What's On Your Mind About Your Writing?

Taylor Harbin said:

Do you ever get the feeling that what you’re writing just isn’t important enough to exist, that writing for entertainment is somehow wrong?

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Woollybear said:

Yes. But I think it can be fixed in revision. ...

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I love it.


My problem right now is letting go of current events. I want to escape into my writing. It's tearing me up. At least financially I'm doing well at the moment. With no work given the COVID 19 lock down here, at least that bit is okay for me for a while anyway. But the unrest is unsettling. Serious looting went on last night only three miles from here. Stores I shop at were hit.

Makes it hard to settle down to write. I did manage to get my piece done for Wednesday's critique group.

kwanzaabot said:

Bookmarking that for next year. I'm halfway through my draft. No way I'll be done in time for this year.

(Though I noticed that both previous winners had stories set in Australia, starring Australians. Mine is, uh, not. My working-class Londoner protags will definitely hurt my chances, lol)

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I don't want to give out incorrect information, but I'm pretty sure an Australian setting isn't a requirement. HarperCollins Australia publishes commercial fiction with non-Australian settings - so it's worth a try! - though I know they're interested in manuscripts that will work as book club reads, and local settings might have a little advantage over that.

Taylor Harbin said:

Do you ever get the feeling that what you’re writing just isn’t important enough to exist, that writing for entertainment is somehow wrong?

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No. Never.

Currently having fun.
A character is exploring a planet dominated by a culture of cephalopods. He's in an underwater city, visiting a creature he considers a friend.

indianroads said:

Currently having fun.
A character is exploring a planet dominated by a culture of cephalopods. He's in an underwater city, visiting a creature he considers a friend.

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I love having fun when I write. It's the best feeling in the world. Just thinking of it makes me want to write. I haven't written on my WIPs in a while...

The Second Moon said:

I love having fun when I write. It's the best feeling in the world. Just thinking of it makes me want to write. I haven't written on my WIPs in a while...

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Well - get to work then!

Taylor Harbin said:

Do you ever get the feeling that what you’re writing just isn’t important enough to exist, that writing for entertainment is somehow wrong?

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Sometimes. But then I read something entertaining and I realize how darn important that is for mental health. Write away!

MaeZe said:

My problem right now is letting go of current events. I want to escape into my writing. It's tearing me up. At least financially I'm doing well at the moment. With no work given the COVID 19 lock down here, at least that bit is okay for me for a while anyway. But the unrest is unsettling. Serious looting went on last night only three miles from here. Stores I shop at were hit.

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I hear you!

Taylor Harbin said:

Do you ever get the feeling that what you’re writing just isn’t important enough to exist, that writing for entertainment is somehow wrong?

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I write for myself and my own enjoyment/entertainment. I see that as no different than any other form of entertainment (sports, gaming, dancing, gardening, crafts, etc) that others enjoy. That's valid in and of itself. If it amuses other, that's the icing rose on the cake. Honestly, I agree with Stephen King's stance that you write to satisfy your first reader (whoever that is). It keeps me focused and doesn't let other fears creep in.

I'm 85% into the draft and I know the ending, but really struggling to find my way there in a truly satisfying way.

Might have to put it aside for a month and work on something else.

I'd be worried, but this happens every time.

Taylor Harbin said:

Do you ever get the feeling that what you’re writing just isn’t important enough to exist, that writing for entertainment is somehow wrong?

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Allow me to quote actor, wine-maker and good egg Sam Neill on this topic.

"Entertainment is honorable."

Kinda stuck. I'm writing a battle planning scene that I want to read quick and mean. (Sigh, yeah I hear the little rhyme.) Right now I am dragging myself through it, and I feel like my waders are full of sand. So anxious to put it behind me and get into the parts that (for me) are fun to write.

Wrote a family row scene and am not happy with it.

The pov character's uncle comes across as too much of a moustache-twirling bad guy. He is indeed a bad guy. He is an opportunist, intent on forcing my MC down a path the MC does not want to take. Hence the row.

I am thinking it should be a little more nuanced than what I have already committed to the page.

I've started another novel and like the first chapter, but I keep backing away from the next scene. I know where I want to go, but the details of the upcoming fight are eluding me. My characters often seem to speak to me and push me forward, but the two in this novel are still a little shy.

I'll probably throw something on the page tonight, just to get a toehold, but I foresee a lot of rewriting.

Hit a roadblock in my WIP. Following the old ram-my-head-against-the-wall-until-it-stops-being-a-wall approach. I figure it'll be like that Doctor Who episode and I'll get through eventually . . .

Well, I've been on a decent roll this last month. I have written just over 40,000 words since May 1st. But I feel like my story is moving way too slow, and I feel that too many elements have to be built up before the meat of the story takes place. I will be there soon, but I didn't think I'd be on Page 161 and not "there" yet. And it is impossible to not be critical. Very critical, actually. "My main character is so boring"; "This is just flat-out bad writing"; "Nobody is ever gonna wanna read this"; "This story is going nowhere"; "Does any of this even make sense?"; "Why do I bother trying?"; "I am a terrible writer"; "I wrote a thousand words today, and I will probably end up deleting four hundred of them when it comes to editing". Why do we do this to ourselves? Lmao.

After not being able to sleep stressing over my current manuscript I woke up, all inspired to write, sat down a couple of hours ago … and I have now have a grand total of 158 words!

I'm thinking it's not helping that I'm in final edits for another book, and I am working on similar scenes for both. I think they might be too similar. I'm getting everything confused.

It’s always dispiriting when you know you’re better suited to a particular genre/form but secretly wish you could be good at another, especially if you enjoy reading in that genre.

Taylor Harbin said:

It’s always dispiriting when you know you’re better suited to a particular genre/form but secretly wish you could be good at another, especially if you enjoy reading in that genre.

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We can only get better at what we do. I say, follow your heart and write what pleases you.

My MC has been caught by foes, the world continues without him, and he’s stuck until I think of a way to have him rescued.

WriteMinded said:

Kinda stuck. I'm writing a battle planning scene that I want to read quick and mean. (Sigh, yeah I hear the little rhyme.) Right now I am dragging myself through it, and I feel like my waders are full of sand. So anxious to put it behind me and get into the parts that (for me) are fun to write.

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Does that suggest it will drag for the reader as well?

But, you can move on and come back to rewrite it later. That always works for me.

HarvesterOfSorrow said:

Well, I've been on a decent roll this last month. I have written just over 40,000 words since May 1st. But I feel like my story is moving way too slow, and I feel that too many elements have to be built up before the meat of the story takes place. I will be there soon, but I didn't think I'd be on Page 161 and not "there" yet. And it is impossible to not be critical. Very critical, actually. "My main character is so boring"; "This is just flat-out bad writing"; "Nobody is ever gonna wanna read this"; "This story is going nowhere"; "Does any of this even make sense?"; "Why do I bother trying?"; "I am a terrible writer"; "I wrote a thousand words today, and I will probably end up deleting four hundred of them when it comes to editing". Why do we do this to ourselves? Lmao.

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Because it gets better and gets there eventually.

I'm good. I've managed to get two evenings of nice weather, writing in the backyard until the mosquitos come out. I'm ready for Wed critique.

I'm spending the morning on my new computer, retyping the work I lost when my old computer crashed a few days ago. So that's fun. I'm still not used to the new keyboard so 100% of my words have typos!

When I was a kid there was this sixteen year old who was in the local paper for having written a book. Now that I'm publishing my own book, I causally told my mom about that and wouldn't it be cool if that happened to me? Tonight at dinner my mom told me that on Wednesday afternoon a reporter is actually coming by to talk about my book and about me. I'm nervous and scared. On one hand this would be great for my publicity and on the other hand, my social anxiety is kicking in.
Just rambling out loud here...


Just finished reading a book that was so incredible that I feel like mine are terrible...

Uh, so how's everyone else been doing? I've been so busy on Instagram lately, and with marketing, and with college, I haven't been here for a while.

Taylor Harbin said:

It’s always dispiriting when you know you’re better suited to a particular genre/form but secretly wish you could be good at another, especially if you enjoy reading in that genre.

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I feel that way so often. Whenever I finish a book regardless if it was good or not I always want to write in that style, genre, have the same sort of ending. I just get so envious reading.