Posted on 08/17/2006 8:36:45 PM PDT by Number57
I've had this story worked out in my mind for going on twenty years. 1989. But now... I am stuck. I started a book based on it, but I'm no writer, obviously. I constantly re-read and edit, and re-read and edit more.
Probably because I've posted part of the story on sites that critique writing.
Anyway. I've hit a wall. A large brick wall. I've since stopped editing my own stuff, but try as I might, I can't write another chapter that I'm okay with. How do you, in your experience, get past it? I'll appreciate any help anyone can offer.
I bow-wow to your trivial knowledge.
Seriously, I start with an outline and sort of work my way from there.
:-)
juat plow through never once looking back. Writing is rewriting... It is never what it starts out to be, but before you can get it there, you need to get it out... every last bit of it... then and only then go back and make changes...
just my two cents...
For some reason I'm imagining a novel that starts with a wedding in India.
Or rather ends there....
It pressed against you like a blanket, fresh out of the dollar clothes washer at a cheap laundromat, the kind of laundromat in a run-down town that has seen better days. The kind of laundromat that has an old, wrinkly attendant on duty; the kind of attendant that has the job only because her life has treated her unkindly, and she's had nowhere else to go. The kind of attendant who's made one mistake too many, and now has nowhere to go.
I don't have an outline. Maybe that's the problem. I keep it in my head.
Do you visualize the part when the friends of the groom fly to India?
"I constantly re-read and edit, and re-read and edit more. "
===
You just found your problem.
Since you have the book "worked out in your mind" -- I would suggest to start writing, ANYTHING, that is even vaguely related, then keep writing, don't look back, don't correct typos, don't correct grammar, style, inconisitency, anything, just focus and keep writing each chapter to "THE END".
THEN you can go back and edit and rewrite.
Create a really lousy first draft -- then you can improve it and perfect it. But if don't write anything down, until you think it's perfect, you'll never get done.
Just do it right now -- write a page, anything.
Then tomorrow, keep it going. Without even noticing, once you stop worrying about making it perfect, the words will flow and you'll do better than you thought.
It's always easier to re-write, so just get the first draft down, the quality of the first draft is no indication of the qualify of the final product.
Get started -- NOW and good luck!
And ends with a funeral pyre for his wife of 53 years.
nuconvert - your very first response NAILED IT!
right now you are being to critical of yourself- and not "feeeling" it....
it will come....at the risk of sending some minds into the gutter- I get my best ideas in the shower.....LOL
take lots of showers....
sing in there- etc...
you will get it!
don't let anyone else finish this for you
"you can duit"
wow... I already do that....maybe I should start writing...
Man, that's powerful advice.
I've wanted to finish this story TOO much. Just let it rest and maybe work on something fresh...
I can't write a blog, though. I've tried, and it just isn't the same.
In fact, I miss my typewriter
Just do the drinking. It's all you need. Drinking with any other activity is dangerous. The trick is to get those illucid thoughts in a stupor onto paper.
Maybe you should make up names for Chapters and work from there... then tie everything together in the last 3 pages.
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