It's the first Wednesday of the month, which means it's the posting day for the Insecure Writer's Support Group! Click
here to learn more and sign up!
What am I insecure about this month? Well, I've just recently (like the past two days) been getting back into working on my
flat character arc for Jordan, and it's led me to the conclusion that the third act of my book is WAY too long. I know I'm going to have to cut some things, and I do have a few ideas that immediately jump out at me, but I know it's still going to be a grueling process. But I'll just take it one step at a time.
Today is also the day for the Keep Writing with Fey Blog Hop to celebrate the release of Chrys Fey's new book! We're supposed to share a story about writer's block, depression, and/or burnout, and how we overcame it or what we are currently doing to heal.
If I'm being totally honest, I think I'm experiencing some form of writer's block or burnout right now. I've kind of had to force myself to do anything writing related. None of my ideas have excited me lately. I've just had no desire to write.
It's tough because I've been working on one book for so long and it's taken so much to figure things out, and I'm still not done (see above!). Plus I constantly think about how when I actually DO finish this book, no one will want to read it. I don't think an agent or publisher would touch it with a ten foot pole. So why do I keep going? Maybe because I've come this far, I can't just give up. I have to see it through to the end, no matter what that end may be.
My strategy with pretty much everything, like I said above, is to take it one step at a time. If you try to pile on too much or think too far ahead, it can get overwhelming. I just like to focus on one thing at a time. Right now, it's to make myself work on something writing related every day. This can be working on my character arc, brainstorming, or editing. If I don't want to actually write, it's ok. I just want to be able to say I did SOMETHING.
Catch the sparks you need to conquer writer’s
block, depression, and burnout!
When Chrys Fey shared her story about depression
and burnout, it struck a chord with other writers. That put into perspective
for her how desperate writers are to hear they aren’t alone. Many creative
types experience these challenges, battling to recover. Let Keep Writing with
Fey: Sparks to Defeat Writer's Block, Depression, and Burnout guide you
through:
· Writer's block
· Depression
· Writer's burnout
· What a writer doesn’t need to succeed
· Finding creativity boosts
With these sparks, you can begin your journey of
rediscovering your creativity and get back to what you love - writing.
BOOK LINKS:
Amazon / Nook / iTunes / Kobo / Goodreads
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Chrys Fey is the author
of Write
with Fey: 10 Sparks to Guide You from Idea to Publication. She
is also the author of the Disaster Crimes
series. Visit her blog, Write with Fey, for
more tips on how to reverse writer’s burnout. https://www.chrysfey.com/
I think a lot of people are going through that with no urge to write. Hope you at least finish it, if only for you.
ReplyDeleteI think you have a great strategy, and I'm following it too. I had a book that I worked on for 10 years. A draft is done but I put it away for awhile and am working on something new, which is going faster. I'm not giving up hope on the other story though, but sometimes it's good to take a break from what we've been working on for ages.
ReplyDeleteThe one-step-at-a-time approach sounds pretty smart to me. Creation is the best part of writing and it can be fun to dream about publishing success, but it doesn't help to make that a requirement in your head.
ReplyDeleteThe one-step-at-a-time approach works for me, too. If I look at the big picture or whatever, it tends to lead to panic and anxiety, so I have to step back and say, "Okay, I'm only going to worry about *this*." And some days, it works.
ReplyDeleteI know I'm not a publisher or an agent, but I can't wait to read your book someday.
Taking it one step at a time is the most important thing we can do. Truly it is. I have a chapter all about that in my book and state that nothing I said with defeating burnout will help (100%) unless you take it one step at a time and are patient (which is another chapter).
ReplyDeleteAnd I have to say...after hearing about Jordan since we've met through blogging...I can't wait to read his story. Really! You've got people in your corner (in Jordan's corner). <3
Thank you so much for sharing and for participating in my blog hop! I am rooting for you. Hang in there!
Grats to Chrys!
ReplyDeleteI know the pains of not wanting to write. Usually it hits me when I've got a big task or it just isn't flowing the way I want it to. I don't have any suggestions because I'm still facing it myself. But I hope you pull through it!
I've have periods that lasted YEARS when I couldn't write anything useful and productive (in my eyes). I feel like I'm getting over it now, but we'll see.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that you put your head down and keep going is amazing. Keep it up. This too shall pass, and all that.
Details besides writing count. I know I've been working on the same story forever.
ReplyDeleteI hear you. I spent nearly ten years on my first story and it's still not finished. Forcing myself to work on the edits is tough right now. I just want it to be finished. You'll get there eventually.
ReplyDeleteI like that idea. Sometimes I get bogged down with word count/revision pages, and I forget to spend some time with creating character collages and song lists, which I know help me out the next time I go to write.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the reminder!
Happy August!
Thank you for sharing your woes! It makes me sad how you've been struggling with writer's block! I have been too! It sure bites! It's such an uphill battle.
ReplyDeleteI was writing a shortstory sci-fi (I'm trying for IWSG Contest) and came up with the entire story from beginning to end but I couldn't get past the first chapter. I tried to do other things like editing my YA novel, illustrating a children's book for my little boy, formatting it, reading ... but I had lost all desire to write that story! I don't know why I felt so dried out!
But I came back to it, deciding to change up a few things that I'd written in chapter 2 and the story just flowed and flowed from there. I had to whittle 800 words from it but it's done!!
There has to be some THING that is keeping your brain from moving forward. Some thing that isn't in harmony with your thought process. Maybe if you get together with a writing buddy and hash it out with them ... ???
xox
Thanks for sharing your flat ARC update and your "block". I think you have a good creative strategy of taking things one step at a time. I think I'm, kind of, a that place, right now, as well.
ReplyDeleteKeep at it. I think that the process of writing is a great journey, even if we decide not to publish, and no one ever reads it. Best of luck to you. You always have our support!
ReplyDeleteWish I knew how long you've been working on your story or how long seems like too long to you. The stress lessened for me once I recognized that my stories really do take about three years to write. Your strategy to work every day is one I follow as well. Do you have a 'working outline'? One that you can jump around in to work on different scenes? Sometimes that helps me get past a scene that's not working just now, and I'll return later. And thank you for supporting Chrys Fey. I hope her suggestions will be helpful as well. You know, this time of coronavirus is adding a little extra pressure to us all. Please keep writing!
ReplyDelete