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Posted By: D_Bandit Oct 21, 2002 - 02:05 pm

ok, i had planned out an elaborate series. i had every book outlined except the final book (couldn't think of an ending).

i'm 40,000 words into the first book, and it freakin sucks. now i'm getting discouraged and haven't written in a while (also due to the fact i failed two classes)

well, i dropped those courses, and now have free time again. during the time period, i started doing outlines of new stories.

well screw that, i'm determined to salvage my original series because i've grown somewhat attached to the protagonist.

anyway, what are some of your sucky stories?


i just posted this cause no one hasn't posted anything since like 4 days. hehe

Posted By: wafricansavage Oct 21, 2002 - 08:48 pm

Well welcome to the wonderful world that is writing. I know what you are going through. I sat down two summers ago and wrote what I thought at the time to be the achievement of a lifetime. But as I got going further into the novel I felt frustrated as if something was missing from the story. Now that I look back upon it, it is safe to say the element missing was in my writing style. I was focused too much on the fighting and history behind the story and characters, and not enough on character development, and the story turned out quite poorly.

Someone on this site wrote something to the sort that if you reach a point where you are frustrated or can't continue it is usually because there is something in what you have already written that is not sitting well in your head, and until you find that bug in the story you will not be able to proceed. I can't speak for everyone but that has certainly helped me progress.

I decided to take the time and try and understand life in general, trying to improve my writing by creating shorter stories, spending more time on character development and scenery than on historical and political issues. I have found this to have helped me significantly

The problem might be that you have spent so much time on the story that you can't see where the problem is. It might be a good idea to step back and not think about it for a while.

That is my humble opinion, good luck in your story.

Posted By: *_* fiery red *_* Oct 23, 2004 - 09:49 am

i find that if i outline my stories too rigidly they come out like. . . well, when you read it it sounds like robotic crap. so i've found that it helps to know the general storyline and just basically let the story write itself. let your characters surprise you.

Posted By: Kevin Oct 23, 2004 - 12:02 pm

I often write something, knowing that it DOES suck, but also knowing that I can change it later. I'd say finish writing the first story and then, if you're writing it out, type it onto the computer, reviewing as you go and fix any problems you have, or if you ARE typing it out already, then finish it, and print it. Leave it out for about a week to a month, then pick it up and read, with a red marker on hand. However, if you think the story is written beyond salvation, then yes it would be best to just start again. With a well-developed character, you may find it much easier to write. Often before writing a story, I design my characters into ones whom I can use easily.

Posted By: Magus Oct 23, 2004 - 08:15 pm

*_* fiery red *_*, that's somewhat Stephen King's attitude. He doesn't know what direction his stories take, as he explains in On Writing. He believes that if he, with all of his intimate inner knowledge and being the author of a story cannot guess what the ending is, then there's no way in Hell that the reader will.

Posted By: Gnollslayer Oct 23, 2004 - 11:00 pm

That strategy might work for some people, but if I don't plot ahead I get stuck. I think you can plot things out ahead, as long as you don't force yourself to follow the outline. A lot of times I'll just find a cool deviation from my pre-planned plot, so I'll follow it and then work back to where I wanted to go. It doesn't come out robotic, so I'm happy with it.

Posted By: Berry Oct 26, 2004 - 02:16 am

I am pretty new to writing but each time I start I have a vauge character in mind and a vauge idea of where I want the story to go and then I just let my imagination run with it as I write. Occasionally this means that when I go for the rewrite I find that a whole scene is unecessary or the idea is not whole enough or sometimes just doesn't work. Sometimes I erase the whole story and start with the same charater and the first line of the story and go again. I was very surprised that I had many things I wanted to express and allowing myself to run with the different paths the story could take gave my imagination more freedom and allowed me to extricate myself from the stuckness. I also had to make myself give up ideas that weren't working, I don't let go of my babies forever I just keep them on file for another time. Letting go can be hard but not doing so takes up room in your head, a bit of filing helps you clear your desk so you have more room to work.

Posted By: Magus Oct 26, 2004 - 12:40 pm

Yeah, I don't do it that way either, Gnollslayer. I have extremely detailed summeries and plans for any story idea I plan on keeping around to write. But I'm saying that it works for him and it might work for somebody else here, too.

Posted By: Aldan Oct 26, 2004 - 05:35 pm

One thing that is nice about the art of writing is that it's not something where you must follow a specific path to reach the intended goal. Instead, while one writer will start with the entire plot in their heads, others will do as Berry does, and still others will fall somewhere in-between.
I know that when I write, I tend to create the ideas for the major characters first and then build the story around them. I find that when I do it that way, and especially when I simply start by creating a conversation between the just-created characters, I can often find a plot while in the middle of the conversation!

Posted By: arcane Nov 21, 2004 - 04:35 am

I read an article on the author Phillip Pullman. He explained how although he has a general idea of the direction his stories take, he NEVER outlines anything specific. That way, he is able to go back and change things with ease without worrying about how to re-attatch the rest of his story to one changed idea.

Sure it doesn't work for everyone, but it does for a few.

Now, your story. I think you're doing the right thing. Wirters often loath their first idea and end up scrapping it altogether, but I find salvaging is often a more sensible option. That way, all the work you have put in so far is not lost, and you can still work with it despite the fact that it make need a little reshaping.

I tend to imagine my work like a clay pot, and me as the potter. Sure, the pot falls every now and then, but the clay is still there, and it can still be built back up.

My point is, you don't have to go back to square one every time you end up dispising your current work. All you need to do is think. Find some time to yourself, grab a pen and paper and think it through. That way, your original ideas still play some part in the reworking of your story.

Good luck,

I hope it all works out.

Posted By: Magus Nov 21, 2004 - 06:04 am

As do we all.

Posted By: woody000 Dec 26, 2004 - 02:03 pm

hehe ove found this thread very useful, thanks bandit

I am starting to get a similar feeling... up to the third chapter ive had no such feelings, I was really happy with everything. Now, at the end of the fifth, I just feel something isnt quite right. Its somehow not snappy enough, and one or two things dont seem to make perfect sense. Almost as if Im trusting my readers to follow me, when I dont quite believe it myself For instance, someone new to a flagship of a powerful alliance, as a guest, somehow jumps up the ranks far too quickly. :/ Its poor, to put it mildly. Im determined though to find a way that its possible, and believable: there will be one, Im sure there will.

Posted By: Bmat Dec 26, 2004 - 02:07 pm

Welcome to Speculative Vision, woody000!

Would it be possible to set your story aside for while and work on something else, and then pick it up and read it cold as if it were by another person, critiquing as you would for another person?

Posted By: woody000 Dec 26, 2004 - 02:40 pm

Yeah, but I just did that for the first three chapters, I dont wanna do that too often or ill never get anywhere lol

I think ill just carry on... maybe get up to the 8th chapter or somewhere near and then have a break.

Posted By: Queen Ehlana Dec 26, 2004 - 04:49 pm

Yeah, woody... I find it a kind of weak way to do things, but it's what I've been doing... Whenever I find something that doesn't make sense, I write on it several times before I come up with something, an explanation. I hate it. It's like I'm building my story off of explanations. I don't know how obvious that will be to the reader, though. I think that on some details I worry too much because 95% or more of people wouldn't notice any problem... But sometimes I know that a problem just needs to be fixed.

Whenever I don't feel like writing, I find that reminding myself why I'm writing always helps... I remind myself of the plans I have for my characters. Even if what I'm writing right now feels a bit crummy, it may be a scene several chapters away that gives me hope.

Posted By: Magus Dec 26, 2004 - 07:43 pm

Good luck with it. Just work through your problems and I'm sure they'll sort out eventually. That's really all you can do. either that or take a short break from it.

Posted By: manji Dec 27, 2004 - 08:32 am

QE- I find that reminding myself why I'm writing always helps... I remind myself of the plans I have for my characters. Even if what I'm writing right now feels a bit crummy, it may be a scene several chapters away that gives me hope.

Manji- Holy ••••, Ehlana, we actually agree on something. That's how i operate whenever i write sometimes.
I used to write without an outline. But those stories were [inappropriate word. Bmat]. Now, i find it much more easy to write with at least a short outline.

Posted By: Queen Ehlana Dec 27, 2004 - 03:37 pm

Manji, I would advise you not to post messages addressed to me because I don't read them anymore. Better work on your self-control a little. My self-control isn't the best, but it's surely better than yours. I don't go around forums yelling at one person every time I see them post. If I know their post is going to be a waste of my time, I don't read it.