Any other writers want to complain about writing?

Election stress is definitely a factor in my lack of writing focus as well!

 

I was doing pretty well with NaNo but once again I find myself wheel spinning without actually getting anywhere. I'm trying to remind myself that it doesn't matter if it's not right the first time, if I can just get the basic structure down I can edit it later... But when it's not very good first draft I'm more likely to just abandon it. And then there's the pitfalls of needing place names for places I haven't even pictured yet, trying to describe buildings I haven't even imagined and having a character who can see the future so not only do I need to figure out what's going to happen but also what she thinks is going to happen and what she's trying to make happen.

But I did manage a nice thousand word tangent planning out how a magical item with very little relevance to the plot works, and a tangent from that about a minor character's parents and an event that will happen in book three. This is book one. But it is about the third attempt at it!

 

I almost immediately lost my momentum. Here's hoping for a really good marathon day.

 

You have to get old story thoughts out to make room for new story thoughts.

 

I'm also failing! Last week and the weekend killed me - I'm days behind. But I'm still trying. I'm kind of motivated to write this story, vs writing to participate in Nano, so I'm not too worried about making 50k

 

I'm just not doing nano this year, but I am trying to write more every day now that a big source of stress is gone. Just doing it in a no-pressure way this year.

 

How is NaNo treating you guys?

I blazed my way to 45k in record time, but now I am totally stalled out and don’t even want to look at my story. Every word is like pulling a tooth and every sentence comes out wrong. Doesn’t help I’ve got projects due before Christmas piling up so every time I sit down to write I feel like I should be doing something else.

 

Nothing like thinking you've written so much only to realize it's all in disconnected chunks across multiple projects that you now have to flesh out and connect.

It's still word count though, right?

 

Totally counts, I just finished 22 pages of notes for a story that's been in several forms as it's worked its self out. Today it'll be for one that has a great beginning, wanders around for most of the middle with a few defining moments, and knows where it wants to reach a stopping place.

 

I started off pretty well but then I lost my motivation, got sidetracked and wrote out the backstory for a minor character, wrote descriptions of scenes I didn't feel like writing and last night I just wrote dialogue, which is not so bad, I suppose. But once again we're on the final week and I haven't even got to the mid-act climax. Maybe it needs to be a longer story overall than 50k but I feel like I'm revving the engine but not getting anywhere!

 

I'm nowhere near 50K. Pretty bad. But I've switched to a fanfiction and it is flowing surprisingly well. Having a well-tread plot to follow probably helps.

 

Oops, going to bump the writing thread as it was linked elsewhere XD hi!

I know it's early, but has anyone started thinking about next nanowrimo? I thought I had no more novels in me - my last nano was a short story collection - but while writing a microfic I stumbled on an idea I'd like to expand. So I'm back on the nano train, doing my research before November starts this time.

I have some children's book ideas I would love to write and illustrate, but drawing is difficult for personal reasons ^^;

Also, I feel super self conscious about my writing. I have difficulty sharing it with people moreso than anything else I do. Anyone got tips on how to get over my goddamn self?

 

Haven't thought about nano yet... I'm doing a challenge for writing a little something every day this month, but am struggling to get engagement on original fiction. It's all very short prompt fills that I'm still putting out there for free, I'm just doing so on a new platform where I don't have a following.

 

I'm planning for next Camp. I put up a poll and I think I will try slice of life, which is new for me. But it lets me do lots of worldbuilding for my otherwise neglected dwarves, which is fun. Turns out filling out their culture on my own makes me more invested in them.

 

So I have the same problem, it's really hard for me to share - as an artist too, it's always been tough for me to share my personal art as well, I used to flip out when people tried to look at my sketchbooks.

I write quite a bit, in notebooks where no one else can read it lol but I've started sharing by posting things on line. Even though it's not totally anonymous, it is enough in that I'm not there when people are reading my stuff, so it feels safe. And from what I've posted, I've gotten good feedback, so I'm encouraged to post more. My first comic (sadly unfinished) is totally online on my now-unused DA account and I have posted parts of "novels" during Nano. My current comic is on instagram...but no text yet because I've been lazy and haven't done it, I need to find a better place to post it all.

Ripping the band-aid off (so to speak) and just posting something on line made it a little easier to share overall. Once you hit that button, you can walk away from it. It's done! And you can come back whenever you're ready to see if anyone has comments...there's no awkward waiting for friends to read it or panic over whether or not they actually like it or are just being nice.
You can specify if you want constructive criticism or not, and if you're posting in a writing community like Nano or even this thread I guess, or wherever else people post writings, hopefully other writers would be respectful of that.

 

I haven't written anything on the one project I'm plugging away on, Wish Fulfillment, since May 2nd. That story is currently at 202,349 words. I anticipate an easy 50-75K more before the story is done.

 

I'm generally a homebody, but what I miss-- what I really genuinely miss -- is curling up at a Starbucks or a library for hours to write. I just can't seem to focus at home, even when my kid's asleep, beyond just the normal distractions there's just so much stuff around the house to do (plus the ever present temptation of going to bed lol). Going out to write, just me and a notebook and some music, I always feel like I got so much done. Since quarantine though, nothing.

Just sitting outside doesn't cut it. My eyes are too sensitive to sunlight to be staring at a white page for hours outside. And besides... the house is right there behind me........ with my bed inside it I need to find an alternative, it's been over a year and I'm dying to write but I just can't focus.

 

Argh, it really sucks to have your routine disrupted. Too much has changed since covid started. I definitely miss the old normal ^^;

I have a secret anonymous page somewhere for writing, but I haven't managed to post anything yet. XD I might give the url out to a few people once I start using it (but only if they ask for it). It's sadly not a regular blog format though, so no comments. Maybe that's okay though XD I definitely need more confidence before I can invite criticism. (And tbh, I always prefer smaller groups for crit. I had a few friends I could trust with giving proper constructive crit, because they knew what my goals with projects were, so they'd help with advice towards those goals.)

I gotta tidy up and unearth my laptop too before I can post stuff likewise I've been writing in notebooks because I like the tactile feel (plus, no undo button).

 

Definitely do not feel the pressure to invite criticism unless you're 110% ready. I don't ever, because the people who are willing to criticize your work, generally are not the people you want or need doing it. The good thing about posting out there in the vast interwebs, is you can ignore those people even if they do feel the need to speak out XD

 

Reviving this thread because it's almost Nanowrimo time again and I wanted to see if anyone else here is considering doing it this year? I really want to (bought some pens and notebooks just for it ages ago) though I meant to start doing research this month, but haven't gotten around to that yet. o_o;; As I already have an idea, a bit if research and a few preplanned plot beats might help me through. I definitely don't wanna repeat the time I decided to write a time travel novel, starting 3 days late because the idea suddenly hit me, and I had to research along the way because argh history! XD

So, uh, yeah XD Nanowrimo?

 

I write. A lot. But I can't tell anyone about what I write except the tiny community of writers I hang out with doing similar content. Sigh. Angst/whump/horror content, even if it has hopeful endings, makes people think weirdly of you.

 

I feel you on that. I’m only a casual hobby writer but I mostly focus on surreal horror (because my short stories are based on my nightmares). I’ve never participated in NaNoWriMo, and I don’t see myself starting to either, I do enough artistic stuff already that has deadlines x.x

 

I can't speak much for angst/whump (which I had to google, argh I'm not cool with the kids lol) but horror doesn't seem so odd to me? I really like reading SCPs though, so... yeah. XD

 

We need the emotional release of horror.

 

Also lately, especially in film and TV, horror is used as a vehicle for social commentary. I might have been binging netflix and watching too many Jordan Peele films though... XD

 

Don't I know it I love writing creepy, unsettling, no-win situations but even my own husband says things like "I'm only reading cos I'm married to you, I don't like sad endings" and the like lol.

Oh god, it is almost Nanowrimo time isn't it! I really want to get back to writing more regularly but it came up so quickly I haven't prepared anything... maybe I'll make a sixth attempt at the novel I've been trying to get right lol

 

Nightmares in Red, White, and Blue charts how American horror films reflect the society they were made in. There's enough in just the different versions of The Thing From Outer Space and John Carpenter's The Thing *which have the same source book* to get started. Going in to more might push against the TOS but even how we treat vampires is a good reflection on our society.

 

I don't think I will do Nanowrimo, but I am gonna try doing a comic equivalent because I want to get my comic off the ground.

Trying to decide what I want for the slice of life to militaria proportion I want.

Also not sure how I want to describe what I am doing. "Flintlock fantasy war dramedy." "Horseback Himbos with Research and Worldbuilding" "Fancy horse boys" lol

 

I have done NaNo for the past...fifteen years or so and I fully intend on continuing my tradition. But this year, even more so than last year, has been a creative deadzone for me in terms of writing. Just, nothing no matter how much I tell myself it doesn't have to be good it just has to be words.

I'm hoping that just the routine of it being November, time to write 50k might do something.

 

Oh man, best of luck to you!! I do comics myself too, they're a lot of work, but a lot of fun. Used to do a webcomic but since having my son, I just don't have the time anymore. Would love to get back to doing them regularly though.

 

Yeah. I love comics but doing comics is a lot of work! Can't get lazy on the backgrounds so everyone can understand where the characters are and need to work more on character-acting so everyone isn't just sitting there like a sack of potatoes.

I am partly motivated by the fact there are almost no comics about what I want to write about, so if I don't do it, who will? I wanted to see what other people were doing, but not that many people did it to start with.

I am pretty sure the reason almost nobody does it is that "cavalry" and "crowd scenes" is basically the biggest time sink in the world. So much horse tack and I love the Napoleonic Era which was basically one of the fanciest uniform time periods. It basically all goes down in fanciness from there until WWI was the final nail in the coffin with wearing bright red pants in a warzone is a bad idea when the guns are way more accurate now.

 

XD all of those descriptions sound awesome! Good luuuck! More comics is always a good thing imo.

Oh no I hope you feel more creative in time for nano. Sometimes shaking stuff up/delving into unfamiliar stuff can help... but these are tough times so it's understandable if you're not feeling as creative as usual.

I always tell myself if I manage to pass 25k, I'll be happy, and I usually do if I don't make the 50k. This year I'm working off more notes than usual, to compensate for brain fogginess. ^^;

I will totally be here to cheer on anyone during nanowrimo, if anyone needs that XD (I like cheering people on. What? I believe in you all!)

 

I've done NaNo since high school, so of course I'm doing it. I'm on a losing streak right now and with a big move around the start I'm probably going to lose again, but I gotta try. I'm really into one of my failed Camps right now, so I think I might start it from scratch. Gotta start planning...

 

Can I complain about working so much overtime that all my creativity has been siphoned away and I haven't really written in weeks? I like my job, I really do, but we're short handed right now (like everywhere in America while everyone scrambles to get the best paying job they can). I'm not mad about it, because I do know my boss is doing everything he can to fill in the gaps, but boy am I exhausted, and my creativity has been snuffed out for it.

 

I haven't written in months since I got a new job and it's been really weird :/ I haven't really felt creative much either, so it's been ages since I've made anything beyond a few doodles. I signed up for the Yuletide exchange on ao3 and am hoping that will help.

Hopefully you won't have to do so much overtime soon @Techy and will be able to write soon!

 

Thanks I appreciate it. We did get a new guy in last week, who is going to take over one of the departments I currently reside over, but training him is an extra task on my shoulders right now too. He's catching on quickly, so hopefully he can fully take over part of it by the end of this week. I definitely won't be doing any sort of Nano this year, but if I can get back into a habit with some writing in it that would be lovely.

I hope you get to find the motivation again soon too! Changes throw everything off sometimes.

 

Something will come to you again. I had a no good very bad never ever again late spring and summer where I felt my creativity was gone. Suddenly I was reminded of something I liked a lot when I was younger and my brain decided to mash it up with a meme for some reason.

 

Happy NaNo-eave to all people doing NaNo. Do you have a plot? Are you just pantsing the entire thing?

I have a sort of plot I just need to flesh out (and I have nine whole hours left to do so) and I'm in luck. The doll creator I really want a doll from is going to release the next lot of the one I really want in late November. So now I've got to finish NaNo or I'm not allowed to buy the doll. Better writing through bribery.

 

I am terrible at doing NaNo >< Even in the cases where I have an idea, i very seldom make actual progress. Lately, I've been using it to just catch up on fandom prompt events and exchanges like Yuletide or secret santas

 

How is the NaNo suffering writing going?

 

Actually, surprisingly well.

I think it's a combination of it just being routine that I write 50K in November and my occasional and highly specific competitive nature coming out. I've won Nano for the past more than a decade, I'm not losing that streak this year. Plus I have my local region's Discord which means writing sprints which also trigger the intense desire to win.

How is your Nano coming along?

 

Pretty good. I didn't build a nice big lead the first day like I usually do, but I've been keeping above par. I really think this will be my first winner in a while.

 

I say trips to Imagination Land count. My latest hyperfixation is working their way thru my tropes and seeing which ones will be hugged so hard they squeak.

I also have notes at the ready any time a story is but since school I've never really been able to write when flat out "told" to.

 

I am a little behind but hopefully on track to hit 50k today or tomorrow. I'm finding motivating myself with the idea that I am not allowed to buy anything until I win NaNo works quite well.

Probably helps that Iplehouse's FID's don't open for orders until December and I'm waiting on ordering from SartoriaJ until I see the 52 Zeus body, which is also early December.

 

I am on track to win today. I am after all the little badges.

 

I finished NaNo and picked up all of the badges! That's the power of being unemployed, lol. I would hope that I will continue writing, but I will probably go back into hibernation until next November.

 

I got barely any writing done during November.

Trying to get more stuff done in December.

I finally finished building a custom font for my comic which helps since I kind of write and thumbnail and back and forth. Writing for comics is a weird process since you gotta write good lines but also think about how it fits on a page.

 

Why is it that every time I sit down with the intention of Big Serious Writing (tm), I can't hardly make my fingers hit the keys and make words, but as soon as I make an unattached character for shiggles one night, I can suddenly flesh out an entire world with a compelling story arc and solid character relations?

 

Note down what you make up for the characters and file it away for later. It's good writing exercise and going back to it might get something going later.

 

Huh that's a good idea. I haven't jotted things down in a notebook in years.