writers - why is this happening to me?

[rookie]

I have a writing project (for myself) that I very much want to complete. I have 30,000 words down and I cannot bring myself to write more. It is not a "block" as I know what I want to write. It is as if I cannot bear to do it. I think of writing and I want to cry. I think of not writing and I want to cry. The longer I let it go, the worse I feel, and yet I cannot get myself to open the document and write. I have not put down one word in weeks even though I have had the time. What is this? How do I overcome it? Just Do It does not seem to be working for me and I do not even understand myself.

[ThatCyndiGirl]

It's a block. It happened to me, too right around the same point: 33,000 words. I wish I could tell you how I got past it, but I didn't. It is still unfinished.

 

Maybe google 'writer's block'?

 

:grouphug:

[LauraGB]

When this happens to me it's almost always because I've gone and written myself into a wall. I don't mean to do it, and it doesn't read like I did, and I won't admit that I did it, and I can still see what I want to happen...but something I wrote is wrong. And if I need to go in and change just one tiny detail, then I've got to go back and fix a bunch of stuff. Which renders what I did pointless, and then I don't want to go on because I suck.

 

Is that what you mean?

 

If so, I fix it by walking around purposely avoiding writing but thinking about nothing else but my characters and what's going on. Finally, something will click and I'll go at it again (yes, changing all the stuff I wrote earlier) and all will be well until I do it again. This circle of my life usually lasts anywhere from several weeks to several months. Thankfully no is paying me to finish anything because we'd all be quite hungry.

[Gooblink]

That 30,000 word hurdle is common, but the only way over it is to get your butt in the chair and write.

 

Even if you write it badly, just get it down. Save your crying for revision time. :)

 

Best wishes.

[Scotia]

The only way out is to write.

 

I find this problem usually arises from some set of arbitrary expectations about progress that I have set for myself. Instead of thinking "I need to write the next chapter, section, whatever, 30,000 words". Just write for 5 minutes, today. Write about ANYTHING. If 5 minutes seems to be too much, do 2 minutes. Add a bit more tomorrow, and a bit more the next day, and the next. Build routine, in simple short time commitments. One day you will realize you have something to add to your 30,000 words. Before you know it you will be rolling again.

 

Good Luck.

[Ginevra]

Writing exercises would help me in a case like that. Spend some time not working on my particular project, but just writing responses to scenarios that have nothing to do with my project.

 

I have also wound up in a similar situation when I have created a plot hole and I have no idea how to fix it. Avoiding the gaping error seems easier for a while. :glare:

[rookie]

What about being too emotionally involved? The things I want to write down make me cry too. SO, I post here, or eat a bowl of Cheerios, or read the book my dds recommended because it feels to hard to write my thoughts down.

[ThatCyndiGirl]

What about being too emotionally involved? The things I want to write down make me cry too. SO, I post here, or eat a bowl of Cheerios, or read the book my dds recommended because it feels to hard to write my thoughts down.

 

 

Rookie,

 

Do.

The.

Hard.

Thing.

 

You won't feel better until you do. :grouphug:

[Annie Anne]

Are you writing about an issue that you have not dealt with within yourself?

[Food4Thought]

That 30,000 word barrier is hard. I've been there too. Usually your story (if you're writing fiction) is getting into the real business of conflict, which isn't fun. But you can make it!

 

My issue is a psychological barrier. I've convinced myself that I can't finish things. So when I get close to finishing, I start blocking. I sat at 45,000 words for a full week during NaNoWriMo last year, just because I was afraid to finish and win. I'm not sure what it's all about. But I tell you what - when you do sit down and let those words and those tears and all that anger out... well, there's another you on the other side just waiting to emerge like a butterfly out of a chrysalis.

 

You need to finish it. You know you do. You're the only one who can write the words that need to be written there, even if it's hard and sad. And there's nothing wrong with sobbing while you're trying to type/write. It's better than putting off those feelings for so long that they fester and explode.

 

One other idea - skip the hard part. Skip to a fun part, and write on from there. Write one sentence, something like, "I don't want to write this part" and tell yourself you'll do it later. Then write a different section, and fill in the tough parts later.

 

I hope you're able to get through this hurdle and get those words out. :)

[Robin M]

It's being stuck in the middle. All writers go through it. Do you know where the story is going pr where you want it to go. Make a general outline and go from there. Maybe your characters want to go in a different direction from you. Maybe sit down with a notebook and pen and just let it flow and see what happens. Don't censor or edit. Just write. That's what I do.

[Robin M]

What about being too emotionally involved? The things I want to write down make me cry too. SO, I post here, or eat a bowl of Cheerios, or read the book my dds recommended because it feels to hard to write my thoughts down.

 

 

You just have to dive in and power through it. Yes, it's draining but all part of the writing process.

[rookie]

Rookie,

 

Do.

The.

Hard.

Thing.

 

You won't feel better until you do. :grouphug:

 

Okay. Listening. I am getting off the forum now and trying to write.

Thank you. Please send good pushes my way. And a tissue or two.

[Catwoman]

Good luck!!! :001_smile:

 

Personally, I'm incredibly impressed that you've written 30,000 words! Stop beating yourself up and give yourself a huge pat on the back!!!

 

:party:

 

And then just start writing again, even if you're convinced it's going to be awful, because it won't be!

 

Cat

[ThatCyndiGirl]

Okay. Listening. I am getting off the forum now and trying to write.

Thank you. Please send good pushes my way. And a tissue or two.

 

 

 

Yay!! You can do it!!! When you don't want to just remind yourself that the stuff that is the hardest to write is what you need to write the most. (And why don't I take this advice myself?!) :confused:

[Aubrey]

Change the format: handwrite in a notebook instead of on the computer. Or skip to a different part of the story. Or work on another writing project or something artsy, but decide when you're going to come back to this one. When that time comes, open your doc & reread it. Skim, skip, or read from A to Z. And when that leads to the natural outflow of writing, open another doc & catch it quick, w/out having to immediately worry about where it goes. Just label your docs really well. :grouphug:

 

Oh, & ground yourself from Cheerios & the boards until x. Luckily, this isn't Algebra, so you can decide what x = (except it doesn't = 10 min from now). Hehehe.

[SonshineLearner]

Poor You! I have a 3 page paper on "Why I want to go to ______ College." It's all I have to do to finish going to college... free!! And... I just have writer's block on WHY I want to go. Can't I just stomp my foot and say, "Cuz I wanna!"

 

:)

Good luck!! A beautiful view... with some nice music... and snacks helps my dad... and he writes professionally... An excuse for a mini vacation!!

 

:)