What's On Your Mind About Your Writing?

Well, one of the NaNo ideas is all plotted! Now I just need to make more progress on the other outline.

phantasy said:

Being in editing mode for so long has really messed with the way I write. Reading some other works, I've noticed that my words used to have flow and be interesting. My newer stuff isn't as good, I feel like I've gone backwards. I'm not sure how to fix this except to write more, but I worry editing will ruin things again.

Anyone have any good techniques to get the writing flow going again?

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Maybe go on a short reading binge. I find that's what helps me best for keeping flow in my writing.

Lately, bored & reading a Mesoamerican Archaeology textbook in my spare time. Although, it is giving me a lot of great ideas to shore up my second planned series...

But, not going to happen for a while. Apparently, I like writing, but I hate that first page. Plus, I'd like to finish something for once...

Writing is not happening atm. So much unplanned business.
I'd like to be writing, but the rest of this months looks shot for me.

Is it ok to write a sex shot if you've never had sex? Let alone a homosexual one when you yourself are straight?

ColdWintersNight said:

Is it ok to write a sex shot if you've never had sex? Let alone a homosexual one when you yourself are straight?

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I've written some killings, but I've never murdered anyone.

WriteMinded said:

I've written some killings, but I've never murdered anyone.

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That is an excellent point....

Still on the frustrated side with current project. There is a medium-sized wolf spider sitting on my printer paper and I asked it for advice, but it just wiggled its front two legs at me, and I don't know what that means.

I got my words in. I'm going to delete half of them later, but right now they're written.

Hmm. I hadn't thought of asking a spider for advice, but there's a young wolf spider living in my computer....

I came up with a new idea today. I'm not sure on a lot of the specifics, but it looks more promising than the usual idea.

I'm still writing, but I'm juggling my part-time job, which I really enjoy. I'm actually thinking of doing some night Photoshop courses because I need to make print ads.

This book is going slower than the last, and it's so funny how each book I've written has been like a child. I don't mean that they're to be protected and nurtured etc, I mean that no child is the same as the next, and each is like a living entity with a process that has differences each time.

I've found it's easier to go with the flow. Don't question. Jump.

So many times I've never known what's happening, but when the time comes, the answer appears at the exact moment I want. There's perfection in that, because I don't think I could hold it in my mind all at once, and I would probably leak clues I didn't want in the narrative.

I am getting one book self published, which has been edited by Anna Genoese. Another finished book is being read by agents at the ECO contest. I find I have lots of balls up in the air. Part-time job, three kids, household chores, school duties, exercise, writing time (which is a major priority) and getting the books I've finished ready for readers.

I'm actually working on two books at once, not because I want to, but because that's what the muse wants . . . and from experience I know it's better to follow those instincts. It's strange because I've never written two books at once before, and it's difficult to hold two stories in my mind, so I break it down to chapters and then realise if all else fails, the first time around is just a first draft. I can fix it. No problem. I can't fix it if I haven't written anything.

The two books are the second to the one with the agents, and the second of the one I'm self publishing. Both are YA. Both fantasy. Different worlds.

ArachnePhobia said:

Still on the frustrated side with current project. There is a medium-sized wolf spider sitting on my printer paper and I asked it for advice, but it just wiggled its front two legs at me, and I don't know what that means.

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Make your own fire while camping and chillax?

Started a new project today. I don't know where it's going, but I like it so far.

Plagued by indecision lately, plot-wise.

Every tangent seems like the right one as I try to anticipate criticism that doesn't exist. Then I end up doing what I wanted to do from before because it's already been developed and allows for more world and character building. It's so hard to know which is the best direction for the middle of this novel. No qualms about the ending, however. Kind of makes me want to start all over, but I know that's extreme. It's one of those, 'now that I've improved, is this direction the right thing'.

I'd better knock it off, it's wasting time.

Got in 3,000 words. That always makes me feel good. 3,000 is my goal for when I'm working on a project. I don't always reach it, though, especially if I hit a complete mental block on what's going to happen next.

Trying to figure out where my time goes. And trying desperately to find enough time to finish rewrites on the last ten chapters of the WIP

Finally figured out what to do to finish up the scene on the way to the library. Besides, I took a break to catch up on more tv & movies, so it's about time I get back to it before I lose frame of mind again...

I live for the mad rush that comes after writer's block. Sat there for days without writing anything useful, then BOOM. 3,000 words in less than a day. I'm not really sure how it happened, but it's good to be back!

I can't write my story fast enough. I've never in my life had this problem. It's a positive problem of course, but I would like to get it out as soon as possible. I've written one tenth (started 1,5 months ago) of it, and there's just so much of it in my head. So much. And it's been there for years. Now it all wants to come out, and I'm a writer with a day job and evening school.

Also, I love writing more than anything, and I'm so surprised how happy this story makes me and how much I enjoy writing it. I've never truly felt this way. It's always been a struggle, yet an interesting one.

I wonder how quickly I could write it if I had an entire month for writing only. I cannot wait to hold that first draft in my hands, let alone the finished book.

Doing some major revisions now on Empire of Chains (and considering a title change, though I'm not sure about that). Unfortunately, I'm adding words to an already long manuscript, but these words deepen the reader's understanding of the antagonist and hopefully show why this story is different from so many others that look similar on the surface.

Currently... "I'm going to suffer greatly when I start looking for agents because I'm pretty sure nothing I write is marketable or appeals to a wide audience."

Also, "I should really take a hatchet to this WIP because it needs to be a lot more straightforward and I need to shave off like 20k words."

Also, "Why is this my hobby? Why do I do this to myself?"

I'm still stuck trying to figure out how to write this sequence where the POV character's consciousness merges with a computer.

I'm really enjoying deepening my antagonist's point of view. I don't want readers to think he's yet another cliched fantasy villain. It's also fun because I get to show just how much he's manipulating my heroes.

Back to struggling with Luan. Can't seem to find Luan's voice. I know he has one, but I spent all of 9 hours yesterday chasing after it and still it eludes me.