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Writing is hard

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LesFewer

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It's my first draft of my first novel.

So I'm writing 1,000 words a day, most days it's a real struggle to get those 1,000 words down. Usually I start out very slowly and pick up speed as the writing session proceeds.

And keeping everything straight is a real chore.

I had this one part where my protagonist "Meets the Hendersons", a family of three, mom, dad and little Henderson junior.

It was a real pleasant encounter on the sidewalk of residential district. "Pleased to meet you." "Pleased to meet you too." They chatted and went their separate ways. I finished another scene I thought.

I then I remember they were in the middle of an active war zone. Everyone should've been terrified or they should've at least mentioned the war. The way I had written the scene was either comical or surreal.

Sigh.

I'm here on absolutewrite instead of writing...

I outlined but like all good plans once you meet the enemy the plan is out the window.

I assume it will get easier.
 

Sal Gulino

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I do that all the time. I seem to have a collection of characters who enjoy chatting about the weather while things are exploding around them. And outlines are just a formality for me at this point. Does anyone ever stick with them?
 

Maryn

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All plans do go out the window when you get writing, and especially when new ideas better than the original come to you, but my tip is to pause, change the outline, jot a few notes on what's already written will need to change, then return to the writing.

It sounds like maybe a more detailed plan would serve you better, one that starts out with the basics for every scene: Who's there, what happens, when it is set, where is it set, why does it happen, how does it proceed? If your outline had setting details, you wouldn't have made that slip. Somewhere here on AW there's a thread about using a spreadsheet for planning. I like using one. My first column is plot points, but settings, including weather, time of day, season (and I suppose active war zones!), are pretty far to the left, basics of the scenes.

Anyway, forgive yourself for the oops, fix it or leave notes reminding yourself to fix it another time, and onward!

Maryn, agreeing sometimes it's so damned hard
 

LesFewer

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I'll take a look at that spreadsheet. Thanks.

Yeah, the time of year is Spring but for some reason I changed it to Fall which is wrong.

Definitely want to outline the emotional backdrop and the time of year.
 

rosegold

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The more you write, the easier it gets. Sometimes it helps if I take a break and work on something else. A few paragraphs of a story I'll never finish. Or writing prompts I find online.

When it comes to the actual novel, I either write out random details about whatever I'm stuck on and brainstorm, or I leave the computer and try to picture the scene in my mind. Weirdly, this works best in the shower.
 

maggiee19

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I've been writing novels for twenty years, and it's only hard for me when I'm depressed. I don't get any ideas so I just don't write.
 

ap123

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I'm not much of an outliner, and tend not to do well with word count goals so I can't help you there, but I'll say this: Every scene should have a point, a reason for showing it, otherwise you'd either ignore that bit or sum it up in a sentence, "Johnny met his new neighbors on his afternoon walk. Cute kid, but the dad wouldn't shut up." /End scene.

Every scene should have you thinking about your MC, their goal(s) and the plot. How does this scene further the plot? Demonstrate conflict? Show why the MC cares about X and how they're working towards Y? etc. Not every scene imo has to be a big car chase/exploding starship/kidnap/whatever, but there has to be a reason for it. If you know what the reason is, what it is/who it is you want the reader to know, it might help.
 

talktidy

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I set a session target for myself of 2K that I almost invariably never hit. On bad days writing can be like pulling teeth for me, but I like having that target.

Actually, I would cut yourself some slack and not worry about your wordcount and the outline going up in smoke. Personally, I can't start without one, but I usually deviate within the first few chapters, and the more I write, the greater the divergence from what I had originally envisaged.

When it comes to scenes, I tend to sketch them out in a basic form to start with, writing down any dialogue in rough, how the action ties in with other scenes, covering character motivation, any subtext, etc, etc. Everybody's writing process is different, but it may work for you.

I tried working with a spreadsheet and it drove me up the wall. I use Scrivener and prefer its organisational tools, but again, you have to find what works for you.
 

CalRazor

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For me, outlines are good up to a point then they devolve into frenzied conspiracy theories that masquerade as plot twists.
 

_Melody_

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The fact that you set a goal of writing a thousand words a day and you’re actually sticking to it, is such a succes in itself I think. Ive tried doing it and it never worked for me. So I think its already so impressive that you’re sticking to your goal!
 

Primus

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I find that writing doesn't necessarily get easier, but more tolerable. When you do it daily, you create a habit that you can't break. It hurts you to have to break from it. It does for me anyhow. I think of it in the sense of, what's the one thing you can't put off for a day? Whatever that is, you'll do it every day.

I personally wouldn't even worry about getting in a 1,000 words a day, not unless you want to; not unless it's a personal goal. I'd just get into the habit of writing every day, and when you feel you've done enough, call it quits for the day. You could focus on pages instead. How many pages should I write today? That's what I do, and it works for me.

But to each there own! :)
 

Titus

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I'd say if you're worried about continuity just write what you feel the characters would do and write a note anytime it conflicts. The look back in the editing process. Don't freak out so much about having to force continuity that you stunt your writing. If you put so many rules, you'll start dreading writing and eventually not make it.
 

tesda

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Writing is hard but at least you write better than me if you are on your way to writing a novel. At this age of 24, I still feel like as if I'm an amateur. I mainly write blog posts so I feel like my writing quality isn't really at par with story writers.
 

blacbird

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I mainly write blog posts so I feel like my writing quality isn't really at par with story writers.

I don't think that writing blog posts will ever get you any closer to the skill level you think you need to write fictional prose. The only way to get there is to do it.

caw
 

AJakeR

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Maintaining that 1k word a day goal is the best thing you can do. It doesn't actually matter hugely what you write, as long as you have something down. And even the mentioned scene isn't terrible, because it works as a placeholder: you've done your thousand words, you know it needs editing, but you have a baseline for what the scene should look like, which means that if you do rewrite, you're not starting from zero. You have something to build on. I'd say you're actually massively heading in the right direction. Recognising you've made an error and that needs fixing only puts you further ahead.
 

mccardey

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Maintaining that 1k word a day goal is the best thing you can do. It doesn't actually matter hugely what you write, as long as you have something down. And even the mentioned scene isn't terrible, because it works as a placeholder: you've done your thousand words, you know it needs editing, but you have a baseline for what the scene should look like, which means that if you do rewrite, you're not starting from zero. You have something to build on. I'd say you're actually massively heading in the right direction. Recognising you've made an error and that needs fixing only puts you further ahead.
I've heard this before, and I'm sure it works for some people - but if you find it doesn't work for you, it might be because you're a more organic writer. Maybe try to write more from inside your character - instead of spending your time on a word-count, in the early days spend it imagining, roleplaying, listening to, chatting with, just generally getting to know your character from the inside.

For some writers (well - me) it pays off in spades a bit later on.
 

Titus

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My outline has changed a few times as well. My characters do something that shines a light on what happened before and makes minor tweaks to the plot as it goes. It happens. Not walking in a war zone cheering happily but we all have our things to edit.
 

Anne_B

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