When there are obstacles in the way, how do you write? - Writers Forum

Avarice · 07-07-2005, 12:31 PM

By obstacles in my case I mean depression and having only two months left before I must go back to school, if I go back before the book is finished I feel my spirit will be crushed and I wont want to write and my dream as a writer will be washed away. So how do you do it? When you have extremely powerful factors against your writing, how do you force yourself to do it?

Verago · 07-07-2005, 01:48 PM

I write faster and more powerfully than the powerful factors against me. Or you could always run away from home, go to some forest where no one will ever find you, leave a note telling your parents that you're okay, and spend the rest of your days writing happily, only coming out of the forest to get your work published.

That was one heck of a run on.
Ethan.

Half There · 07-07-2005, 02:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Avarice

By obstacles in my case I mean depression and having only two months left before I must go back to school, if I go back before the book is finished I feel my spirit will be crushed and I wont want to write and my dream as a writer will be washed away. So how do you do it? When you have extremely powerful factors against your writing, how do you force yourself to do it?

Frankly, I whine, whine, and whine some more. I certainly don't keep on working, at least a little each day, to ensure that I don't lose all my faith in the project. If I happen to have obstacles that consume my time then I never dream of doing what I can to continue anyways, even if it means only managing a page or two a day.

If you really have clinical depression, then my heart goes out to you, but there is no excuse for not doing something like writing if you are being honest in your efforts. Unless you have some maniac schedule, I'm quite certain that you can spare at least 30 minutes to an hour each day to write. That may not seem like much, but please remember, "slow and steady wins the race."[/b]

Destany · 07-07-2005, 02:33 PM

Don't put expectations on yourself that are too high. When I first started writing, I was really hard on myself, as I neared the end of the book, I felt like I had to "make it" and if this didn't get published right off the bat, or if it didn't make me a nice little chunk-o-money, I would have failed. Not very realistic and as reality settled in, I found myself deeply depressed about it to the point that I pretty much lost interest there for a while.
Go with the flow. If you don't get it finished before you go back to school, don't worry about it. Go home and do your school work, then crack off a couple paragraph, or even a chapter if time allows. There's no need to rush. Some writers take years to finish a book, some do it in a couple months. Some are successful right of the bat, but most aren't. Don't beat yourself up about it.

Oracle · 07-07-2005, 08:12 PM

Heh, my writing was better when I was depressed. Now I'm happy, and my writing has suffered.

If writing is truely your dream and your passion, then you won't lose sight of it just because of school. Sure, school takes up time, and you won't be able to write as often, but it's not going to make you completely forget about writing.

In school, what do you do? You write. Essays, projects, notes, etc... Think of it as a way to hone your skills.

Work on your personal writing when you have the free time for it. The key to dealing with obstacles that are in your way is to not let them get in your way in the first place. You may have to adapt a bit, but nothing can take your dreams away from you.