Why is writing so awkward???

[elisi]

This tweet is really very very accurate:

I was just wondering how your novel was going. pic.twitter.com/qXZTHh6LjY

— I Captcha the Castle (@haszombiesinit) May 6, 2019

And I have managed to write myself into not one, but TWO corners.

One of them just means cutting out one of my favourite sub-plots, but hey, it was a sub-plot anyway.

The other is more difficult.

A character is saying 'No'. Very firmly and decisively. And I don't know how to get her to say 'Yes'. But until she does, the whole thing is stalled. :(

Comments

[shadowkat]

Yeah, having the same problems with my own novels. The current one that I'm focusing on -- I wrote about 200 pages in free-hand (in notebooks) - only to discover I'd written myself into a corner. So now, have decided to rewrite that bit on the computer, and cut about 85% of it, and go in another direction.

There's a reason they call this the rough draft stage. I'm just trying to hammer it out -- and then I'll revise the hell out of it.

But hey, if it's any reassurance to you? The professionals have the same problems. I listened to a podcast with Neil Gaiman who said that he kept writing himself into corners with Ocean at the End of the Lane, gave up on it, decided he wasn't good enough to finish it at this time -- until finally he hammered it out. And Good Omens -- he came up with an idea -- sent it to a friend to see if it was workable, forgot about it. The friend came back to him about a year later and asked if he wanted to collaborate on it? OR sign the rights over to him -- because he knew what happened next. Then there's George RR Martin who wrote five books - of the Song of Ice & Fire series, got a television deal, but wrote himself into a major corner in book five and has not been able to get out of it.

Apparently it's something to happens to all writers? (shrugs). Stories have minds of their own, talk back to you, argue, and stubbornly refuse to go where you want. Particularly if you are like me and tend to channel them from some unknown source...then suddenly the source or muse decides to shut up without notice.

[ragnarok-08.livejournal.com]

Such a cute kitty, and too accurate, you're right about that.

[geekslave.livejournal.com]

Aww, that always sucks when that happens!

Stacey

[a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com]

OMG, I hate it when they dig in their heels! And non-writers are always 'well, just write what you want' and trying to explain that it doesn't WORK that way gets you looks. Looks like you have grown another head. And it is green. And glowing. O_O

And yes, the inevitable 'how's the writing coming along?' My hubby doesn't do it (thank goodness!), but other people have. It is enough to make my Musie go into AA. Hell. That may be where She is and it would explain why writing Does Not Happen for me anymore. Ugh.

*HUGS*

Good luck, honey. I know you will find a way to appease the character - and maybe something better will come from it. I'm sure the subplot would work well in another book. Never toss an idea if you can help it!

[sea_thoughts]

Ahh the expression of hollow purgatory.

A character is saying 'No'. Very firmly and decisively. And I don't know how to get her to say 'Yes'.

Maybe another character will have to step in?