Does anyone have any magic tips on how to overcome the paralysing fear that can overtake when you sit down to continue writing?? I don't mean when you're starting something new. That's always a rush (for me at least); I mean when you're working on something that's going to take a while (novel/novelette, etc) and even if you've stopped on a high note, when you return to continue the next day it all seems gargantuan. Scared you can't carry it forward, scared you're going to mess it up, terrified that you're going to 'lose' it....
I know the best thing to do is just shutup and get going. But it can be a very tough leap....
Daily writing time. And accepting that you will have to go back and rewrite the thing anyway, so getting it "perfect" isn't really a concern.
Couple suggestions.
1. Keep a notebook. Jot down plot ideas, scenes that come to you in the middle of the night, the shower, visions you have, anything at all. By having that notebook, it'll feel like a safety net of ideas.
2. When you go to write the next day, re-read some of what you just did. Maybe it's the entire last chapter or scene, maybe it's just the last couple of paragraphs. It'll help you get back to the voice, and remind you of what you were just doing. If your killer was on his way to kill somebody, then you pick the story up on the doorstep as he's delivering the pizza.
3. Don't set a MINIMUM word count, set a MAXIMUM, and make it low. I set it at 1,000 words maximum, so I never worried. You'll find 300 words, 500 words easily. A little reverse psychology.
HOPE THAT HELPS!
MINIMUM word count. Genius. That takes a lot of pressure off!
Thanks, too, for the reminder that it's all got to be edited anyway. Comfortingly true.
At the moment I'm cribbing a lot off of what I've written by hand. This helps because it feels like fleshing out what I've got in my notebooks is a kind of 'problem-solving'. It's satisfying, much like the way you feel after a really successful final edit. This is my first serious attempt at a novel, though (in the past I've usually stuck to short stories), so it's hard to make the leap to long-term pacing. I'm used to writing a first draft in one sitting, and then just working on it until it's right. This is a different world, though. Sometimes I'm scared to sleep!
I had that Ernest Hemingway quote "All first drafts are shit" put up everywhere for a long time. On the homescreen of my phone, stuck over my desk, background of my computer. I just looked at it and looked at it for months until I could accept that it was true, it was okay, and I was going to be fine. Ha.
Ditto on the word budget. I always set my limit at 500, and then always seem to go over by fifty.
I set a maximum word count goal, and set the ti er for five minutes. I usually have at least four characters brainstormed first.
Oh, and draw a map of the house and city your writing about. I also recommend start with writing something simple. This is why I often do slice lf life stories first.
There's also some other great (I forget who) who said something along the lines of: "Say nothing until you've finished the first draft."
The feeling being you can't possibly judge something until it's done and you know what you're dealing with.
Another comforting story is the one about Stephen King's issues when he was writing his first novel, 'Carrie'. His wife rescued that one out of the dustbin and had to talk him into finishing it.
It is still tough, though, when you have such a clear idea of what you want it to be and you start to feel it slipping. Or you imagine that it is. Again, thank heavens for the joys of editing!! Just got to nail the thing down first.
I'm having a similar situation to King. Except I don't have a wife to take it out of the dustbin.D: And I doubt it would be a classic anyway.
As an aside: It's not likely one is going to know their genre anyway before it's finished.
I love Pinterest, and visual boards to help me with organizing my characters when I get stuck. For some reason it helps remind me why I am writing the story and is a great way to organize expressions and character traits, themes and emotions. My Pinterest is set up in the most OCD way but it works for me. Check it out and try it. My www.Pinterest.com/writcha/pins (not trying to spam just to show how I organize my stuff)
I attached the visual board I stare at every day. It changes as the mood changes in the book. Needless to say I am working through a lot of frustration and sexiness at the moment.
EDIT: I wanted to add that I will sit and stare at my boards when I feel that anxiety creeping in. sometimes for an hour at a time when I can't get a single letter down, and then I sleep on it, and something, anything comes to me, and I write it down. That usually will turn into an abstraction of a chapter that will eventually turn into a chapter. I'm also a very linear writer, not sure if that makes a difference or not.
Also do a google search for how the brain processes creativity from word processor vs pen and paper. If you are feeling blocked and anxious, try mixing up your mediums a little bit.
Updating post.
I've finished all of 1,443 words this summer. Probably should've trashed this project seven week ago, but by now it damn well owes me, and I'm determined to finish before the term starts and I have to go back to writing in English.
Might try the maximum word count method, at least I'll get a giggle out of it.
This happened almost by accident. About to spend an hour on the subway, run out of things to read, grab an old favourite. Halfway through the journey something in my head goes CLICK. The way this writer has done it, is how I should approach it. (In this case it was dynamics of introducing an integral character that I've never been sure how to stitch in.)
Got back to it first thing when I got home; so far so good.
Andrea, that Pinterest idea is fabulous! A lot of what I'm writing now was inspired by a particular artwork by Anja Millen. I have it as my desktop picture, but Pinterest is great maybe for keeping things from getting 'static'. I had a look at yours -- seems we have a fair bit in common, in terms of visual kicks!
"Keep a notebook. Jot down plot ideas, scenes that come to you in the middle of the night, the shower, visions you have, anything at all."
Amen to this. I'm often scrawling stuff whilst perched on a gutter on a busy street, and my notebook (along with scraps of spare paper) are a godsend.
"Keep a notebook. Jot down plot ideas, scenes that come to you in the middle of the night, the shower, visions you have, anything at all."
I've been doing this for the last 5 years. Never actually followed up with writing them, ha ha! I guess that's why I'm not a writer... yet.
BTW, what notebook do you carry? Anybody types on phones?
Andrea — That is such a great idea with using Pinterest! (Although I just noticed you made that comment back in August.) I'm a very visual person when it comes to inspiration, so I just may try this! Thanks for such a great tip.
I didn't mention it in the previous post, but I often tend to actually go for more of a word budget. I can definitely testify to maximum word counts being effective as reverse psychology. Typically speaking I set my word count goal around 1,000 words. Though in the past I always set it at 300 words a day. (Baring in mind, that I'm have a big problem with underwriting.)
Know where you're going next (try outlining if you haven't before, or at least be a couple of chapters ahead of yourself). Make it easier on yourself the day before by ending at a place that's not going to be difficult to pick up again. Don't finish a chapter or a scene and call it quits for the day. If you finish, end your writing session with a couple of sentences for the next chapter to make it easier on yourself when you get back to it next time.
Maybe finish off your writing session with a couple of sentences of extremely rough prose with the intention of rewriting at the beginning of next time.
I used to try pantsing the first chapter, and then every chapter after plotting a chapter ahead. I don't mean anything extensive, just enough to get you to the next 3K.
Of course now, I use the 12 Act structure.
I'll make myself write, even when I feel like I hate everything I just did.
On those days when my writing seems to be the color of goose @#$K, I find it is helpful to read someone else's work.
If I'm reading something really good, it inspires me. If I'm reading something really bad or mediocre, I know that I can write better than that.
I also look at other forms of inspiration. A piece of music or art can be very stimulating. I looked at the Pinterest page that Karen posted above. I could write many short stories based on the characters shown in it.
Sometimes, the best thing for me to do is to start another project, and let the first project percolate in my subconscious.
I think that's the big thing. Even if I conciously tried to avoid various cliches in storytelling, I often find myself having resist changing some of the things into words that fit the meaning better.:/
