• Read this: http://absolutewrite.com/forums/showthread.php?288931-Guidelines-for-Participation-in-Outwitting-Writer-s-Block

    before you post.

How to Push Yourself when Writing Becomes a Chore...?

vicky271

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Mar 22, 2014
Messages
623
Reaction score
35
I have been working on a project for five months. The series has some interesting characters, and the story is plain right now, but with some additional work, I feel it will be a good story. It contains some interesting perspectives that were answers to "What if THIS was real...?" The cast is on it's way to diversity. The main characters deal with some interesting issues which allow those same characters to parallel each other, and make statements about the choices we make and the consequences. All in all, the story, the ideas, and the characters could become something interesting. The problem is I've hit a mental block. The dreaded Writer's Block.

I'm at that point in the Writer's Journey where the story and the characters and everything related to the project has become work. It's a little fun, but not enough to make the process enjoyable. It's become a chore. Changing project is not an option. I've done that a few times already, and nothing will get finished if I keep tossing something away every time I discover it's become work, I'll never finish anything. I've already taken a break. But it hasn't improved anything.

I'm not sure how to approach this. I'd love any advice, or ways you may have kicked this thing in it's butt.
 

Ari Meermans

MacAllister's Official Minion & Greeter
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 24, 2011
Messages
12,852
Reaction score
3,041
Location
Not where you last saw me.
A couple of things come to mind: first, you might need to identify why it feels like a chore; and, second, changing what you do with your breaks from writing might help. I'm a pantser and I could paper every room in the house and all the closets with first paragraphs abandoned over the years. Two years ago I realized there were a few things going on:

  • The constant fight to have my writing time respected. Even a sign on the closed door with Am Writing writ large in red didn't work until I told my spouse, "Sweetheart, there IS a sign on the door and I know you can read." (He didn't think it meant him and since the household only consists of the two of us and two dogs, I told him that if I'd meant it for the dogs I'd've posted it lower. That did seem to get through.) heh
  • Though I work best with externally imposed deadlines, which does make drafting—which I hate to begin with—more of a chore, I've learned to make my breaks more productive. Setting is my weak point and I realized that's where it was becoming a chore. So I take breaks and search for passages in my favorite books to try to up my game wrt writing setting descriptions. For some reason, that does seem to make me excited to get back to it and more inclined to want to "play" with my writing.
  • And, finally, too much BIC and too little exercise can make it feel like a chore, so I use those much-needed breaks to get outside for a few hours. Doesn't matter what I do—work in the yard, go shopping, whatever—it re-energizes me.
 

owlion

Absorbing inspiration from the moon
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 8, 2010
Messages
2,475
Reaction score
2,376
Location
United Kingdom
Something I've been doing with editing is taking breaks after I hit certain targets. Usually I've been aiming to edit three chapters, then I play two expeditions on Darkest Dungeon, then do another three chapters. This should work well with actually writing too, because taking regular breaks to do something completely different refreshes you brain, so you're not stuck staring at the screen thinking of what to write next.

It is also important to work out if you're not enjoying it because you feel like the story isn't that interesting at the moment and if there's anything you can do to make it more enjoyable. I've had periods in the past where I haven't enjoyed writing a scene and ended up just deleting the whole thing and going at it from a different angle.
 

Lolly12

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Dec 2, 2018
Messages
90
Reaction score
5
Location
UK
Do it in shorter bursts. Or even leave an idea or a thing you wanted to do unfinished for that session as it will impel you first up on the next. I use that one when I'm dragging my feet or feel I have a lot of competition for my time and energy.
 

April Swanson

Happy Beeps
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Feb 7, 2018
Messages
904
Reaction score
66
Location
Far, far away (but not far enough)
Website
aprilswanson.com
Oh eesh, I feel your pain. I think an important thing to realise is that yeah, you should enjoy what you're writing most of the time, but sometimes it is hard, and it is a chore, and if you do want to finish this book, then you've gotta push through the sticky patch and hope it gets easier soon. To directly quote Sarah J. Maas,

'Have fun and push. When it feels like work, plough through – that's what separates you from non-writers. It's not gonna be fun all the time.'

Good luck :Hug2:
 

EvilPenguin

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jul 30, 2012
Messages
269
Reaction score
36
Location
Antarctica
I mostly agree with that quote from Sarah J Maas that April posted. There are just going to be times when it's not fun and you have to force yourself to write for a while until it becomes fun again.

Also, I suggest avoiding the term "Writer's Block." I think too many writers use this term to justify why they're not writing, instead of facing other factors in their life that might be affecting their writing. Are you depressed or stressed? (This is usually why I struggle to enjoy my writing.) Are you ill? Tired? Just too busy with other things in life?

I try to do at least something related to my writing every day, even if it's not actually writing. Maybe I do some research on something I want to include. Maybe I just lay down, close my eyes, and imagine a scene for a few minutes. Maybe I take some notes or just read back through what I have written so far. There are many days when I don't feel like I can sit down and do some good writing, but as long as I keep thinking about the story, eventually something will pop into my head that will encourage me to get back into it.
 

AW Admin

Administrator
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Apr 19, 2008
Messages
18,772
Reaction score
6,284
If you are not writing for income, (and frankly, even if you are) there are times when you should just walk away.

Do something else. In the short term, go for a walk. Read a book. Write something else.

In the long term, take a day or a week or even a month off. Ask yourself why you're pushing. Ask yourself what specifically is the issue. Sometimes your hind-brain is trying to tell you something that you need to pay attention to.

If you're writing because writing = food and rent, yes, sometimes, you have to keep going, but do take short breaks. Do ask yourself what is making it so difficult or unpleasant. Try to find the cause and what you can do to alleviate it.

It's not always possible. I've had periods when I had to write 3K words a day or not eat. But I still made time to go for a walk. To get up and do something else.

If you're genuinely writing for fun and it's not fun, don't do it.
 

CaliforniaMelanie

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Sep 23, 2013
Messages
255
Reaction score
33
Location
Los Angeles, CA
Have you tried taking one scene you're DYING to write/experience, and writing that, even if it comes much later in your story?

There is probably at least one (and likely, many more than one) scene(s) that you have always pictured yourself inside of, or that make you fall in love with a character...or are just fun. Try writing just that one scene; see if it opens the floodgates. And even if it will need to be drastically changed later, you may be surprised at how much of it you can keep.
 

sandree

Super Member
Registered
Joined
Jan 30, 2018
Messages
352
Reaction score
47
Location
PA
I can relate. I’m in the middle of a big edit and I feel like I am slogging through it.

I have identified times that I have slowed down to a crawl on my novel and usually the cause comes down to fear. I bogged down at the end of writing it, at the end of initial editing when I was getting ready to send it to an editor (I’m self publishing). And this time, I am slowing down with the editing in response to a developmental edit. Each time a deadline that will ultimately lead to me being DONE and ready to self-publish completely freaks me out and I go into self sabotage mode.

What am I afraid of? Failing, crickets, succeeding, my work sucking, reviews - just about everything.

So - I go back to my old standby. Feel the fear and do it anyway.

I have no idea if this might be part of the issue for you, but I thought I would offer my experience of the cause of my bogging down just in case it might resonate.
 
Last edited:

CathleenT

I write
Super Member
Registered
Joined
Aug 6, 2014
Messages
5,097
Reaction score
1,981
Location
Northern California
I can't really add to the excellent comments above, so I'll +1 them. Also, I wanted to add some encouragement. You can think your way through this. You can finish your book--although perhaps not in the time frame that you first envisioned. Just don't quit. :)