Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Writer's Block? Where did I go wrong?

I told you all about my new work in progress, Crime & Passion, a few weeks ago. After all my bragging on how much fun I'm having writing this book, how easy the words are flowing from my brain to my fingertips, suddenly that all dried up. I struggled to write two chapters the weekend of the 6th. Even though they felt wrong, I soldiered through, hoping somehow it would start to feel right on its own. 

No dice.  I spent an entire week not writing anything.  I tried all my usual tricks: staring at a blank page, doing housework without any music, listening to classical music while thinking of absolutely nothing (this one doesn't always work for me because I actually like classical music, so it can make my muse happy), long showers, lying in bed trying to think about my characters before falling asleep, counting to ten in my head over and over again - come on Muse, get bored enough to talk to me! Nadda, nothing, zip, zilch. 

I've attempted to write Crime & Passion in a different manner than I wrote Always & Forever.  With A&F, I didn't find critique partners until late in the game. So, when I came across a problem in A&F, I would exchange emails with one of my fabulous crit buddies, they would help hammer out the details, and I would change the manuscript then and there, racing to make changes in the remainder of the MS before my critique partners read any of the chapters that followed the problem.  This method worked well for me, but it meant a lot of editing, not to mention all the other edits I did once working with my editor. 

Several of my friends suggested a different approach for C&P. The method that works for many of them is to write the entire first draft without making any changes. Then, they go through their MS using suggestions from their crit partners to pound their story into shape. They suggested I try this. Since several of the classes I've taken suggest when you need a plot change you simply write a note in the area that needs fixed and then continue writing as though the problem is fixed, I agreed this was likely a good idea.

I'm trying. Lord how I'm trying to follow this advice, even though I itch to go fix problems as my partners find them (I have to admit a few times I've made notes, but then gone back and fixed the problem instead of letting the note stay). So, here I sit with my muse sticking her fingers in her ears and making raspberry sounds every time I try to write. I forced my way through one more chapter. Totally wrong! What happened to my joyful, effortless, loving the heck out of what I'm doing novel writing?

I'd finally had it. At my wit's end, I took a deep breath and tried to remember which part in the MS had last felt effortless. Then, I went back four extra chapters. I took all the critiques I had received and put on my thinking cap. Line by line, I went through each chapter, fixing mistakes my partners noticed, rewording things I didn't like. I might not have been able to write, but I slipped into editing easy-peasy. Five chapters down and no major errors, everything felt good. 

Then, suddenly, two little lines. 

My muse whispered, "I thought you had a different plan for him. What is that doing there?"

"Really? This little throwaway dialogue is what pissed you off?" I ask. "It's a little bit of nothing that doesn't even matter."

I swear to you she laughed. 

I took that line out, reworking it into what she wanted to see. BAM! She poured out what will happen in the rest of the book faster then I could keep up. I'm not worried though. I fixed her problem and I know she'll keep talking to me now. The ideas will all still be there when I'm ready for them.

The bad news? The three chapters I forced myself to write have had to be totally revamped. In fact, the last one was totally deleted. So, even though pushing through all the way on your first draft might be a good choice in most cases, if you find yourself stuck, perhaps you put a little nothing line in there that actually throws off your entire novel.

No matter how much I try to tell myself I'm the one in control, my muse is in the driver's seat and she is very, very picky!

Happy writing, my friends! I hope you are having a fabulous week!

eeeChantelfff

20 comments:

  1. Well your muse and my muse must be buddies. Mine will not cooperate if I am on the wrong track. I know a lot of writers say don't edit just write but I really can't do that. I know there will be revisions in the end but I have to fix stuff as I go too or the lovely muse will go on strike until I do! Glad to hear you are back on the path!

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    1. Thanks Edilon! Muses can be so fickle, can't they? I guess everyone has to have a method that works and stick to that. Anything to get them muses singing! Have a great day!

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  2. Love this post because I can so relate! I say do what you have to so that your muse is happy. Happy muse, happy writer. :)

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    1. :-) Definitely! Because a writer not writing is such a waste! Thanks, Melinda!

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  3. Jack Daniels always works for me. You can go back and clean it up later, but a little imbibing helps to let the mind roam in directions otherwise unexplored. Worked for Hemingway pretty well, I'd say.

    Bill

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    1. Well, Bill, Jack and I don't get along too well. I think I'd just have a constant migraine and get no writing done. Much better to fight with my fickle muse... but hey, whatever works for you ;-) Have a great day!

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  4. Loved reading this post. Muses can be so darned temperamental.

    Changing the critique process can also throw off your change your writing process. I'm experiencing that now. Before we were critiquing a novel that was already complete and in it's third draft. Now we're critiquing a novel I'm currently writing. This changes the critiquing experience for me, but it also forces me to keep writing so that I have something to submit at the next meeting.

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    1. It can certainly be motivating as long as the muse plays nice! Thanks for reading and for the comment! Happy writing, Reese!

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  5. Thanks for a very helpful post. One wrong sentence can indeed send a draft in the wrong direction.

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    1. I guess I should be grateful my Muse decided to stop talking until I fixed it, instead of letting me finish out the remaining 15-20K words on the book and then having to figure out what went wrong. There's a bright side to everything! :-)

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  6. Ha, ha, timely post. I'm not blocked or stuck but have no time to write down all the things swirling in my mind since I have an editing job to finish.

    I'm glad you're unstuck because I think you're doing great and love the direction you're taking. Some people write better with people looking over their shoulders. Others stay in stealth mode until the entire story is fully formed. Do what's right for you.

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    1. Thanks, Rachelle. Luckily, usually the muse knows what she's doing, so I bet your ideas will be there waiting when you are ready for them too.

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  7. Yay glad you got unstuck! Me and muse have an understanding---if there are things troubling me I sit down and start writing to her, asking questions and she will give me the answers. It works not just for novels but for real life, too. All along your gut instinct was telling you to go back--often times people give advice that works reliably for them, but you gotta do what works for you!

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    1. Thanks actually a good idea, Wren. I usually ask my muse questions, but I've never written them down. I wonder if that method would have helped me fix the problem faster? Yay! Thanks for a new technique to try out in the future. Thanks for commenting!

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  8. Aww, Chantel, cheer up! It happens! Anyway, you're so far along and your first effort is so good, that I wouldn't let it get to you.

    As you know, I also like to write short stories. I find them cropping up often when I have this problem. Once I get the story down on paper, I feel as if my mind's been 'cleansed' and I can get back to what was problematic for me earlier. I see Writer's Digest is running a romance short story competition now. Maybe you just need a little 'writing holiday' to get back to your novel again... : )

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    1. Well, thankfully I've fixed the problem with this one and can get back on track, though I think I'll miss my self-imposed deadline of finishing the first draft by the end of the month.

      I never know how you do such a great job at short stories. Honestly, I'm a little afraid to try it. Then again, we never improve if we don't go out of our comfort zones, right? I'll keep this in mind. Who knows, maybe I'll ask you to critique a short story some day. If I get brave enough ;-)

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  9. Thank you for sharing this post. Writing can be such an isolating endeavor. At times it seems as if every writer I know is churning out golden prose while I sit and stare at a blinking cursor. It’s comforting to know that we do have shared experiences—good and not so good. I’m happy to know that you and your muse are back in sync. There’s nothing like that sweet place in time when the words are flowing.

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    1. Yes, Ricki, isolating but also a feeling shared by all other writers! You are so right. Sometimes, the hard part is figuring out why we can't write anything. Hopefully my experience here will help someone else. I was truly stuck and none of my usual tricks worked to un-stick me.

      And thanks! I'm glad we are in sync again too. I am so much happier when the words flow easily from my fingertips. Wish that happened all the time! Happy writing!

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  10. Awesome article:) If I ever get stuck, I will take a break for a couple of days and then go back and read the story as though I was a reader and not the author. It usually will get back into that liquid typing where everything just flows because it allows me to fall in love with that story again.

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    1. Great idea, Monique. Just read it, enjoy it. I will try that in the future too! Thanks for reading!

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