What difficulties have you come across when writing a novel?
After my apprenticeship program ends, I plan to start my novel again. However, with a possible new job coming up and house projects, I found reasons/excuses to delay it. What reasons, excuses, or difficulties have you come across when trying to write a novel?
I've had so many I don't think I can remember them all. I'm still a college student and often can't work on my stories because of class work. This isn't the worst, however. I used to be in charge of taking care of my parents house (cleaning, helping cook, running errands, feeding animals, doing every little thing my parents told me to do). I couldn't handle that, school, and a writing career. It's been alleviated because I stopped doing at that for them. I just do what directly concerns me as well as taking out the trash every week. I also can't work around my boyfriend. He's a big distraction because he talks to himself while playing video games or he just gets hands like boys get.
I'm managing with these obstacles, though. I try to get as much done while no one else is around and I'm planning on taking a break for a while after this semester so I can put every effort into my writing.
I have been working on mine for years. I am a mom, I have a couple jobs. I get tired of taking care of a menagerie of people and animals. I have school to finish. I have writer's block. I could think of a million more. Each one seems to bring me just a bit further from completion.
The twist is that I have had it completed several times. Each time I wind up feeling that it isn't perfect and I re write it/edit it. So, it seems that even completion is not a way to finish the novel. Still, through all of this, I haven't given up. If you're a writer then you will write. I wish you the best of luck!
Finishing the novel. I can start it just fine, continuing is a little difficult, but finishing... I have no clue how to end the story. Just drop the story, act as if it is going to continue on but not give them a second story? That seems like I'm giving them false hope... OH! I'm at a loss!
I've had that same problem over the years. i still haven't really figured it out but what I think works best is if you stop either right after a major point (if it's in a series) or just let everything wrap itself up.
I already have the end of my novel written. It's everything before that which is hard.
Really? That's sounds like an interesting process. Haven't heard of that before...
My biggest challenge started after I finished the novel... I have sent the manuscript to five publishers and hope to hear from them soon ... Let me talk about the challenges while writing:
1. The ideas flow when I think of the character and plot but when I put pen to paper, I tend to miss the main points... This was resolved by carrying post its with me..
2. To stick to the plan of writing. I realized that even if I did not have much to write or not really inspired to write a particular day, it still made sense to put down 100 words at least. The 100 words maybe not much, but it makes you stick to a plan... I have written a hub on this topic. Also, sometimes when we just plan to write the 100 words, more ideas and thoughts start to flow, as if by divine intervention. I have found myself ending up writing 5000 words when I had actually started to write only 100.
3. Self criticism - I tend to find that mid-way through the novel or whatever we write, we end up criticizing our work.. This could be only with me, but that puts a brake on the progress.. The criticism if constructive is fine, since it makes us modify the plot but if the criticism is negative we will end up procrastinating... Solution: Check if your criticism is constructive or destructive.... Ask yourself what is that you find not right about your work? The answer will tell you all..
I hope these points were useful.
Thanks for your helpful answer. It should assist writers who are getting lost in their work or those who are sidetracked.
Completely agree, especially about the third point. I pick myself apart all of the time.
Hi Davidlivermore, Starstream,
Glad I could be of help and thanks for your kind words!
My two biggest problems were editing and publishing. I don't seem to have any problems writing a new story, but editing existing ones is no fun. It doesn't help that I'm too hard on myself. I could look at a final draft of something and still agonize for twenty minutes over one sentence. And, getting into the traditional publishing industry is awful. You could master query letters and summaries, and it still doesn't mean someone is going to like your concept or that your genre is going to be marketable. And since you will rarely, if ever, receive feedback; you'll never know what you're doing wrong. I still recommend that people attempt the traditional publishing methods first (because e-publishing is still experiencing growing pains) but it is a discouraging and unforgiving endeavor.
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