Too much in my head....
I have too many projects going on. I'm trying to progress my romantic suspense novel, write an erotic novella and finish a couple of short stories. I don't know which to concentrate on and I have a feeling that I've fallen into a terrible pattern of starting projects because I have no clear view of how to finish what I'm working on. I have a deadline of 31 October for one of the short stories and there is nothing really stoping me from finishing it in the next couple of days, so why don't I? Ok here is a good intention for the week, I'll finish it.
I took possession of my new car today since my other one was written off in the accident. It's so beautiful and shiny! My back still hurts so pysio, accupunture and chinese herbs look like the way forward.
Write, write write! Stop being fearful and perfectionist and write. Write crap, write foolishness, just write. Don't edit as you go. This is the message I tell myself with varing sucess.
posted by Keziah Hill @ 5:53 pm
4 Comments
4 Comments:
Chris Baty author of No Plot, No Problem and organizer of the annual ational Novel Writing Month suggests being exuberantly imperfect when drafting one's novel. I've found that to be good advice. Then I go back and back to work out the kinks...except in erotic stories where I put the kinks in.
Amanda
That's advice I try and take because everyone gives it to me. Do you think I can do it Amanda? No. Well, not yet anyway. They say it takes two weeks of continual practice to change a habit, so that's what I'll try.
I am completely over my head, as well, with projects that are due. I won't be able to breathe again until January of 2006, and then by that time I'll probably be crammed with more stuff. It never stops once you really get going as a writer.
Be careful what you wish for.
I'm exactly the same, Keziah - about having all these projects on the boil and not being able to finish any of them. I had this problem very badly with The Waiting Room. I solved it by writing the last chapter, while I still had 10 in the middle to finish.
The last chapter did get re-written completely in the end, but its existence gave me the psychological fixed-goalpost to aim at.
I don't know if that will be any help at all. But if it makes you feel any better, I edit as I go too, and you only have to go to my site to see the number of stories/serials/novels I couldn't seem to drag my ass to finish.
I get to the point with certain stories where I've made some huge mistake earlier on in it and I can't mentally face the serious restructuring process I'm going to have to do to make it work.
Once I start seeing the piece of work for its technical, constituent mechanics, I fall right out of love with the story, usually. It's almost as if I love the mystery of it, and looking at its mechanics kills the romance of the story.
I know good writers don't feel this way - they can switch back and forth between the technical and delve back into the liminality of squeezing the story out again and again.
Maybe it's discipline I just don't have. I don't know. But I feel for you.
And the one time that I actually solved the problem was with TWR - by writing that last chapter.
Bet none of that is any help at all. But you have a huge virtual hug from me. I know exactly how you feel.
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