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It’s true. I really do.
All you writers out there know what I’m talking about – and not just fiction writers, anyone who’s ever had to write anything. You’re in the middle of telling a story (fiction, non-fiction, whatever) and things are clicking along. You have a great character/voice and things are rolling – the words are flowing, there’s something you want to say and the story is advancing appropriately. Then, all of a sudden, BAM! It’s like a shotgun shell to the head. The words just stop coming and you’re left with a gigantic mess.
That’s where I am right now.
Things have been going swimmingly. My Work In Progress is growing steadily, day by day. The storyline for this particular character has been pouring out of me in bursts like summer rain. The overarching book idea had been percolating in my head for a while; this character (Charlie) snuck up on me though, and started whispering in my ear about a month ago. Since then, Charlie and I have been working hand-in-hand to get his story down on paper, and things have been going beautifully – right up until last week. Then they came to a screeching halt.
Grr, she said.
It’s funny. I’m finally done with backstory and am at the critical point, the place where the storyline for this character ties into the plotline for the whole book. It’s the part of the story I have been the most excited about, the part that should be the easiest to write – it is, after all, the whole point of this character, the reason he exists. Yet, I’m finding it the most difficult to write – and the most boring. And if I, the author and creator, am bored, that doesn’t really bode well for the reader…
UGH.
The Writing Buddy tells me I’m just ready to move on, and that I should take a break from this character/this story for a bit. Once I’m rejuvenated and re-interested in this one, things will come together as they should. The Husband says similar things (well, along with “are you DONE yet?!” at regular intervals). In my head I agree with them because their words mesh with my philosophy on writing (I’ve babbled on about this before, but in a nutshell, I write from inspiration in a character-driven, free-flowing way that defies logic and the opinions/teachings of professionals). At the same time, I just want to barrel through and force myself to finish because I want to move on in the story (and the overall book) and don’t feel like I can/should until I get this part of the story over and done with. This is largely due to the nature of the overall book (it’ll be written in 5-7 character voices and I don’t want to risk overlap or voice-creeping), but also due to my overarching desire to actually see a large writing goal through to fruition. I’m at about 180 pages right now, the vast majority (95%) of which is on one character. I can’t leave it that way, which means major editing in my future AND I’m likely to wind up with a much longer book than I’d originally envisioned. Those things are fine and dandy, but to get to either of them I have to get Charlie to cooperate and tell me how his story ends already…
So I’m writing this post to you, Charlie. This is your mother talking: stop dithering, stop hiding, stop obfuscating. We have things to do, and we can’t do them until you do what you’re told. There are other children in this family too, Charlie, and they also need time with their mother. Don’t make me stop this car OR tell your father about this. You’ll tell me eventually, you know you will. So stop dilly-dallying and tell me how your story ends.
If you do, we can have ice cream. And I could really use some ice cream. So have pity on your poor mother and pleasepleaseplease just do what you’re told. I’m at my wit’s end.
Thank you, darling boy! 🙂
I feel your pain. I, too, have had the days where everything pours from your character and then all of a sudden without warning or so much as a note, the character jumps ship and is nowhere to be found.
My solution, after attempting rewriting, moving forward to another part of the story until that character makes their return (both unsuccessful), I’ve walked away from this project and began something new. Trust me, I dislike that it remains unfinished when I still have so much I am excited to tell, but we are at the mercy of our muse. Sometimes we just need to give our characters space.
I hope your Charlie cooperates with you soon. The ice cream incentive might just appeal to him. 🙂
Thanks so much for your comment Autumn – misery loves company, as we all know, and it never loves it better than when it’s caused by self-pity! 😉 Seriously – Writing Buddy said the same thing, so I’m inclined to accept it as gospel and move on. It’s logical – if I’m stuck, I need to get unstuck. Since I can’t do that without Charlie’s cooperation, I guess I have to wait. Ugh – I’m soooooo not patient. I do, however, have seventeen other projects I can work on in the meantime. Hey, maybe there’s a reason I’m so all-over-the-place after all! 🙂
Thanks again!!
Ah… the strong and silent type… Not always the character you’re looking for, unless heaving bosoms are splashed across the cover. 😉
Nothing against heaving bosoms, of course.
(I just wrote heaving bosoms twice on your blog – ha! Er, three times.)
Anyhow, all joking aside: Walk away to another project. Get some juices flowing. I had a PR prof who suggested writing a letter if we had trouble getting into a report. I can see his point – sometimes writing *anything* triggers the mind into generation and wordsmithing.
And, be accepting of the fact that a lot of Charlie will probably be edited out too. That doesn’t mean what’s there isn’t good or important, but after the other voices have been added, you’ll probably need to make sure YOUR voice is consistent throughout. (Make sense?)
(PS, thanks for your great email yesterday. I’ll shoot you a response today! And, we need to pick a date for our next meeting. Perhaps an earlier in the day meeting… to ward off any inclinations for Guinness.) 😉
Teehee – no heaving bosoms to be found (I just wanted to be able to write it in my blog too)… I have nothing against them either, mind you, but they’re not what I’m writing. And they’re not Charlie’s style – too obvious. 🙂
He is going to have to be WAY edited (teehee, have I possibly been spending too much time with tween-age Step-Daughter?? How way cool…) – he’s outgrowing the story, and we can’t have that, now can we? I’m not sure if parts of his story can be repurposed somehow or if they’ll just end up on the cutting room floor. Either way, they were necessary to bridge him from start to wherever he eventually finishes, so those words all served their purpose regardless.
And I am going to try my hand at one of the other WIPs that is vastly different in style/substance and see if that helps. If not, maybe I’ll try starting up one of the myriad other new short story ideas I have on my list. NOT that I need another new WIP, mind you, but just to see if Charlie responds to either reverse psychology or its evil-twin, indifference.
Thanks for the kind words of support – and please don’t pretend that there’s a meeting time early enough to ward off Guinnessclinations… We’re among friends here – there’s no need for such pretenses. 😉
When this happens I just work on another WIP. I have a few going at the same time for just this reason.
Thanks Roxanne. I am trying, as I do think that’s the best solution to the stuck-problem. Unfortunately, my mind seems to want to finish Charlie’s story up more than Charlie wants to – the stuck-ness seems to be spreading now and when I sit down to work on something else, I keep thinking about him! Teehee – it’s like a bad co-dependent relationship… I’m going to have to take charge one of these days if he won’t cooperate – we can’t have characters in open rebellion like this, now can we? 😉 Thanks for visiting/taking the time to comment – it helps to know I’m not the only one on this (annoying) road! 🙂