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Question: Writers block type thing!? I don't know what to do!?
I wrote a two hundred page manuscript, which I finished around two months ago, and I think it could be really good!. My friend read it, and she liked except she said that the characters don't talk the way they really do!.
So, I sat down and starting working on my second draft about two weeks ago!. It was going okay, and then I stopped working on it and went to bed!.
And now that I look at my second draft, I hate what I wrote and I'm can't seem to write anymore, or anything good!. I've just been adding dumb, brainless stuff, like '"Yeah," he said' and 'it was raining'!. I'm so frustrated with it, it just want to throw all of it out and rewrite the first draft, but I know I shouldn't do that!.
So, what should I do!? How can I get myself out of this rut and be able to work on this again!?Www@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
A couple of thoughts here!. First, if you don't have a deadline looming, you can give yourself some distance again - put it away for a week or two and come back to it fresh!. Then see if you still think it's awful!. Sometimes we do have to start over, almost from scratch!. Often, we can salvage parts - or the whole thing - with some judicious rewriting!.
Second, is there a friend (especially helpful if a writer friend) who could look at it and give you some objective ideas!? Do you belong to a writers' club, by any chance!? The work may not be suitable to read to the entire group, but you could pair up with someone you feel especially comfortable with!.
When you say the dialogue seems off - do you ever read it aloud!? I find that very helpful to get into normal cadences and to find the "voice" of my character!.
Finally, do you find certain authors write especially terrific dialogue!? I have a few favorites, and when I'm stuck, I like to flip through some pages - it "jump starts" me!. My characters aren't going to speak like theirs, of course, but doing this can get me through that stilted phase!.
So often we think we should just be able to pull things out of the air, but many artists have reference points!. I have a friend - an advertising copywriter - who writes a lot of radio and television commercials!. To get dialogue that's believable, he tells me, he likes to go to the grocery store and listen to husbands and wives talking about products and their decisions - to get the nuances down!.
There are a lot of different techniques!. You'll find what works best for you!.
Best of luck to you!Www@QuestionHome@Com
Actually, sometimes re-writing it can be exactlly what you need!. You get new ideas that you may like better than the original!. But first start by simply re-reading it!. Many times that is all you need!. You'll see something you forgot about that can be turned into a little twist, or something!. I feel your pain, I have witers block on my story, and I'm only on page 12!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Take a break, and/or get a book on writing dialogue (which may or may not help; sometimes those books are crap)!. Or, what you could do is go through a book by an author good with dialogue, i!.e!. Elmore Leonard, and copy down passages word for word, and take note of the various discrepancies between your writing and Leonard's!. Then fix problems accordingly!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
keep the first draft!. dont ever throw it away!. walk outside and try to get some inspiration maybe!?Www@QuestionHome@Com
When I used to write poems, I would take my dog up in the woods with me and just relax!. I had a place were I would set a chair and just think!. I couldn't hear any cars or other people, there were no distractions!. I would take whatever I needed, a picnic and something to drink!. I did my best poems when there was nothing to distract me!. Maybe you need to find a inspiring quite place and start from there!. Don't put too much pressure on yourself!. Remember that you write because you love it and not because it is a chore!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
I am a professional author!. I take a more hardcore approach to writer's block!. I don't believe in all that listening to music, meditating, windchimes, waterfountains and taking a walk stuff!. Look what taking a walk did for Stephen King!. Almost got him killed!. My answer is to work through it!. Writing is a JOB and you should treat it like one!. What job do you know of that you could tell your boss "I'm sorry, I just can't seem to do my job right now!. I need to go take a walk and listen to some music!?" Donald Trump would fire you on the spot! As Oscar Wilde put it, the best way to write it to "implant backside onto chair!." Nothing else is really going to work but true writers' discipline!.
This is the method I teach to students
1) Put the book aside and read - at least two books - Classics!. In your genre!.
2) Brainstorm on paper - anything no matter how silly it sounds!. Fill a notebook with ideas if you want - just come up with lots!.
3) Write the ideas on file cards one per card!. Sit down at a table and start shuffling them around trying to create a story from them!. Keep moving them - dont be afraid for it to sound silly!.
4) Make an outline from those cards when you find something interesting!.
5) Try to write a very very short story from that outline!. Then write several more very very short stories from the cards!. See which one lends itself to a longer work
6) Start doing character studies and analysis - back to the file cards!. Write down anything you know about your characters - adjectives, habits, appearance, likes and dislikes, occupation, age, anything!. Look in magazines and catalogs and cut out pics that resemble the character as you see them in your mind!.
7) Back to the table!. Start pushing the character cards around - see who rubs who and how -- Who likes who!? Who hates who!? Main character to main character - then main character to secondary character - then secondary character to secondary character!. This will help you come up with subplots
8) Back to your outline!. Plug in the subplots!.
9) Come up with a kick tail first sentece that will draw your readers into the story!.
10) Start writing!.
It works for my students!. Just make sure you dont skip the two classics - that is the inspiration that unblocks and inspires you!. If you are still blocked, move onto something else!. I have about 4 books on disks - started but it just wasnt the right time to write them for me!. One goes back to when my 20 yr old son was a baby!. Maybe I will finish it one day, maybe not!. So far the mood hasnt struck me!. And it is a great idea - never been done!. Im just not ready for it yet!. No shame in leaving something aside!.
Good luck!. Pax - C!.Www@QuestionHome@Com