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The Backward OX · 04-15-2008, 12:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BOURBON

Do you know how your story ends?
Can you identify specific cause and effect events which occur between the beginning and the end which bring it about?
If so, think of these as junctions on the road of your journey.
Between the junctions are towns : events which your journey/story breaks down into, they will influence its pace and texture. Can you identify them in your story?
Between the towns are villages and you must to get out of your car at every one of them and interract with the people you find there. Some will tell you a short-cut for your journey. Others will lie to you.

Events are not random. They are either part of the complex cause and effect equation or are there to build and illustrate character.

Just like life ha ha

(The above is probably more confusing than helpful. I am clearly not the queen of analogies)

Best wishes

BB

Your analogy is magic, but it doesn’t help. The reason being that I don’t even know which particular structure to use.

The more I read about writing the confuseder I get. What I mean is that some people use a plot-driven structure, and some build their story on characters, and some don’t use a plot at all but just cobble together a mess of soap opera/gossip column-type issues and let the story meander from one point to the next, and some use an event-driven structure and . . . . . .

People keep saying ‘just do it’.

People keep saying ‘just write it all out from beginning to end as a first draft then revise’.

But If I don’t even know which structure to use, then I’d get as good a first draft if I merely taped down one key on the keyboard and let the word-processor keep churning away on its own for five or six hours, while I went and found something productive to do, like sexing the chickens.

Perhaps the answer lies elsewhere. Occasionally someone starts a thread on ‘Why do you write?’ And then other posters say ‘I can’t not write’.

Me, I can easily not write.

I can just as easily read, or play with the cat.

I have no inner urge to write.

I just think it might be a bit of a hoot to do it, is all.

Just like it might be a bit of a hoot to climb Kilimanjaro.

But it’s no big deal one way or the other.

Inner urges and I have always been strangers. And perhaps that's the answer.

(folds tent, moves to either poetry or debate forum for some more stirring)

BOURBON · 04-15-2008, 04:55 AM

Dear Ox,
if you don't have to write and the act of not writing is making you so aggitated then don't. I swear to God, this past year has been one of those pivotal, middle-age crisis years for me, and if I could have career-changed I would have done. Hence trying the novel thing. I would love to sex chickens, make bread, brew beer, learn swedish, be someone else sometimes, but if I'm not writing I feel judged as unworthy by my inner demons. I hate those fucking demons and when they are dead I am going to take up gardening.

However, if a day comes when you think a story, write it down with the ease of slurping your coffee, that's the day to be a writer.

BB

RebelGoddess · 04-15-2008, 07:20 AM

Here's a secret: It's okay to not write.

So don't stress, because sometime you and your creativity need a break from it!

I've been working on my novel for about 4-5 years now and I've definitely had to take some breaks!

Once I was working on it for a few months straight and then all of a sudden stopped; not by choice, I just couldn't write anymore.

So I took a break from working on it, about a year long, before going back.

Honestly, the break was the best thing I could have done; I was able to look at my work with fresh eyes and an entire year of new experiences.

So don't worry if you're having trouble!

If you really want to try and kick-start you writing, I'd suggest creative writing prompts, writing classes, and LOTS of reading!

Good luck!!

Racheal

BOURBON · 04-15-2008, 08:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RebelGoddess

Here's a secret: It's okay to not write.

Here's another one: no writee no money no foodee.
Yawn
BB

Hawke · 04-15-2008, 02:25 PM

1) Don't sex chickens. It's illegal in most places.

2) Don't write if you don't want to.

3) If you do want to write, then stop worrying about all the crap (sentence structure and all that). The more you write, the more you'll find your "voice" and what works for you. But that takes time so don't expect to find it overnight. Heck, I'm still looking for mine and I've been writing for... a long time.

4) Finish the draft and put it away long enough to forget every word (a few weeks, easily). Then edit it via reading it out loud. What ever is boring or doesn't sound right to your ear should either be fixed or removed. Also, whatever isn't important to the story should be removed as well.

5) Again, if you don't want to write, don't write.

Shawn · 04-15-2008, 04:09 PM

Number 1 solution, Ox, is to pick a topic that is very close to your heart and write a forum post to the masses.

RebelGoddess · 04-15-2008, 08:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BOURBON

Here's another one: no writee no money no foodee.
Yawn
BB

LOL.

This is true, but only completely for someone whose sold source of income in writing.

But even then, I think taking a break from writing, even if it's a short one, is important.

I think it's not only okay, but smart for a writer to, every once and a while, take a break from their work (even if it's only for a week or a few days) if they're stuck or just plain stressed.

It gives their brain and creativity/imagination a chance to rest, relax, and, most importantly, to get a fresh breath of air and/or a new perspective towards their work once they return.

But that's just my opinion.

Racheal