there really was no other solution than to sit down and do it, and keep doing it, even when it felt impossible - but it could still be so very, very hard.
I don't have much to add to all the good advice here. Change your writing style from pantsing to plotting or vice versa to see if that helps, write scenes out of order etc etc. I just wanted to point out that each time you abandon a project you wanted to do without finishing it, you make the next one harder to finish. It's a neurological thing – when the process of starting a novel has happened 'so so many' times as you say, and each time it has never been brought to a conclusion – then your brain has been taught that this process will not lead to a conclusion – there is no conclusion to be had, actually. So in a very real sense, it is harder for you to bring this novel over the finishing line than it would have been if this was your first draft.
I don't mean to discourage you, quite the opposite. You're not only fighting the novel, which is a huge challenge in itself, you're also fighting your past experiences. Take that into account and then you can see how good you really are, how well you're actually doing when you keep going like you do. Each time you sit down and write, each time you get even a few sentences further in the draft, you've accomplished something big. Reward yourself for that, don't focus on how little you get done and how hopeless you are and how you will never finish. You're not, you're doing fine, and there's no way you won't get to the finishing line if you write even as little as one sentence per day. You will make it. And you're right. The next novel will be a little easier, because now you've taught your brain that bringing this kind of project to a conclusion is actually possible.
I don't know if this kind of trick will help, but maybe it's worth a try: plan a smaller section, a scene, a chapter, that you can realistically finish in a few days, a week's time maybe. Open a new document for it, write it to the end and call it finished. Save it in a file called 'finished scenes' or something, then celebrate your achievement You can easily paste the scenes into the master draft later as you need them. This way, you are giving yourself the repeated experience of finishing a project you've started that is related to the novel. And you can see the finished scenes adding up, even count them, to celbrate how good you are at finishing.
Yeah, like I said, a trick that may not help you at all. The main thing is to keep going and to celebrate the fact that you are making progress in this uphill battle you're fighitng, instead of despairing. You're doing great.
I don't have much to add to all the good advice here. Change your writing style from pantsing to plotting or vice versa to see if that helps, write scenes out of order etc etc. I just wanted to point out that each time you abandon a project you wanted to do without finishing it, you make the next one harder to finish. It's a neurological thing – when the process of starting a novel has happened 'so so many' times as you say, and each time it has never been brought to a conclusion – then your brain has been taught that this process will not lead to a conclusion – there is no conclusion to be had, actually. So in a very real sense, it is harder for you to bring this novel over the finishing line than it would have been if this was your first draft.
I don't mean to discourage you, quite the opposite. You're not only fighting the novel, which is a huge challenge in itself, you're also fighting your past experiences. Take that into account and then you can see how good you really are, how well you're actually doing when you keep going like you do. Each time you sit down and write, each time you get even a few sentences further in the draft, you've accomplished something big. Reward yourself for that, don't focus on how little you get done and how hopeless you are and how you will never finish. You're not, you're doing fine, and there's no way you won't get to the finishing line if you write even as little as one sentence per day. You will make it. And you're right. The next novel will be a little easier, because now you've taught your brain that bringing this kind of project to a conclusion is actually possible.
I don't know if this kind of trick will help, but maybe it's worth a try: plan a smaller section, a scene, a chapter, that you can realistically finish in a few days, a week's time maybe. Open a new document for it, write it to the end and call it finished. Save it in a file called 'finished scenes' or something, then celebrate your achievement You can easily paste the scenes into the master draft later as you need them. This way, you are giving yourself the repeated experience of finishing a project you've started that is related to the novel. And you can see the finished scenes adding up, even count them, to celbrate how good you are at finishing.
Yeah, like I said, a trick that may not help you at all. The main thing is to keep going and to celebrate the fact that you are making progress in this uphill battle you're fighitng, instead of despairing. You're doing great.
Last edited:
Haven't forgotten about this thread. Still writing, and trying to move at the same time. Currently at 42,000 words. Progress, I guess.
Thanks for all the advice in this thread. It's helping to keep me on track!
Thanks for all the advice in this thread. It's helping to keep me on track!
- Joined
- May 24, 2010
- Messages
- 1,235
- Reaction score
- 35
Just getting words down on the page is the main thing. Try not to worry how bad you think the 1st draft it. Once it's finished, you can then start beating it into shape.
i don't know anything, but maybe can replace some words with stronger and truly honest words which will shine the light on the edge. the edge that made you begin writing the story. finding that edge again will help to keep tip-toeing on it and not falling off. or falling off, but struggling to get back on it. but of course don't want to beat the reader over the head with your words. no edge in that. give the reader room to discover not only the edge your characters walked in the story, but the personal edge they didn't realize they walked while reading it. until the end. amen. or something like that.
Last edited:
All of this, yes. This is how I write.
My last book was 42 chapters.
The order was a little like this, Chapter 1, 2, 3, 32, 17, 15, 16, 5, 20-25, 42 and so on. I hopped around to keep momentum with the scenes I knew NEEDED to happen then the other chapters just sort of filled themselves in naturally.
Have you ever tried writing faster?
On a first draft, the prose isn't all that important, you're just getting the story out there, putting the skeleton together, testing the waters (whatever metaphor you want to use!). I probably average 10,000 words ever 1-2 weeks, which isn't really a lot, but it means I've hit that 30,000 mark after only about a month. That's not a lot of time invested in a first draft, and the enthusiasm usually still holds. If it takes months or longer to get the first third of a first draft done, yes, it's a big slog. It's natural for your energy to tank and the doubts to creep up. You can outrun that in the first draft by moving fast and letting that momentum carry you through to the end. That's the spirit of Nanowrimo, and I think it works.
On a first draft, the prose isn't all that important, you're just getting the story out there, putting the skeleton together, testing the waters (whatever metaphor you want to use!). I probably average 10,000 words ever 1-2 weeks, which isn't really a lot, but it means I've hit that 30,000 mark after only about a month. That's not a lot of time invested in a first draft, and the enthusiasm usually still holds. If it takes months or longer to get the first third of a first draft done, yes, it's a big slog. It's natural for your energy to tank and the doubts to creep up. You can outrun that in the first draft by moving fast and letting that momentum carry you through to the end. That's the spirit of Nanowrimo, and I think it works.