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First if it’s certain scenes you’re having a hard time with there’s something I learned that has helped me A LOT! When I come across a certain scene I don’t know how to write or I’m not certain what’s gonna be the filler scene from point A to A.5 I’ll just write something like “something awesome goes here” and get to the part I do know. And then when the story’s finished and I’m onto the next draft and come back to those scenes usually I have a much better idea what to put. (I actually got all of that from another author and it really helps me!)
Also, if there’s a scene you’re writing and don’t really enjoy writing it then I say cut it! If you’re not enjoying the scene it’s pretty likely that the reader isn’t gonna enjoy it either. I hope this helps!!!!!!!!! I think you’re an AMAZING writer and can TOTALLY write this story!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! YOU’VE GOT THIS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
God gives His hardest battles to His strongest soldiers.
TeenWritersNook.com- Rank: Eccentric Mentor
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@godlyfantasy12 So, your post didn’t actually go through, but I got the email notification of it, so I’ll reply anyway!
I actually have the same problem, and it’s not as big as it seems. You struggle feeling inspired to write some scenes, right? Well, first of all, I would see that scene as the obstacle keeping you from writing that later scene you really want to write–I’ve done that so many times, and that is exactly what has kept me writing my WIP. I have a lot of scenes I can’t wait to get to (and I’m finally close to them now), but I had to make it through a lot of boring stuff that I wasn’t really sure how to write.
My second suggestion would be to dive right into that boring or blurry scene and just write whatever you feel like should be there! Is it an argument between your main characters? Is it your MC just thinking? Get excited about it, even if it’s little and kind of meaningless. Maybe it will set up a bigger, more interesting scene, or maybe it’s just some fun interaction between characters.
I know I’ve had a lot of the same moments, and something else that has helped is keeping track of my word count for the day. I’m more liable to push through the tough scenes if I know that it counts for something. @e-k-seaver pointed me toward WriteTrack, and it works great!
I hope this helps!
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First of all, you are definitely NOT alone! I struggle with this all the time. I love writing but when it actually comes to sitting down and opening my Word doc, I suddenly find all sorts of excuses for other things I could be doing. This was one of my biggest challenges in writing the first draft of The Apostle’s Sister – I kind of wished the story could just write itself, LOL.
Anyway, I just thought I’d share a few things that helped me. You said you have some scenes totally figured out and some are blurry. I can relate. That’s part of the reason why I’m so big on outlines. For the first draft of TAS, I wrote a 20-page outline where I just jotted down every single scene and what was supposed to happen in each. I find that just telling yourself the story before figuring out how to write it in novel form, really helps. Just sit down and try to write a synopsis, then expand it. Write down every idea that comes to your head, even if you think they’re silly. The first draft is like a trial-and-error. There were plenty of things in my first draft that I’ll be editing out for the second.
If you’re still having trouble, I find that starting with the first thing I know, just one statement, helps a ton. If some scenes are blurry but some are clear, pick a clear one and start with that. Such as my example: “At the beginning of the book, I want Paul and his sister to reconcile.” Then I just start asking myself questions: “What would Paul say to try to convince his sister he’s changed? What might need to happen before she realizes he’s truly sincere and doesn’t just want to hurt her again? What are her most poignant memories of their childhood closeness? What has hurt her most about their estrangement as young adults?”
Another little tip I have is to promise yourself a reward when you finish a writing session. Like, maybe watching an episode of your favorite show or going out for ice cream? Sometimes that can be fun!
I hope these thoughts helped you in some way. I’m always here for any of your writing questions!!
I didn’t see your post, but from the responses, it sounds like you have troubles with scenes sometimes turning our blurry or just not moving along. If I’m wrong, you can ignore the rest of this message.
Whenever my scene is stuck I ask myself, “what is this scene exposed to do?” “What’s its job or place in the story?” If it’s nothing, I cut it. But if it is necessary, I take a clean sheet of paper or word doc file and write the goal at the top, and rewrite the scene. But for first drafts, blurriness doesn’t matter too much, the important thing is writing it. I’ve gotten stuck on scenes about a million times myself. I actually spent three whole years worrying over the scenes I’d been writing and came out of that 0.3 decades with a bunch of notes and a dozen rewrites of the first chapter. If you are writing your first draft, I’d recommend shooting for quantity instead of quality (in the end, strangely the quantity in first drafts gives both). Because first drafts are like a mess of pencil sketches on a canvas that is about to be painted. They guide the painter to his masterpiece but aren’t seen once the painting’s finished.
I hope I helped, but if not, the ‘Ready. Set. Novel! Writer’s Workbook’ by Chris Baty, Lindsey Grant, and Tavia Stewart-Streit is very helpful. I wish you the best of luck with your writing!
Throws WIP through a window and rushes in.
I have a problem.
Two actually.
Here is the first:
My WiP has a fuzzy ending, clear start, and exciting climax, with a few bit in the middle. But I have loads of chapters in between leading up to certain points that I don’t know how to fill. So I how do I write interesting, yet plot-boosting middle sections?
Also, I feel like an outline would help. But outline a whole book is a daunting task. So question number two, does anyone have tips for outline a novel?
A wolf is a wolf,
even in a cage,
even dressed in silk.@millennium I used to outline my things, but for my current project I decided to try and pants the whole thing. I have the ending clear, as well as a few key scenes, but everything else will be left up to the spur of the moment.
I think for the middle parts I just usually feel my way along. You said that you have a clear start and an exciting climax. You could try mapping out the different routes that your characters would want to take, and as you write, find which parts would fit the most.
Good luck!
Lately, it's been on my brain
Would you mind letting me know
If hours don't turn into days@millenium Hiya! So I’m having a bit of that problem too!! So rn what I’ve decided to do is take a step back from the first draft I started and make a document (or whatever) solely devoted to writing down everything I know about my story in order of events. As I’m doing this, new ideas come because i get to parts where u don’t know what’s gonna happen so you’re forced to think of things to add, and most times it’s ideas u like (but sometimes it may not be)
So I definitely suggest that, and take ur time. I figured up that if I don’t start writing again till next month, I can reach 100,000 words (if I want that much) by July as long as I write a little over 600 words a day. And that makes me feel very relieved because really that’s not too many words (IMO) and it lets me know, okay I can do this. Because my book may not even be that long! So I hope this helps
#IfMarcelDiesIRiot
#ProtectMarcel
#ProtectSeb- Rank: Eccentric Mentor
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For the first question, it personally helps me a lot when I ask myself two things in regard to a middle scene: One, if I cut this scene, would I lose anything from the novel? If you can’t think of anything you would lose, cut the scene. In a novel, there isn’t any room for unnecessary scenes and they’re what bog down a story and make it much less exciting to read. Second question to ask yourself would be, Is this scene going to change any thoughts/views/actions of any characters? If not, brainstorm scenes that WILL change your characters in some way. And the more characters that change, the better. It’s much more impactful when lots of characters are affected, rather than just the protagonist and/or antagonist.
And I love your second question! I am big on outlining novels, so it makes me so excited when anyone asks an outlining question. I make outlines for each of my drafts, and yesterday I actually finished a 21-page outline of my second draft. So yeah, I’m big on outlines. I write down every scene in the novel and what is supposed to happen in each. Anyways.
Think of scenes like the line in a line segment. If you’re having trouble getting from the first point to the next, start with what you know (no matter how vague it is) and work backwards from there. For example, if I start with the thought, “I need Character A to discover that Character B is keeping a secret from her.” Then I ask myself a series of questions, in order to determine what scenes should happen before that big plot point. Such as: “How can I foreshadow that Character B is hiding something? Is it something unusual Character A notices about his appearance? His mannerisms? How might Character A finally find out about the secret? Does another character clue her in, purposefully or accidentally? Does she overhear the secret?” (Be careful with the last one, as having characters constantly overhearing crucial things that move the plot along is noted as being weak or a copout on the author’s end.) Those are just some thoughts to get your creative wheels rolling!
I’m sorry this response was so long. If you read the whole thing, I commend you. *grins sheepishly
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@godlyfantasy12 Btw, that sounds like a fantastic way to keep track of what’s going on! For my WIP, I actually have two docs–my “outline,” which is just full of random information and my original outline, plus dates and character outlines; and my “schedule and timeline,” which has a list of every chapter, what day it is (i.e., Day 1 aboard the Rina, like a captain’s log) in each chapter, and then what happens in every scene (as I write them). If I ever have to stop and outline a particular scene or chapter, I’ll just type it out there. (Say all that to say, great job! I hope it works!)
Hi @millennium! Thank you to @gracie-j for the invite to post here. I just joined KP, but I’d love to offer some perspective on your questions, though the others have already pretty much covered everything important.
I’m exactly in your shoes right now. I’ve got some ideas for things that *need* to happen at certain points, like the hook, turning point, midpoint, etc. but everything in between is up for grabs.
I’ve roughly outlined or written the scenes that I’m sure I’ll use, and then I’ve started working from the beginning, writing in order but still jotting down scene ideas as they come to me. Basically, I let the characters do the work. When I’m in a tough spot, I ask myself, “what would the protagonist do in response to this scenario?” I also keep a list of random scene ideas that usually come to me at 1 am, leaving me scrambling to write it in my notebook before I forget it. Mostly it’s just bits of dialogue that I try to incorporate, which works great as writing prompts when I’m stuck.
I’m no outliner, I’ve tried and tried for years, but I can never stick to it, so this seems to be a method that works well for me. However, I’ve seen lots of different ways people have outlined, like JK Rowling has a sort of grid system for instance that works if you have a lot of elements to keep track of at the same time.
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@larchness That sounds really similar to how I “plot” my novels! I’m glad it works for you!
Also, you’re welcome for the invite! Would you like to share a blurb of your WIP?
@joy-caroline
Thank you for everyone’s advice! For the first time I finally made a breakthrough on my book today! I’m very excited to keep working on it finish it up!
A wolf is a wolf,
even in a cage,
even dressed in silk.@millennium Congrats! Have fun!
Lately, it's been on my brain
Would you mind letting me know
If hours don't turn into days@gracie-j I’ll do my best!
My WIP is a script for a graphic novel. I’m working through Act 2 and have done several re-writes of Act 1:
Title: The Harvestman’s Wake
In the March, the written word can have power to shape the present, and people cling to relics of the past to ensure they will be remembered after death. However, since the Dark Ages, an unknown curse has been placed on the land. Sometimes, those who have recently passed away will briefly reawaken, seemingly lost on their way to the afterlife.
Laloque and Camrien are twin brothers who work as retainers to Sage, a low-ranking noblewoman. She sends them on missions across the March to investigate criminal activity and to ensure peaceful relations between their allied nations.
During one such investigation, the brothers encounter and fight a pair of strange, powerful creatures. They barely escape with their lives. Realizing that more of these creatures have appeared across the land, they begin a new investigation. Stymied by murder and treachery, the three of them are thrown into a quest to save the March, using the power of the written word and the help of new allies to combat these creatures and help the dead find peace once more.
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@larchness I love it! This sounds so cool! Will you do the illustrations?
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