How do writers stay focused on one story?
Curious asked:
I’m new to writing and I have started several stories but i find it hard to continue. The longest one I have written got to be about 11 pages but then I stopped. So what I’m asking is what should I do to finish a story?
I’m new to writing and I have started several stories but i find it hard to continue. The longest one I have written got to be about 11 pages but then I stopped. So what I’m asking is what should I do to finish a story?
July 19th, 2010 at 12:11 am
Writing is painful. It truly is. I read a great quote once, which was something along the lines of:
“Writing is easy. All you’ve got to do is open a vein and write.”
So ideas will come and go, get forgotten or blossom into a full length novel. The main thing is that you write, all the time, to get better.
July 20th, 2010 at 10:42 pm
What?? Start several stories? Who starts several stories nowadays?!
July 22nd, 2010 at 3:56 pm
I’m writing five stories at the same time. I just add more to which ever one I feel like working on at the moment. Taking a break from a story can also be beneficial. When you come back you have a fresh take on things. Just save it and one day if you wake up and feel like writing open the story up and start working on it again.
July 22nd, 2010 at 10:45 pm
There’s no easy solution. You just have to keep practising until you get there. It takes discipline and there’s no substitute for it. Writers don’t have “secrets” or tricks up their sleeve to develop their writing skills; they rely on good old fashioned discipline. What makes them do it is passion, not mere curiosity: they love words and their ordering, they love writing, not being “writers”. If your heart isn’t truly in it, forget it because you’re just beating yourself up for no good reason otherwise.
July 24th, 2010 at 6:52 pm
It’s hard. I’ve struggled for years trying to complete writing projects. I find it helps to keep thinking about the story even when you are not writing. Keep a notebook around and jot things down (plot ideas, character notes, dialog between characters, etc.).
Also, I’ve heard that juggling multiple projects at once can help. Next time, when I start to loose steam switch to something else, when you’re bored with that switch back. Keep on your toes so you can continue to enjoy yourself.
Go easy on yourself, too. You are only human and nothing comes out perfect the first time — that’s what rewriting is for =). Good luck
July 27th, 2010 at 1:31 am
I’ve written two 100k+ word fantasy novels so far. (Shameless plug: warhall.webs.com) Though I’m unpublished, I can offer you some advice. If you don’t want to read all of the “junk,” just scroll down to the second number-list.
You say you’ve started several stories, but you can’t finish them? Let me guess… you get into the setup process and introduce some people or ideas, maybe describe the setting and how it works, then stop? Here’s something you might find interesting: MANY writers can relate to your woes. This is a very common thing, and it’s typically called “writer’s block.” Of course, writer’s block is a fake writer’s disease, but its effects have been experienced by even the greatest of great.
When I started writing, I began with short stories and poetry; just what I was interested in at the time. Every now and then, I would jot down some poem and theme it, or write some flash-fiction (a “short-short story”) during classes in juniorhigh and highschool. When I graduated, I did the same between jobs, and, eventually, decided to write a novel.
The idea was simple! I would just outline everything on paper and start writing! But, the water I wanted to swim in was cold, and I’d dove into it head first without any clue of literary procedure. (Which doesn’t exist; I’ll get to it.) I wrote some first drafts of chapters 1-3, and it all seemed great. When I got halfway in, however, I put everything on hold for a very good reason. I didn’t know where the story was going; I didn’t have a plot or a conflict or anything!
Now, through writing that first, I’ve learned a lot. The second was great practice for the creation of a real novel, and I’m working on my third. Would you like to know how to overcome a creative blockage? It’s the same for nearly all writers:
1: Write.
2: … Write.
The only way to get past that eleventh page is to write. Stop worrying about how it’ll turn out, and don’t plan so much. Don’t worry about what people will think or about whether or not you forgot to mention something. Don’t think about order or grammar. Write the entire story, including everything you can think of. When you get an idea of what to add to specific parts, add them (on paper: add to the top fo the page or something). When you’ve finished the STORY completely, you edit.
It seems simple. Is it how a professional writes? You’d be surprised how many people do it exactly this way. Here’s a list (my last one) of important steps to completion:
1: Idea; you now have a story idea, including a main character, a place, and a sort of theme. This doesn’t mean you have it all, but enough to start. You’re well acquainted with this step!
2: Enthusiasm; even if it seems lame. You know you want to write about it. Whether or not you’ll keep your interest is up to you, but the most important thing is that you want to write about your idea at this very moment.
3: Write; you’re writing it. Ignore your mistakes. Ignore grammar. Ignore order, and ignore anything that keeps you from finishing your STORY (not the book, but its story). Finish this! Along the way, add in little things you find interesting. Example: You’re on page ninety-nine, and Marry has just become a vampire. Well, you’re also interested in tropical fruit. Add it iinto the story; have fun with it!
4: Revise; this is the hard one. This is the step most people think is “writing,” when it’s not. Writing is story-telling. You tell your story and have fun doing it. If you don’t like your story (not the words on the page, but the characters and place and conflict), no one else will! But… when you’re done, you’ll have to do actual work.
- Revision is simple: You go through that awesome story and correct grammar and typos and mistakes. Then, you solidify the plot and arrange things to make more sense. Make your mysterious characters more mysterious. Change that woman’s cloths to be scanty if she’s a whore! Make your dialogue more interesting, especially, because there’s likely a lot of trash in there. If you’re finished with this step and you’ve removed 1/4 of the unneeded crap in the writing (not the story, but your account of it through use of writing)… you’re done.
– In my opinion, keeping an interest in your story is all about having fun, and you can’t have a bit of fun if all you do is plan steps and worry about little mistakes. Just write it! Have fun, THEN worry about all of your plans. –
(Maybe it’ll help. I’m not exactly the best writing coach.)