How do you stay committed to one story while you are writing?

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   Call me Jonposted 12 years ago

   How do you stay committed to one story while you are writing?
   
   I oftentimes will get a few pages in and realize I'd rather write about something COMPLETELY different.  It generally oscillates between fantasy and realistic works.
   
   

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2. 59

   Chevy Blazerposted 12 years ago

   I stay committed to stories by talking about the story. Just like I would a TV show, or a movie, I talk about my ideas and I write about the different ideas in different documents so it can stay somewhat organized(although there are programs made for "random thoughts") Also, never toss the pages you come up with but put them in a "attack later" file.
   
   Often talking about the story helps you to organize your thoughts much like when you read something out loud.

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      Call me Jonposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      That is very true Chevy Blazer.  Talking about it rekindles the excitement for the story as well as getting your juices flowing in ways that simply writing might not be able to. Thanks for your answer!

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   loveofnightposted 12 years ago

   Although I have been writing for quite some time now I still find my mind wandering. One of the things that I have taught myself to do to make it work for me is to let it flow. Whatever comes out when I put pen to paper I let it be. After the flow has ended I read over my work and organize it. Some things I let be, others I keep for later poems, then others are good but not for what I am writing. Last but not least, there are things that  I have written that are good but are out of order. In so doing I have a base for three separate things to expand on or add together later. Although I have not fixed my wandering problem I have taught myself how to deal with it in a way that works for me.
   I also do not put a time limit on me, if I do it begins to feel too much like work instead of something that I love and enjoy doing. When I feel your mind wandering  I take a break. I either write about that thing that plagues my mind or jot down those other thoughts down on a separate paper. I hope some of this might work for you.......Be well and happy hubbing.

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      Call me Jonposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      That is a good suggestion loveofnight.  It would be quite interesting to simply follow the pen and then consciously read over what has been written afterward.  Your methods of dealing with the 'wandering problem' sound very efficient. Thank you!

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