Young Writers Society

Okay. So I have a terrible tendency of coming up with awesome plots. Yet I can never finish a book! I cant even finish reading one! I hate this! I love to write. It's the only thing that I am passionate about anymore....please, if anyone's out there. please help me. I don't want to give up my reason for existence....

Well, none of us here can tell you what to do. I would suggest taking a short break from writing then come back. It might help if you stay away from it for a while. Also try to read a few books all the way through and actually examine the content and how it is written. Try reading short books first then start reading longer books.

My advice? Finish it. Even if you have to take breaks and force yourself to sit down, if you've started something, finish it. If you haven't started writing something and it already has a giant, sprawling plot, I'd suggest trying to focus what you'll be writing early or even tackle something new, just to get into the habit of finishing something. Large, sprawling plots are harder to tie together, so starting small is sometimes good.

When you finish a novel once, you can finish a novel again, in my experience. You just have to be of the mentality that you refuse to move onto something else without finishing it. Writing may be your passion, but it's not always going to be enjoyable--sometimes forcing the words out and writing even when you're scared to or don't feel like it is the best you can do. It's not glamorous when you're in those dry spaces, but in the end it's worth it.

If you have any further questions, feel free to PM me!

thnx WD!!!!!!! You always have good advice!!!!!!!!!!!

p.s. watch teh Dancing Elephant!!!!

Abel24.

I think that all it takes is a little bit of willpower. Force yourself to sit down and finish what you started. I kind of have the same problem. Just force yourself to do it. xD

THIS IS SO ME!!! I HAVE GOOD PLOTS BUT I CAN NEVER FREAKING FINISH THEM!!! URG!! IT INFURIATES ME IMMENSLY!!! I FEEL FOR YOU!! ---->

Finish it no matter what, even if it reads terribly, at least you can alter it from there. It is better to accomplish something because it is difficult then to have a masterpiece unwritten.

It's funny how they tell you to finish it but you are the one saying you can't. Sorry.

I recommend as said before, move to something else. Let the ideas build and scribble them down. Don't write write but simple put the ideas in a pile. When you feel you've come to a good amount arrange them how you think they should go (what order). Then come back to it and write your heart out. This is a technique I use quite a bit.

Hope it helps.

I'd just write something else.
Then in a year you might come back to it. I have the problem of not finishing, you just need to find that story with the hot plot, until then, just keep writing a bunch of beginnings and middles, or maybe even just rewrite endings to books you've read. There's no point forcing it out, it'll end up rubbish.
Be easy on yourself. Find that Hot Plot.

Ben.

Backside on chair. Hands on keyboard. Stay there (with appropriate gaps for sleeping, eating, going to school, etc) until you reach the end of the novel.

I'd go with Karsten's advice actually

BenFranks wrote:I'd go with Karsten's advice actually

Ideas are ten a penny. The discipline to see something through to the end? Much rarer. I think it's tempting for a new writer (to whom the end seems a dauntingly long way away) to drop a project when the going gets tough and move onto a newer, shinier idea. Personally, I'm not sure that's always the best move. Finishing your first novel is a major achievement - once you've finished one, you can finish others. So I feel that new writers should prioritise finishing what they start.

But of course, everyone follows the process that works for them. This one happens to work for me.

Everyone made some great tips and points here. You know what I do?

Write short stories. I usually make mine about twenty pages long. But sometimes I like the idea so much, I keep going. I expand. Of course you go through dry spots... Most of us do. But, like almost everyone else suggested, force yourself. It's not like you enjoy yourself the first twelve pages then it's a chore the rest. You just have to push through. It'll get fun and exciting again. Just don't give up!!! Hope I helped


~Voice

I agree with WD. Start a small project just to finish it. Once you've finished one, you can finish any.

I also found that narrating uber-sized plots helps a lot. Once you've got the basics of it down on paper, the size or complexity of it isn't so daunting.

Don't tell non-novellists about your plot - they generally won't respond with as much enthusiasm as you would like, which drags you down.

Try the snowflake method.

I'd guess you can't finish because the task is so huge and daunting. The snowflake method breaks down the entire process into stages, so you can tackle each one idividually and feel a sense of gratification after each step. It also involves making a list of all the scenes in your novel with details on the scenes' purposes, characters, events etc. You can tick each scene off as you write it, and having that as a detailed plan makes it much easier - and inspiration is just a fancy word for being at an easy bit.

You could also try rewarding yourself. I used to think at the start of the day "I want to do however many words today. So at 750 I'm allowed to have a coffee. At 1500 I'm allowed to have breakfast. At 2500 I'm allowed to have a shower etc.

On some days I'd not have a goal, but make the rewards get better and better the higher I got. It was good motivaton, and I had some 8000 word days doing that (and some very unhealthy foods as rewards). Give it a try.