Got a problem

[blacknblue]

I need advice. I am stalled out on my writing. Any input?

I know EXACTLY how the next installment is going to go. I have already watched the scenes play themselves out. I watched the movie in my head. The story is already formed. But I can't find the words to describe it effectively!

I don't know what to do about this one. It has never happened to me before. Any advice? Has anyone ever had this difficulty? I have been stalled before on how the story will go, but that always works out eventually. This time I don't even have that problem. I know how the story will go. I just don't know how to tell it. Nothing sounds right.

[TPoptarts]

Wish I could help you. I have the same problem all the time

[CoffeeCat]

I'm stuck were you are, hon. It hurts. It usually happens right after I've written about eight pages worth in a day.

What you have is a case of Writers Anxiety.

Go get some sleep - it's late. You're going to do fine. You're going to sit down to write and after a minute, you'll get up and end up with the cleanest house in your neighborhood. More power to ya.

[Rigil Kent]

My advice: write.

Seriously, I've learned that I'm my own worst critic. In the past, I spent weeks on a single scene (between 1500-2200 words) because I was completely convinced that the entire thing sucked rotten eggs ... yet I found out that I was wrong.

So write it, even if the words don't sound right. Then have someone look over it (someone whom you trust to be brutally honest and not just say "Well, I like it" even if they don't), and tell you if they agree that it's the worst thing since These Aren't The Voyages...

But my advice is usually nonsensical at best, so ...

[CoffeeCat]

^ Good advice.

I wrote half a scene today and the first half like 3 days ago and now I'm like "man this sucks" and my even though I'm constantly wondering if I'm OC, I still know that if I don't write I'll go insane with all these ideas floating around in my head and no way to vent them (it's absolute torture for people with ADD).

[Distracted]

Just get it down, BnB. The fancy stuff can come later when you edit. Choose a POV character and start.

[Linda]

If you know what is going to happen, can you just get inside the character and walk him/her through it? If you start with their feelings, and what they think they have to do and then pretend a certain chair is their station. Dress yourself in their mood, aprehensions, the problem they have to solve. Walk to their chair and sit in it. What are they seeing on their screen? What instruments are they touching? Who do they have to turn and talk to on this bridge or in this shuttle cabin or next to them in engineering? Now, how would they say it - what words come naturally to them?

Hope this helps and is not too dumb! I try this sometimes when I am stuck. Instead of just sitting, I move around and walk through the part like an actor.

[evcake]

Walking. Also swimming. Really.

[Linda]

Hey, Bnb, we all know you can do it! You are a great writer. It will come. Maybe the story just needs to ferment in your mind a little more. Don't push it to the frustration point. Sometimes things pop into my mind after I try to put the story aside for awhile.

[Dinah]

This is going to sound a little silly, but try writing in a different location. Sometimes, the bathtub works for me. If it's a nice day, try going outdoors. I do some of my best thinking when I'm out walking the dogs, so I might stick a small pad of paper and a pen in my pocket, along with the empty poop bag.

Staring at a blank page is very intimidating. Sometimes my brain locks up just thinking about how much I have to write. If I have something down on paper, it makes things easier, even if what I've written stinks. It's a whole lot easier to edit than start from scratch. Let your beta help you out. Most of us are pretty straight forward; we'll tell you where things need some extra attention.

Mainly --- we just need to get Trip out of the desert and back with T'Pol. The poor guy doesn't like the heat. Don't make him suffer for too long.

[Rigil Kent]

This is going to sound a little silly, but try writing in a different location. Sometimes, the bathtub works for me. If it's a nice day, try going outdoors. I do some of my best thinking when I'm out walking the dogs, so I might stick a small pad of paper and a pen in my pocket, along with the empty poop bag.

Heh. I write an entire scene in my head during my 40-50 minute walk home from school ...

[Bether6074]

Boy, do I ever wish my brain worked like that! It's always an incredible struggle for me to find the words. Well, at least until the characters start taking over the scene. Then it's a bit easier. A lot of it depends on my mood and the environment I'm in when I'm trying to write. Maybe just giving your mind a break and not forcing the issue might help some. Or, for me, I keep reading back the last few sentences I wrote and hopefully the next thought follows. It'll come eventually.

[justTripn]

I ran into a great big wall of "I CAN'T" and I did stop. I'm not as talented as some of you so it wasn't like writing Trip 'n T'Pol stories was a first step towards even bigger things, just an VERY interesting meandering trail I went off on. My advisors gave me permission to stop, including Distracted. I would think for people like Rigil, Black 'n Blue, and Distracted writing might be your "calling" in life (or A calling in life), at least I suspect it might be a permanent part of your life. But anyone has my permission to stop when they feel it is time to stop, if the pressure to finish was driving you a little crazy, like it was me.

[justTripn]

And a perpsective as a beta, who has beta'd for maybe 8 writers. The difference between a first draft and a second can be like . . . . well it's very surprising to see the process in action. Very few of us type perfect prose the first time (with the exception of Rigil, probably--since I've seen a ficlet challenge go up and ten seconds later Rigil's entry.) For everyone else, clunky stuff turns into amazing stuff after several revisions.

[Bether6074]

Writing just seems to gives me a sense of personal accomplishment. So I think the fact that is is a struggle makes it all the more worthwhile when I've completed something. I would say that if it's become a chore and you no longer enjoy it, then it makes total sense to quit. But I wouldn't want to give up on it just because it's hard if it really means something to you. If it's important and it gives you pleasure, then you'll find a way. I really believe that.