"Insecure Writer's Support Group" is a monthly meme host by Alex J. Cavanaugh for writers held on the first Wednesday of every month.
A big problem I now realize I have is that I can't seem to finish any manuscripts I start. I never thought I'd become one of those writers who can't finish any writing projects, but, apparently, I am just that.
I really don't know how this happened because when I start something I always have every intention of finishing it. Somewhere along the line, I come up with a new idea and decide to start writing it so as to have two projects going at the same time. No big deal, since having two or more manuscripts going at once is pretty normal for authors. But, when I have more than one going on at the same time, I end up favoring the newer one and seem to never get the older one finished.
This year, there are varying reasons behind why I have a couple of manuscripts now hanging out on the back burner. My YA urban fantasy, Ironworks, is on the back burner because I got to a point where I realized I couldn't fix the story without completely changing the entire premise. It was one of those MS's that was doomed to be a big problem from the start because it didn't have a firm foundation to be built upon. I wrote 20,000 words and stopped.
The second one I just shelved for now is my adult sci-fi/horror novel, Black Bird, which I had to suspend writing for now because I became too afraid to write it. I honestly cannot write it anymore because I feel like I'm going to mess up and it will be the end of the world. It really is ridiculous, but try telling that to my irrational mind that refuses to be convinced otherwise. I wrote around 16,000 words and put it aside.
Now, I'm writing a YA fantasy novella that's really fun to write, so I'm not afraid to spend time with it. So far I'm nearly 1/4 of the way finished with it, but having trouble not getting distracted away from it by real life problems at home. I'm hoping if I can get rested enough and write when the distractions are at a minimum (here's looking at you, midnight hour), then I might be able to actually finish this one! I only need around 20,000 words to complete it, and surely I can do that, right?
I hope so. I'm keeping my fingers crossed and saving my energy for the night time when my family members will be asleep and unable to distract me. I'm finding my life is really great when everyone at home is in bed. Sounds so mean, but it's the truth. Good thing I'm a natural night owl.
That's my writing insecurity for this month. I hope by next month I'll have a lot more of my novella finished so it will not end up following the same fate as all my other unfinished manuscripts.
Have you ever found it difficult to finish the manuscripts you start?
Good luck! I've had this problem many times before. I have a long list of unfinished books that I intend to return to at a later date. My brain is just too busy to focus on only one thing, I guess.
ReplyDelete@L.G.: Thanks! I'm going to need it. I hope you get your unfinished books finished, too. ;)
DeleteI have an unfinished novel from last year that part of me wishes I'd finished. I set it aside to focus on short stories, but now my entire idea of the story has changed, so most likely I'll be starting it all over again when I go back to it.
ReplyDeleteAnd even now, with short stories, I have a few unfinished ones that I stopped working on for one reason or another. The pressure isn't quite so high with shorts, since it's not such a huge time investment to finish one, but I still vow to return to any story I don't finish. Finishing what you start is an essential step on the path to professionalism, as tough as it is.
Good luck! I hope you dive back in and get those projects done and out in the wild.
J.W. Alden
@J.W.: Yeah, it's such a shame to leave stories unfinished, especially when they have so much potential. I really need to get better at sticking them out to the end. Thanks for commenting! :)
DeleteHi there :)
ReplyDeleteJust popping in from the IWSG.
OMG! yes, yes, yes! I am USELESS at endings :( I won't begin to tell you how many unfinished stories I have, oh, ok, I will, about 200! Lol....one of which is a 65,000 word novel that is languishing on my hard drive *slump* :(
It wasn't was on an IWSG Day a couple of months ago that I decided to give up on the said novel, and announce it publicly. Everyone was really supportive, but I stil felt stupid and embarrassed :(
I don't have any earth shattering advice, but, one thing that the short story writer Linda Lewis said when I attended one of her workshops recently, was, to have an ending in your mind before you actually start the story. Yeah, that makes sense....so why can't I do that? Lol ;)
Good luck honey, I hope you find an answer xx
@Vikki: Well, I'm fine with coming up with endings for my stories, but I can't seem to keep myself writing the stories I have in mind. That's my issue. Thanks for stopping by today! :)
DeleteI can never seem to finish my book. I start, but then I stop for a long, long time. I guess my main problem is starting, and then finding the energy to keep going.
ReplyDeletewww.modernworld4.blogspot.com
@Gina: Yeah, I hear ya! Thanks for the comment. :)
DeleteI've had this problem so many times! For me, the key is to plan the book but not to plan it too much, which, as it sounds, is much easier said than done.
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
@Dana: Yeah, you have to plan so you know where you're going with the story, but too much planning sucks all the fun out of writing it. :)
DeleteYou're certainly not the only one who loses steam or direction and decides to shelve a project. I know several people who've done that. (I have once myself.)
ReplyDeleteMaybe you could focus on short stories or novellas for a while. That could help you a lot. :-)
@Lexa: Yeah, I always have something bumping me off course. I am currently focusing on a novella, so hopefully, that will make a big difference in finishing a project. :)
DeleteHello from the IWSG. I actually have three incomplete manuscripts, but not due to not finishing. Instead, they're unfinished due to restructuring, as in total rewrites. And this is now the third, no, the fourth rewrite of one book that has turned into three books. Is that confusing enough? I am hoping that using Dragon 12 will turn me from an unproductive writer (dare I say failure?) into a successful author. Just remember if you finish those manuscripts and don't like how they turn out, you can rewrite. Good to meet you!
ReplyDelete@Sher: Rewriting sounds brutal! But, at least your manuscripts are finished. I hope you get your rewrites taken care of successfully. I hope I don't have to rewrite anything, but I'll remember that rewriting a MS is sometimes just what is needed.
DeleteYes, I find it difficult as my toddler seems to take up so much of my time that I can't sit down and concentrate on writing for too long. I have to wait until he's asleep at night and, at the moment, that isn't until really late. But no fear, slow and steady wins the race (or something).
ReplyDeleteBy the way, I thought at first that you were afraid to write your horror because it was scary, and that made me chuckle...
I'm Lisa - number 230 of the #IWSG list. Charmed, I'm sure.
@Lisa: Hi, Lisa. I'm charmed to meet you, too. ;) I find when people in the house are asleep, they're not bothersome and distracting, so that's my time to write if I still have any energy left by then. I hope 'slow and steady wins the race' is true, because that's probably the only strategy I have!
DeleteI have various started novels and works on my flash drive because the shiny idea hit me and then I ran out of time to do anything with them because I was doing other projects. For me, I've realized I need an outline. If I have one, then I have no reason to not finish the project.
ReplyDelete@Cherie: Really cool idea to have! I do have outlines for my projects, but that doesn't seem to help me finish them. I need enough motivation and less distractions, probably. Thanks for your advice, though. I appreciate it!
DeleteI'm with you on this one! I have a bunch of little short stories floating in my laptop with no endings. I did finally finish a novel, miraculously enough, but now I'm ripping it apart and redoing it. Just push to finish, even if it's awful, because that's where the revision process and improving comes. We'll be there to cheer you on in the process :)
ReplyDelete@Rose: Yeah, I'm pushing myself to finish my novella and it's not even hard to want to write it because I do! I need to write when other people can't distract me. Thanks for your comment. :)
DeleteI usually finish what I start writing, but I do have many files of notes of future stories I hope to write some day.
ReplyDelete@Ciara: Good for you! Yeah, I have a lot of ideas for stories that I've yet to write and hope to someday, too. :)
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