Legion said:
My main issues are:
1) I am my own worst critic. In the past I have written a chapter. Gone back and re-wrote it. Gone back and re-wrote it. Gone back and re-wrote it, to the point where I never got anywhere.
2) I am awful when it comes to procrastination. Even though I can sit down and read an entire book in a day if I want to, I am easily distracted when it comes to writing myself, especially by the internet and places such as this.
3) I am somewhat fickle. I can come up with an idea, imagine lot's of details and get most of the story written in my head. Then I come up with a different idea and instead get focused on that. I find it very difficult to simply stick to one idea and see it through.
I have an idea for a story in my head right now that I have been "working on" for several months. I really need to give myself a kick up the backside and get working on writing it down. This one is actually a lot more thought through than any previous ones.
So I admire the fact you have kept at it for so long and completed it.
Re-writing is part and parcel of writing in general. Don't fear re-writes. I think that's where a lot of potential authors get stuck. They think the re-writes will never end and just get frustrated. Well they do end and it's important to keep in mind that with every re-write, the writing itself gets cleaner, more efficient, and more concise. As far as procrastination, all I can say about that is just know how bad you want it. For me if felt like a never ending ordeal, but it was never a question of whether I would or could finish. Some people just take longer to write. Jim Butcher puts out a new Dresden book every year. J.R.R. Martin is going on something like 8 years now.
For your ideas, make a document in your computer and just write them down whenever they come to you. If you come up with something to add, then write that down under that idea. That way you never lose them and you can always go back and see what you were thinking about. Eventually, you'll find that by adding more and more ideas to the main idea, you'll come up with a plot. And you can work on more than one project at once. I can't tell you how many other book ideas and short stories I've started while working on my main one. If the inspiration struck me, I would work on that idea until I was out of inspiration and then go back to my main one. My crown jewel work--a 30 page short story about 9/11-- was written like that.
If you need help with it, or with planning or anything for your new idea, let me know. Outside insight can prove to be extremely valuable.
JoJo said:
Ten years, I wish I could stick that long to a project. Myself, I tried to write a novel back in 2009 when I was first getting into writing but once I got to around 20,000 words I realised the story and characters sucked badly beyond repair and so I abandoned the project. Since then I've stuck to RPing on Internet forums including this one and writing a few short stories, I'd still like to write a novel someday if I can think of something worth making into one.
When I was 12 or 13, I wrote a story called "Universal Empire." It was absolutely as atrocious as it sounds. lol. I finished it and realized how bad it was and promptly tossed it in the fire place. What was before I owned a computer so it is gone forever. I wish I hadn't done that because now that I'm more mature and well read, I feel like I could have salvaged it in some way.
So even if you think it's bad, it's probably salvageable. Go back and check it out. You might be surprised what new insights you can offer it now that it's been a while.
Raikas said:
I've not had anything published myself (in terms of fiction at least - I was co-author of a couple of studies during university), but I did do NaNoWriMo every November between 2006 and 2009. It was fun, gets all that pent-up creativity out of the system. I think the editing would probably be the real work though.
Nanowrimo is cool for people who don't write a lot. I like the idea,but I feel left out because I write year round and trying to confine myself to one month seems self defeating. But as I said, it's a cool idea.
And the editing is indeed where the real work begins. It sucks so bad to have to cut a scene you really like because it either makes the chapter too long or simply doesn't need to be there. But it's also a lot of fun and very rewarding to find a way to get that same information you cut and include it in another scene or chapter in a different and often better way.
Korenith said:
Like you, I now wait on the opinions of those people I've given it to read and I'm TERRIFIED of what the response might be. Still, somebody's got to read it at some point so it's all about taking the plunge.
If you aren't super paranoid about handing it out to someone you don't know, I'd be willing to read it for you and offer some feedback. I know how hard it is to find people who will actually follow through when they say they will read your work so the offer is open. =}
Because we don't know each other at all, the feedback I give will be completely neutral and I find that is when it is most useful.
Queen Michael said:
I wrote one once. It wasn't all that great--it was a first draft, after all--but writing it was a ton of fun!
Now I feel like writing a second draft. Well, it's been two years...
As I told someone above, you should definitely revisit it. Time away can allow you some unique insight you may not have considered before.
maidenm said:
Any tips for an aspiring wannabe? Hate having the story in my head but not anywhere else...
Captcha: Unlimited Wishes
... I know...
The first thing you should do is get a document where you can write down ideas as they occur to you. Whatever idea is in your head, get it on paper so it's permanent. As I told someone above, keep adding ideas you have about the "master" idea and eventually you'll see the beginnings of a plot start to emerge. Then you just write up a chapter-by-chapter story map and you're off to the races!
my captcha for this post is "happy blessings" lol
Flutterguy said:
Alright well shows over start the next one!!
Seriously though, well done. That is a kind of commitment sorely lacking from my life. Hope your sequels don't take quite that long though XD
Nope! I have the sequels planned out and everything. I'm planning on starting them in the next week or so!
