Stuck Brainstorming

amybeth · Jan 23, 2013

Hey guys! I'm new here so I'm not sure if this is the right place to post this, but here goes nothing...

Lately, I've been completely stuck with my writing. I have a notebook full of tons of different ideas, but I can't seem to commit to one. I'll write a little summary of what I'd want to happen, and then I just end up tearing it apart and thinking of a new idea just to start the cycle all over again.

It's not even that I have "going back to the beginning syndrome" or anything. We're just talking about brainstorming here! I'm just so frustrated that I feel like I've been brainstorming forever and I can't get to the actual writing process because I can't commit to an idea.

Anyone else have this problem, or am I totally crazy?

L. Y. · Jan 23, 2013

Nope, not crazy at all. Sometimes beginnings can be tough.

Personally speaking, I would recommend you pick an idea that really appeals to you, sit down, and write.* Start with your MC(s), give us the problem the MC(s) is facing, and go from there. Your first draft doesn't have to be great, as long as you're writing and moving the story forward.

Good luck!

*This also depends on if you're a pantser or outliner. But from what I got from your post, the main issue is starting.

SianaBlackwood · Jan 23, 2013

How about committing to a NaNoWriMo-style event? Pick a month or two when you'd like to write it (February/March, for example) and go through your ideas with the knowledge that you have to pick one and do enough prep to start writing it at one second after midnight on February 1st.

(Bonus: try to finish it within the 2 months as well

)

JadeVarden · Jan 23, 2013

I also have commitment issues. I find it helpful to give myself deadlines.

amybeth · Jan 24, 2013

A deadline is a great idea. I can't believe I didn't think of that before. Thank you all so much for the advice! Now I'm off to write a novel in thirty days...

cmtruesd · Mar 7, 2013

Try thinking about your ideas like this-- If you absolutely had to cut one of the pieces and know that you'd NEVER be able to write about it again, which one could you stand to lose? Then cut another, and another, and another (how many times it takes) to get down to the one story that is impossible to give up. Then start writing. No excuses, no more brainstorming. If you must brainstorm, be active about it. Try Holly Lisle's notecard planning. That way, you're making serious headway planning your scenes and plot points while you're brainstorming. Once you have your scenes laid out, don't over think them. They'll change and their order will change and just accept that. Just start writing. Hope this helps!

BetteDavis · May 5, 2013

I can relate I'm the premise queen constantly thinking of new ideas before anything is concrete with my last flavour of the month.Nanowrimo really helped me get a foundation to build on so I'd strongly recommend it

Beachgirl · May 5, 2013

I spent years doing this. Pick an idea, write two chapters, throw it away, pick a new idea, write two chapters, throw it away, and repeat. Then one day I decided I was going to finish something. Anything.

I gave myself a daily word count goal and stuck to it. Heck, I was so obsessed with finishing that I exceeded it every day. Two weeks later, I had my very first completed novella.

It was as though I broke through a dam with finishing that story. I no longer start something and then leave it to die unfinished. I think there was always a part of me that thought I could never really write a complete story and it prevented me from sticking to anything. I just needed to prove that part of myself wrong.

kmccabe · May 14, 2013

Beachgirl said:
I gave myself a daily word count goal and stuck to it. Heck, I was so obsessed with finishing that I exceeded it every day. Two weeks later, I had my very first completed novella.

I love the idea of doing a daily word count. My sister made a New Year's Resolution to write 1,000 words/day and it really helped her get the creative juices flowing and get lots of material out there. She too found herself exceeding her word count goals nearly everyday. good luck!

BlackMirror · Jul 25, 2013

After brainstorming, organize your ideas by outlining. It's much better that way in order to sort through all the jumble.

Stuck Brainstorming

amybeth

L. Y.

Thread surfer and virtual bartender

SianaBlackwood

JadeVarden

amybeth

cmtruesd

practical experience, FTW

BetteDavis

Beachgirl

Not easily managed

kmccabe

BlackMirror

Writing. Writing. Writing.