it goes well with people who are just keeping it cool... do not pressure yourself too much and do not be too hard on your story machine which is your brain, thinking too much about mundane things (which is anything other than the story you are working on LOL) would be exhausting yourself over things trivial. you might want to look at the horizon when it is sunset, i find it cool and really eases one's tired mind. just look at it and do not think about anythin nor marvel about how beautiful it is. just look at it, i find that it really works for me. it soothes my brain and i feel refreshed. =)
At least now you can retrieve the black box from the twisted smoldering wreckage that was once your fantasy of dating her and analyze the data so that you don't crash into geek mountain again.
I agree, I'd start with short stories to build discipline and improve your writing before you devote a lot of time to a novel. I'd also read short stories if you find that novels can't hold your attention. My favourite collections of short stories are "Georgia Under Water" by Heather Sellers, "Dubliners" by James Joyce, and "Johnny Panic and the Bible of Dreams", which is a book of short stories and articles and journal entries by Sylvia Plath. The best tip I can give you for improving your writing is to read. If you're finding it hard to focus I'd start with smaller projects, and make yourself write for even just ten minutes every day on a short story. Heather Sellers also has a brilliant book on writing called "Page After Page", which I always go to to get unstuck-it's written in a really accessible way and has lots of helpful exercises which only take a couple of minutes.
"Just like moons and like suns, With the certainty of tides, Just like hopes springing high, Still I'll rise." -Maya Angelou
Maybe try writing a short story (or a draft of one)? Since I was just reading a topic about short stories, and we are studying them in English. It might at least be quicker to finish a single draft, so you'll get used to the feeling of wrapping things up and satisfying finishes.
Try to read to the end of novels. Unless the novels are truly awful. You'll have trouble writing endings if you don't read any.
Maybe I could recommend - wait, that word looks weird... seriously, did I spell it wrong just then? - some books?
- Uglies (Scott Westerfeld) - Leviathan (Scott Westerfeld... um, guess my favourite author?!). An alternate history in which WW1 is fought with advanced biological and mechanical technology. Sounds weird - but is. Absolutely. Downright. Amazing. - The To-Do List (Mike Gayle? Not sure of the author's name, search it anyway). Actually a true story, but written like a novel. Very witty book.
I'd say those are good books for people wanting to get back into regular reading. Leviathan was the first book I read after a recent very slack month.
"You are altogether a human being, Jane? You are certain of that?" "I conscientiously believe so, Mr Rochester." ~ Jane Eyre
Just write the more exciting scenes in your plot out--you know, the ones that stand out clearly in your head and you know exactly what's going to happen-- and put them in order. Then write in between those scenes and connect them to form a coherent story.
