The very hardest part

brianrein · Jun 22, 2007

Here's a question which could be interesting.
For you, when writing in general, is it harder to start the story/novel, to finish it, or to get from the one to the other? I mean writing that particular part of the story.

For example, I have an exceptionally hard time getting stories, long or short, begun, but once the plot is rolling I find it much easier. Some of my friends, though, have a hard time getting all the action wrapped up and done.

Sassenach · Jun 22, 2007

Starting is easy. Finishing's a whole other thing.

maestrowork · Jun 22, 2007

Finishing is easy. Starting is not bad (but finding the right beginning might take some time). It's the middle that is the hardest for me.

Azraelsbane · Jun 22, 2007

Hardest for me? Query letters... heh, but seriously-

I tend to come up with the storyline from start to finish before I write anything. The hardest part for me is when a character decides to be stubborn and simply refuses to walk across the page

Also, I tend to have very poor starting chapters that I end up having to go back and change.

Beware_of_Italics · Jun 22, 2007

It's finishing the book for me.

Ditto about writing the query letter. :tongue

I finished my second book a few months ago but was having a really difficult time writing the query. So... I did the insane thing and started an entirely new book instead.

Kristin

Azraelsbane · Jun 22, 2007

I know how you feel. I have yet to query my first novel, which I finished about 5 years ago. Now that I'm finishing the 2nd it's time to get depressed again. I am just completely incompetent in the query/synopsis department

Sassee · Jun 22, 2007

Wasn't there another thread about this a few weeks ago? Hmm...

At any rate, I have no issues getting things started. I'm all about that. I have notebooks full of little starts and blurbs.

Finishing? That's a whole nother story. (What's with that word anyway? "nother" isn't proper English, or even a word, really, but for some reason people say it a lot with that one phrase. Or maybe it's just me.)

Ninja Bunny, currently in mid-book constipation mode ~

Sean D. Schaffer · Jun 22, 2007

The hardest thing for me is finishing a book. I can start one any time I want to, but finishing is probably the most difficult part of this job for me to handle.

Part of the reason for this is my inner editor, who screams at me to write perfectly within the First Draft of whatever novel idea I'm working on. I have to constantly remind myself that I have given myself permission to write Crap.

Of course, the difficulty doesn't end when I finish my First Draft. This cycle repeats itself through every draft I do.

But the rewards of finishing a piece are far greater, IMHO, than any amount of depression can offer. That's why I try to keep on keeping on.

Mud Dauber · Jun 22, 2007

Sassee said:
Ninja Bunny, currently in mid-book constipation mode ~

I'm right there with you, Ninja. :Hug2:

Shady Lane · Jun 22, 2007

The middles get me. Endings tend to be very easy.

Claudia Gray · Jun 22, 2007

I develop the whole story before I write, and while I'm researching/outlining, there's no saying which part is hardest. But while I'm writing, the middle is the hardest.

Sassee · Jun 22, 2007

Sean D. Schaffer said:
Part of the reason for this is my inner editor, who screams at me to write perfectly within the First Draft of whatever novel idea I'm working on. I have to constantly remind myself that I have given myself permission to write Crap.

Unforunately, I've discovered this is a very hard habit to break, especially since it's been the only way I've written for over a decade. Fixing things as I go along allows the creativity to continue. I'll read over my work, edit it, and get my ideas jump started again in an almost never ending loop of write-edit-write. It keeps me consistent with my writing. It's the way I compose my research papers, too, and those turned out great. Recently I tried taking everyone's advice and stopped my editing habits, trying to force myself to finish something before fixing it. Giving myself permission to write crap, as you so eloquently put it. However, trying to fight my pattern caused my brain to shut down and I haven't written a damned thing to progress my novel in nearly a month. All I can think about are things I want to go back and fix. I can't get anything new to come out.

But maybe I'm just in a general slump. I don't know. Where's my comfort food? I need my comfort food!

<wanders off in search of sustenance>

Soccer Mom · Jun 22, 2007

Best blog ever on middles:

I give you....The Great Swampy Middle

http://jimbutcher.livejournal.com/1865.html

I love this man's blog almost as much as his books.

larocca · Jun 22, 2007

I might spend a month on the first chapter, getting my characters properly defined and my conflict set up just right in my mind. Then the damn thing explodes out of me like one of those critters from ALIENS and I'm just as surprised at the ending as my characters are. It unfolds organically from who they are and what they do.

Then the hardest part is thinking of a title for the damn thing.

The synopsis is such a pain that I lean toward publishers who don't require them. Query letters are something I spew forth as fast as I'm writing this to you. Any maybe they read that way, like this right here, but they work.

So there you go. The title and the first chapter.

I don't get bogged down in writing the murky middle, by the way, but I do spend most of my editing time sloshing through it.

Hope this helps,
Michael

triceretops · Jun 22, 2007

I always have the first and last chapter mapped out in my head before I even start. It's stuffing middle that's work, for me. I'm going to start outlining from here on out.

Tri

gem1122 · Jun 22, 2007

triceretops said:
I always have the first and last chapter mapped out in my head before I even start. It's stuffing middle that's work, for me. I'm going to start outlining from here on out.

Tri

I've done this for my current WIP. In a week, I had character sketches and beginning and ending chapters. It's taken me two years, on and off, to fill in the middle.

Coming up w/ideas is not a problem for me. I have a good 3-4 novel ideas floating around. But can I finish one? Not yet.

"To being a novel takes inspiration, to continue takes endurance, and to end takes character." - Patricia Chao

Odin · Jun 22, 2007

I am currently writing my fist novel. The first chapter looked pretty good at first. Then I started learing how to write. Not to mention my characters decided to do whatever the hek they want to. Now I have to write the first chapter over again.

SilverVistani · Jun 22, 2007

Generally, for me, it's the most difficult to get through the last fourth or so of the story... So, finishing a story for me is the most difficult I suppose.

jmindigo · Jun 22, 2007

The mire that is the middle gets me every time. The endings are fairly easy to write in comparison, it just takes me forever to get to them.

WordGypsy · Jun 22, 2007

I've never finished. Not a one. But THIS ONE will be different!!! Really! I promise! ....I think.

Danger Jane · Jun 22, 2007

Making it long enough. I get a little bogged down sometimes between the scenes I REALLY want to write, but mostly my problems are with the length.

JoNightshade · Jun 22, 2007

Honestly I'm not sure what the hardest part is for me. I think all parts are equally enjoyable to write, and equally daunting!

Geist · Jun 23, 2007

I can write a good beginning. But around page 200, it can start to become work. Then towards the end I can wrap it up pretty good. Revision is hard and bruising to the self-esteem.

Query letters? You know, I'm going to write a short query; I'm going to be honest and professional. I'll write a short synopsis, and send in the first three chapters or the prologue or whatever. If they like my idea for a ghost story they'll ask for the manuscript, which will sell itself. If they don't like my idea or writing, nothing I put in the query is going to matter. I absolutely refuse to write a sales query. I refuse to send money or ballgame tickets, or any other promotional items, and I refuse to have an agent that so flakey they would be motivated by such things. If I'm going to be professional, then they have to be professional, too. If they think they can sell my story to publishers, that's all I care about. If they don't think they can, or they don't want to, or they aren't motivated to, I don't want them on my team. I'd rather just go somewhere else or write another story.

sadron · Jun 23, 2007

Start is hard sometimes. Finishing is easy. Though I don't want to finish. Finishing a story makes me sad.

Hillgate · Jun 23, 2007

I always have sticky moments and they can occur at any time. The 'delete' key is my friend.

PS - I don't write porn

The very hardest part

brianrein

5 W's & an H

Fear the Death Ray

Agony is defeat

Different from the rest

Agony is defeat

Momma Wolf

writing on the wall

my name is hannah

Momma Wolf

Crypto-fascist

Proofreader

We can pickle that

Odin

has finally arrived

Writing Dark Fantasy

On location