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When I get writers block

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TwentyFour

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triceretops

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I'm getting writer's block really bad on an urban fantasy. It's not my genre, and I don't read the stuff, therefore I'm paranoid that I'm not suspending disbelief with such a concept that I have. My writing has been confirmed "very good" by agents and editors, and my concepts in science fiction are "well thought out." However this manuscript scares the Chuck Dickens out of me and I find myself, dilly dallying between "It's foolish" and it's "very funny and unique." Lately, "It's foolish" is winning out,and I don't know why.

Tri
 

triceretops

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Thanks, Jo. If you've seen the movies Damn Yankees, Xanadu, or particulary Bedazzled, you'll have an idea of what contempory or urban fantasy is. I'm bringing the Roman Goddes of Luck (Fortuna) to life to intercede in my character's life to help him through his bad times. Kind of like a fairy God mother story, in where he gets six roles of the dice instead of wishes. Only problem is, Fortuna's daughter, the Maid of Misfortune has targeted him also. So there is a cat fight in hell between two mythological characters for this man's destiny.

I should have used an outline. No doubt about it, since I'm out of my genre here. It might have helped.

Thanks for your introspection

Tri
 

CampCreek

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Hey, Tri, I wonder if "It's foolish" is winning out because you're used to sci-fi, something more "gritty"? I'm kind of finding myself in a similar predicament. I like horror, especially supernatural horror like ghost stories and such. The story I'm working on now, one that shoved it's way to the forefront and forced me to write it, is a romance. My Inner Critic is constantly telling me "It's foolish." (He's actually quite a bit less nice about it. ;) ) Even though I try to lock him in the closet, he somehow gets out and starts whispering the same thing over and over until I finally notice him and lock him up again. I finally figured out that if I used duct tape to wrap him up before I locked him back in the closet, he stays put a lot longer and I'm a lot happier writer. ;)

Translation ~ just write it and don't worry about it being foolish because you can fix it later if it really is. Even if, after you're done with it and it sits in a drawer for a year, you find out later that it really is foolish, I'll bet there's a kernel of something good in there, even if it's only writing practice.
 

triceretops

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That's sounds perfectly logical to me. The more I let that inner demon in and let him run around and take control, the more doubts I have.

What is really striking is that you mentioned the correlation between what I normally write and what this project entails. It's true that I write hard science fiction and must back it up with zoology, physics, astronomy, geology, and propulsion systems, and planetary science. It must all past muster in logical and believeable terms, held up to the highest scrutiny. I'm very detailed and the research is very exhausting. Now, with the fantasy thing, I feel I'm writing some dumb azz cartoon and I'm embarassed by it, yet I'm compelled beyond measure to write it because I love the concept and the fact that I can shove so much humor and irony into it. This is the first time in 14 fiction novles that I've attempted such a thing, so it might be "withdrawal" pains. I've lost that confident safe feeling for the first time.

Tri
 

CampCreek

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I think the same thing, and I've only done one novel before this romance one. For you, having done 14 already, I'd say that's exactly what's going on ~ withdrawals. You're used to carefully backing up everything with scientific fact, but with this fantasy, you don't have to and aren't supposed to. Yep, I'd say that's exactly why you're feeling funny about it.

Maybe you could pick up a few fantasy books that are similar to yours and read them to see what other authors have gotten away with without being foolish? I do that ~ I'm on the lookout for a couple more Nora Roberts books to read while I'm writing my story in the hopes that I'll pre-empt any more "foolish" thoughts. Have you ever read any Terry Pratchett? If not, it might do you good to read one or two of his, especially Death Takes a Holiday. FUNNY stuff! But definitely not foolish.

Just try to enjoy it. Give yourself permission to be foolish. ;) Lock up that little ba$&^%# that's giving you fits and just let it flow. Even if you never get up the gumption to let anyone read it, it'll still definitely be worth writing. Who knows ~ it very well may turn out great!
 
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