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So, I’m just curious if anyone else out there in the KP world does this too…
Start a story, write a chapter or two, and then lose interest.
I do this and it’s very annoying. It’s not that I have trouble coming up with topics to write about, it’s that I have trouble sticking to those topics. Somewhere along the line, I lose interest, and then I start a whole other story (only to do the same thing again). It’s a vicious circle. 😛
So now comes my question. What do you do to stay interested in your story? Or is that not something a normal writer would even experience?First of all, @faithdk, ‘normal writer’ is an oxymoron.
Just so you understand. 😉
I’ve never done that, but I can see how it would happen. The thing is, I don’t sit down and write every story idea that comes into my head. Some merit writing. Some don’t. It’s simply a matter of finding out which is which. I let each story idea I have simmer for a while in my head before I try and write it, and those that don’t merit writing die before I even try them. The ones that keep building on themselves without much effort on your part are the ones that have promise.
I guess I’m trying to say that I’ve found a single cool concept is not enough to make an awesome story. Awesome stories are layers and layers of cool concepts piled up on top of each other. If you start writing a story that hasn’t grown at all since you thought of it, you may quickly lose interest. Because there’s nothing there to hold you. Just that one concept, and a one concept story is not going to hold much interest for anybody, because it’s one faceted. Get me?It may also just be a self-discipline thing— if you’re sure you have a good thing going here, and something you need to say, but aren’t interested, I guess you have to make yourself be interested. Not easy, I know! 😛
Hope that was some help, at least… 😉
Can I ask a clarifying question? Are you losing interest as in you’re writing this story and you have all these great plot twists planned out, and you’ve got some great ideas for making your characters deeper, and there’s a new character you’re dying to introduce and then all of a sudden, writing all those cool things out doesn’t seem worth it anymore?
Or are you starting down the road of some story thread that seems amazing and then all of a sudden you realize that there aren’t as many plot twists as there were before and your characters are seeming empty, and you’ve got a lot of time to fill before the next important thing happens?
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@kate-flournoy
Yeah, I guess I should’ve said “average” writer, but, then again, no writer is average either 😛 Anyway…moving on.
Yes, I get what you’re saying! I get a story idea, and then I don’t think it through. Must think things through!
I agree with the “layers and layers” thing too… long story short: I agree completely with all you said. Thanks so much for your advise! 🙂 It will definitely help me out. 😉
@daeus
The latter… Yep, definitely the latter.@faithdk It sounds like a simple need for more planning. I’ve managed to write a novella that had a good plot without knowing much about where I was going with it, but in the novel I am working on now I have most things planned ahead and I will tell you it is a lot easier. My writing style also seems to flourish more when I have more structure. I love to surprise myself with my stories as much as anyone, but you can’t hang drywall where there are no studs. I’m not saying you have to have everything worked out on paper with every plot twist and character locked down (I don’t), but if I were you, I would try planning all the major stuff before you even get started and then planning ahead on some of the minor stuff as you go. I’ll give you a little hint. Lying on your bed at night thinking of what will happen next in your story is not intimidating. Staring at a blank page thinking of what will happen next in your story is.
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Thanks, @daeus! I agree that planning is probably the cause of my problem. I will definitely work harder on structuring my stories and thinking things through before I put my fingers to the keyboard.
Thanks again, guys! Your advise has been very helpful and much appreciated. 🙂
*pops in late* Y’know, short stories are a good way to do fun concepts that just won’t pull through into a novel. That’s usually my modus operandi. 😛
Though I’ll also ditto @daeus on the planning thing. If you plan it and it doesn’t go anywhere, problem solved and not a lot of writing time lost. 😉@writefury, thanks for your suggestion. 🙂 I’ve written a short story once but, honestly, they aren’t really my thing. 😛 I guess they’re just short (I know, that’s the point. 😛 Haha. 😉 ). But I’ve always liked longer stories. And, for me, short stories are so difficult to write! I know…weird 😛
And yes, I agree. Not planning is really where I went wrong.Now I envy you @faithdk. All I can write are short stories. 😛
@faithdk I’ve reached 7,630 words. Which takes my story out of the short story category and makes it a novellette. 😀 Now, it go back through and refine it. *Stares at story* This might take sometime. 😀 *Such fun*
@bluejay, well, I guess we envy each other! Haha 😉
That is sweet! 😀 Awesome job! See, you’ve written a novelette. So short stories aren’t the only thing you can write. 😉 Seriously, awesome job! 🙂I’ve written a novel with out planning (certainly not as easy as I thought). I think next time I’m going to do at least some planning before I tackle another book. This was also my first so live and learn.
My problem now is I’ve written the book and am now on the editing stages but I’ve lost interest and it’s become a drudgery.I don’t want to sit down and edit. There are parts I like and parts I don’t and I just shy away from the latter and don’t even want to touch them. And it’s not like I don’t have ideas as to how to improve them. Part of it I’m sure is discipline but the rest…
How does one recapture the love for one’s story?
HC
What made you love it in the first place, @hannah-c?
Probably the uniqueness of the main families names and their journey to Washington state on the wagon train. @kate_flournoy
HC
@hannah-c I can see how just cool names wouldn’t keep you motivated. Perhaps there is an opportunity there though for you to find some motivation. Character is what is really important, but names mean a lot to character. You might want to just set all your daydreaming aside for one day and dedicate it to dreaming about all the unique character traits you envision in the unique character names you have. Perhaps that would give you the strong characters you need to overhaul your story. Once you have strong characters, a strong plot will come easier along with everything else.
Some thoughts anyways.
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