Wednesday 1 May 2013

IWSG post - May


It's the first Wednesday of the month and so time to share our writerly insecurities! To sign up, see a full list of participants or simply find out more visit our Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh.

I seem to be suffering from some form of writing paranoia at the moment. I mean one day I feel great, I love my work, my characters speak to me and all is well in the world. Then the next, well... I think it all sucks, it's useless. The characters have gone off in a sulk and won't talk to me however much I plead or offer bribery in the form of chocolate!

Is it just me or does this happen to others too?

54 comments:

  1. Oh yeah, big time. I find stepping away for a few days, maybe get into a good book and don't try to write at all. It seems the characters respond to ignoring them and come back to play.

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    1. Good suggestion, Brandon, thanks. Welcome to my blog too :)

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  2. I have the problem that inside my head, the story sounds great, the characters are charismatic and exciting and I can't wait to get going. But then I sit down to actually start writing and the idea falls flat. I jot down the idea I had in the hope that it will come back to life again but so far, I have a collection of ideas that I look at and think 'meh'.

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    1. I know what you mean, sometimes it is about finding a way to get them out of our heads and onto the screen/paper.

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  3. It happens. On those days, just go do something else. Why beat yourself up if it's just not working?

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    1. You are probably right, Alex. Note to self - stop banging head against wall!

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  4. Yeah it happens to us all, just go do something not so sucky at your hall.

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    1. Cheers Pat I kinda suspected I wasn't suffering this affliction alone!

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  5. It happens to me all the time...sometimes several times in the same day! I go from confident to insecure and despairing and back again, and it's only by telling the insecure voices to be quiet that I manage to get myself back into writing mode. It can be tricky sometimes!

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    1. Tricky is the word, Emma. It sometimes feels like a tennis match going on in my brain!

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  6. Yep this happens to me all of the time. It usually goes away after a while, though :)

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    1. Thanks, Laura I guess it is just one of the things that goes with being a writer. Good job there are so many friendly souls out there in blogland to lend a sympathetic ear!

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  7. All. The. Time. It's such a roller-coaster ride sometimes, isn't it?

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  8. I've experienced this -many- times. In fact, I'm sort of suffering from the same thing at this moment.

    The good thing, though, is that it doesn't ever seem like a permanent thing :)

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    1. Oh sorry to hear you are suffering too, Mark. But as you say hopefully it soon passes and we can move forward in a jolly, happy way!

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  9. It happens. I just step away for a day or two and work on something else. Then I go re-read a few pages back and see what I did to offend my character. Once we get that sorted out life is good.

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    1. A bit of distance sounds like a great idea, Jai. Thanks.

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  10. I know it has happened to me. It's then that I choose to go find something else to do. I leave the story rest for a while and then come back with new ideas.

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    1. Thanks Al, I think today's post has shown it is something that effects us all from time to time!

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  11. You are not alone! We all go through crap... haha :)

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  12. Totally normal:) I've found that by sticking to a writing regimen, i.e. so many words a day, I get those characters to keep coming back even when I feel I'm starting to lose touch.

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    1. It's finding what works for us isn't it, Mark?

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  13. Suzanne, so often when I begin an article or essay I wonder how I ever thought I could write. Sometimes starting a new piece is just agony. I have to force myself to just write, even the worse stuff, so then I can begin the refinement process. Every now and again the words will sing in pure joy, and then I can say "yes I love writing!". I remind myself emotions are fickle and not allow them the final say in this process.

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    1. Emotions are fickle, I like that, Julie. Thanks for your encouraging words.

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  14. This is why I love IWSG so much. It's people/writers like you, Suzanne. We're all so similar, yet so different. But we're fighting the same battle. We're wearing the same uniforms. We're risking the same. It's actually so kewl it makes me teary. Yes, I'm 60 now and just a blubbering fool. LOL.

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    1. We're all in this together! Isn't that a song? This amazing group of people I've met in the blogosphere have taught me so much. Thank you, Joylene for all the encouraging words you have sent my way.

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  15. You're not the only one. I have bouts of such miserable self doubt that I spend the day wondering if I'll ever make anything worth reading. I'll morosely mope about the house looking for some value in my writing or watching movies and wishing I could write stories that make people cry when the MC finally realizes that to save the day she'll have to sacrifice herself.

    But I always just start writing again, knowing that it's not good enough, but completely unable to contain the words inside myself.

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    1. It would be great to be able to evoke real emotion from our readers wouldn't it? From what I have read today I think most writers suffer from similar bouts of self doubt. It's frustrating and a little scary at times but the idea of NOT writing scares me way more!

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  16. Happens to me all the time. I call it my roller coaster ride...one day I'm up and the next I'm down. :)

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    1. Oh this writing roller coaster! Fun isn't it!

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  17. That's completely normal for me as well. I just roll with it. On a good writing day no housework gets done, and on a bad day my house is spotless.

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    1. I'm glad I'm normal after all! Thanks, Annalisa.

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  18. There are ups and downs, and second guessing, for everyone. The thing that makes you a writer is that you keep coming back and trying again. And again.

    Don't let it get you down. Keep going. You can do it! :-)

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    1. Thanks, Lexa I think sometimes we just need reassuring. We can be an insecure lot us writers can't we?!

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  19. I think it happens to all writers. Somedays I can't type as fast as the words come to me and other days I can do the laundry, mow the lawn and go for run while I try to come up with one sentence.

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    1. That it some days it flows effortlessly others it's like pulling teeth!

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  20. This happens to every writer... even the ones who are well established and have been writing for years, even decades! It is our curse.

    Lynda R Young
    IWSG co-host

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    1. Think I'm learning that it is something that goes with the territory! Thanks, Lynda.

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  21. Maybe rethink to dark chocolate and get the goodness out! No worries, girl, this is all normal :)

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    1. I might just give it a go, Tammy, thanks :)

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  22. I think, like everything else, writing goes in phases. Last year, I could put out a first draft in less than two months. This year, I only dream of this speed. But I have no doubt that it will come back again. When the characters get stubborn, I take a break and live.

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    1. That's why it is sometimes hard to plan your writing time because you never know in advance if its an up day or a down!

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  23. Absolutely with you on this! I'm drowning in my own doubts at the moment and although circumstances have kept me away from my WIP for months, a lot of the last two weeks it's been paranoia. I'm dreading reading through my first draft - I know the voices in my head will laugh at my incompetence. But other times I'm on fire! :) Swings and roundabouts.

    Hello, here from IWSG and late (or early?) for my first 'Celebrate the Small Things' meme. Yay!


    Shah X

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    1. Hi and thanks for visiting. Reading all these comments it does appear that this all goes with being a writer doesn't it? Hope when you read through your draft it all goes well for you :)

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  24. Yep, happens to me too. Sometimes the ideas won't come and other times they are there but won't transfer onto the page. It's very frustrating!

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  25. From what I hear, this happens to every writer on the planet! :) Just keep going, those good days will come back and all will right with the world again. :)

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    1. Thanks, Rachel it does certainly seem like a popular writing affliction!

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  26. From the number of comments, I think you can feel pretty well reassured that it happens to all of us! A brain break usually works - for however long it takes!

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    1. Oooh a brain break - like the sound of that, Lynda! Don't you wish sometimes you could download your brain to make memory space for more stuff?!

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  27. It most certainly does happen to all of us! Just take a break, and your brain will clear up.

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  28. This happens to me all the time too! I usually have these great ideas, but they all fall over once I try to write them down.

    www.modernworld4.blogspot.com

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  29. Hi Suzanne,

    Maybe I'm not of this planet. I don't ever have such concerns. So those who say it happens to all of us would be incorrect. In my case, I write without any expectations and whatever happens, happens.

    Besides, I've got Penny the Jack Russell dog and modest internet superstar to take over for me. It's all good. Just relax and you will get there.
    Like the others, I offer you my support and encouragement.

    A peaceful weekend to you, Suzanne.

    Gary

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