Back on Track

[kriadydragon]

I'm up to over 4000 word on my Sheppard H/C story, and though the going is slow so far it's been cooperating a lot better than what I was previously writing. Unfortunately it's still not the kind of story that writes itself. I don't get many words down before I have to stop, step back, and detail what happens next in my mind. When a story "writes itself" what happens next usually comes pretty quick to me - within minutes, sometimes even seconds. With my current story, I need about an hour, sometimes even a day.

It's weird how easy some stories are to write while other stories are like herding cats. Is it motivation that makes the difference? The type of story it is? The content? I wish I knew. My amnesia story, plus another story I'm writing, have been so incredibly cooperative they're like cutting warm butter. But I have no idea what it is about those stories that make them so much easier to write.

Comments

[sgafan.livejournal.com]

To me it has nothing to do with the motivation, its the story more than anything else. I've had stories that I thought would be hard practically write themselves and others were herding cats(like writing a short story where Sheppard is reflecting on his friendship with Ronon. Oh yes, lets write an introspective story about a friendship between two men that don't talk about their feelings at all. What the he** was I thinking? LOL)

I'm also not convinced that it has to do with what type of story we're "good" at writing or enjoy writing either because my herding cats stories have crossed the spectrum from character pieces to action and so have my "cutting warm butter" stories.

Something to ponder, eh? It has to be story specific in some way. maybe the storyline and content?

But yay on being over 40K on your H/C story. And here I thought I was doing good at crossing 3K on mine! LOL!!

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

Doh! I did it again :P It was supposed to be 4000 not 40,000. I keep doing that! *smacks forehead*

I do think motivation plays some part. If I'm not motivated to write, then the going is slow or there's no going at all. Stories I want to write end up with a higher word count in a day than stories I'm not really in the mood to write. But even then, even when motivated, sometimes the going is still slow. I've had ideas hit me that I just have to write and I'm done in a day. Then I've had ideas that hit me that I just have to write, and I stall out somewhere in the middle.

I often wonder if having a story completely planned out makes a difference. Except I'm writing a story now (a kind of reward when I manage a couple hundred words in my H/C fic) that has no outline, only the beginning and the end were planned, and the words just flow out of me.

It's weird, it's really weird, and I wish I understood it as it would really come in handy.

[sgafan.livejournal.com]

oh extra zero? I feel better now. LOL :P

Motivation definitely can influence how easy a story is to write, but like you I've had stories I've been highly motivated to write that were the "herding cats" ones. LOL

For me, having it completely planned makes no difference. I'm one of those people that gets an idea of her plot (at least where its going for about half the story or even just a broad high level idea) and just starts writing. I never outline and I hardly ever have it planned even in my head, to the very end. Weird huh? I just start writing and see where it goes. LOL I hear people talk about writing outlines, and etc. I never do it. I do have discussions over plot and do know what I'm trying to accomplish with the story, along with some scattered scenes and snips of dialog but beyond that? Usually nothing more.

I think the long story I'm writing right now (and have been for a long time) is the most organized one I've done with timelines and some outlining, just because its really complex and requires a lot of research and minding of canon dates/events. But I don't think that alone has influenced the ease of writing (or lack thereof).

If you ever do figure it out, let me know, I'd love to know the reason! LOL

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

I prefer outlining novel-length stories, but the funny thing is, once I start writing, I never look at the outline again. I think it's the process of outlining that's more helpful than the actual outline, as it helps me to organize all the scenes and to map out the direction the story is going.

Short stories, I get a general idea of it, plan it out as much as possible, then start writing and let it go where it will. I think one of the reasons why my current story is going so slow is because there are multiple directions it could go, any one of which would work, and I'm still trying to decide between them (though at the moment I'm leaning toward one particular direction).

One thing I've come to realize, at least with me, is that when the beginning and the end of a story is solid in my mind - that is, I know exactly how I want it to start and want it to end - the story is a lot easier to write. If I don't have a beginning or an end, that's when the story either drags or stalls. So it could be a matter of having a starting point and knowing where the story is going, even if the middle is still elusive. With my current story, because there are so many possibilities, though I do have a vague idea about how the story is going to end it's not a solid ending, so the story is going slow. I don't know if having a start and an end is the key, but thus far that seems to be what works for me ;) (Okay, with short stories. Long stories still need a little bit more than that).

[sgafan.livejournal.com]

oh yeah, its been ages since I've even looked at my outline, and only occasionally check my time line to make sure I'm still in sync. That's really only because the story is so canon/time/history sensitive.

I wish I could identify something like knowing where I start and where I'll end, helps the story go smoother, I haven't in me yet. ;) But I do know if my motivation is up, then I write faster and easier... most of the time.

I'm just all over the board. LOL

[black-raven135.livejournal.com]

****cheers loudly****
I knew you could bring it back into line.
CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[kriadydragon.livejournal.com]

I'm still having some motivation issues but the plot is a lot more solid, now, so should be easier to write.

[black-raven135.livejournal.com]

It will all fall into place as it moves along.
Listen to me, the person who cannot get her muse off its six to
get back to business on my two tales.......
***rolls eyes****