And this is the place where I lose my nerve...

[elfs]

I hit 21,700 words in my latest story, and it's make or break time: either I'm going to give up here, or I'm going to make it to 65,000 words. Trouble is, I no longer know where the story is going. I think I need to go back and re-write the 20,000 I have so far because the enmity between Omertum and Misuko isn't strong enough, there's not enough splashover to Linia. About the only thing I've done is wreck Shandy's career, but I haven't figured out how to put it back together again. The scene where the robots decide to go on strike is just stilted; maybe I need to cut it out and just show the consequences-- show, don't tell, in other words. It was a good run, almost 10,000 words a week. I can probably keep it going. I'm just frustrated because I've got a bit of block. (I don't believe in writer's block per se; I believe in failing the story, fearing the story, or being tempted by another story that's not so fraught with writer anxiety, of which I have plenty-- both the anxiety and the easy stories).

Comments

[mothball-07.livejournal.com]

'k, I know exactly nothing about writing, so feel free to ignore me.

Were it me, I'd just forge ahead with the remaining 43,300 words, and promise myself I could edit it when I was done. Who knows what will develop that you'll want to weave back into the done part, that you're not even thinking about now?

But I'm not a writer, and that may be a stupid idea. It's just how I force myself to finish things.

[elfs.livejournal.com]

And that is the usual advice for moments like this, and it's probably what I'll end up doing. I am having a bad fit of LDVS though; so many other stories are calling to me.

[lisakit.livejournal.com]

I've mentioned before that I have *alot* of problems with finishing stories.

Can you duplicate the conditions that allowed you such a wonderful run of words?

Would it help to back off for awhile? I'd set a specific date to go back to this story and stick to it though, when I back off I never seem to get back to it.

Work on the characters individually, as in working on the personality blurbs. One of the greatest parts of RPG's for me was the character development tools. I got many story ideas just from starting a new basic character. Ask your characters about their past, get to know who they've been before the part of their story you're writing. What do Omertum and Misuko think about this enmity? Why is it there? Do either of them want to fix it - that might be why it's not as strong as you'd like. What does Shandy think about her career woes? What does she want you to do about them for her? Many writers talk about their characters running away with the stories (and I've experienced this myself). If you allow them input, it could probably help you maintain control over the story as a whole. So talk to your characters, maybe they know where it's supposed to go.

I'd hesitate about re-writing though. Going backwards before getting some kind of finish has always been a fatal flaw in my writing.

Heh, and since I've got plenty of time (between coughing up crud anyway) I should stop doling out advice and try some writing myself.