Advice needed!

[Starlights]

Ive written two novels, each around 30,000 words, but i've hit some sort of block. I feel my writing's crappy and I dont know how to pick it all back up again. Anyone got any ideas on how to get around this? has anyone else been through this?
Im a newby here so not sure if ive posted in the right area, so MODS please move this thread if you feel its unsuitable here.
Thanks

 

[J Riff]

Post some here, preferably the beginning. Check out the rules first though.

 

[Starlights]

oh i think my work reads to crappy to post up here for the moment
I will definately do it once i pluck up some courage! Just looking for some support really, bit lonely being a writer, noone understands!

 

[Pyan]

Moved to Aspiring Writers...

 

[Xelah]

oh i think my work reads to crappy to post up here for the moment
I will definately do it once i pluck up some courage! Just looking for some support really, bit lonely being a writer, noone understands!

You should post. The worst we can do is mock you openly and then use your submissions to persuade terrorist suspects to talk.

Joking aside, there are really two thresholds: Peer Review and Manuscript Submission. I've got a massive ego and neither is a problem for me, but posting here should be the easier of the two to get over. It's the internet; you're largely anonymous. Face to face peer review is always a little harder, but helpful at times. Critiques can help, no matter your writing level. . . I'm sure Stephan King has somebody look over his work.

 

[vector7]

Starlights, just post something you wrote in critiques like the others have pointed out. Maybe, someone could figure out the problems you face. Sometimes, getting the right sort of critique might encourage you and boost up your flagging confidence in yourself and your writing. However, its up to you to figure out what needs to be done. I did that and I now know that being a member here is worth everything.

Regards,
V7.

[Still falling in love with SFFChrons...]

 

[The Judge]

Hello and Welcome, Starlights. Everyone has been very helpful in suggesting you post work for critique, and in time that is exactly what I think you will need to do if you want to progress in your writing skills. However, it is far too early in your Chrons career for you to do so yet.

We ask that all new members settle in and contribute in a meaningful way to the site before they post pieces for critique. This helps us -- since it means we don't get fly-by-nights who only want critiques and aren't interested in the people here and building up relationships. It also helps the new member as he/she can acclimatise, and see exactly how some critiques are delivered -- some can appear very punishing, even unkind, and if they come out of the blue they can be a real blow to the ego. (Actually, they can be a real blow to the ego even when they don't come out of the blue...!)

As for how to improve your writing, first and foremost read. Read all and any kinds of books, because even bad ones can show you how not to do things. But read with your intelligence switched on -- analyse why something works or not. Also read some of the pieces put up for critique and the responses they have received. Try critiquing some for yourself, to see if you pick up the same things.

Also analyse your own work. When you say you think the writing is crappy, what is it that is worrying you? The individual structure of sentences (ie you're not confident about grammar and punctuation) or the bigger things like characterisation? Have you read any how-to books? I'm not a great fan of them myself, though I've read a couple, but they can be very useful.

Above all, to become a better writer you have to write, write, write. It's like anything, if you want to become proficient, you have to practise.

Good luck, and I look forward to seeing you around. (I haven't checked out Introductions yet -- if you haven't introduced yourself there, go ahead and do so and be welcomed officially.)

 

[Boneman]

Hmmm... this topic seems to have been relevant to me over the years, so I'll add my sixpennyworth.

I wrote a novel of 140,000 words back in 2006, and had no way of knowing if it was good or bad ( I didn't really believe my friends and family, gratifying though it was...), and even after 3 rewrites, I wasn't sure. So I paid for a professional critique (hadn't discovered the Chrons, back then), and was told the truth - great story, rubbish execution of said story. So I enrolled on a couple of writer's courses, read more books, discovered the chrons in late 2008, and have been here ever since. I've learnt more here than anywhere else. Not just from the excellent critiquing I got of my work, but from contributing to others' work - critiquing/editing/suggesting helped me to focus better on my own writing.

It's now 2010 and that novel is 123,400 words and it's infinitely better than the original version. And getting to the point that I may even think of sending it out to agents...

30,000 words seems to be a very short novel, if you don't mind me saying so. I can't think of a novel that short that I've read. But until you ask for help, you'll never get over that block, and you'll have no way of knowing if it's good/bad/indifferent and how to make changes if it's necessary.

Roam these corridors and start commenting here and there, even if it's to say "I really liked this piece, because.....etc etc". Enter the 75 word challenge, and when you feel up to it (ie you've shown you're serious about wanting help etc) then post a bit in critiques. We are very gentle, but we don't speak with forked tongue - read through some of the critiques and see if you agree with posters. I certainly don't always agree with others, and I know they don't agree with me. But at the end of it, the writer can distill all the suggestions, and have more confidence to continue. Because it seems to me that you lack that at the moment - we're all terrified of posting our first bit for critique, but there have only been a couple of instances where the writer didn't acknowledge it had helped (and they didn't stay around the chrons, anyway!).

You're here now, I hope you stay, because it's probably the best thing that could happen to any aspiring writer - oodles of free advice, encouragement, criticism, help on any subject (with literally anything!) and a community that is dedicated to helping each other. Where else would you get that?

 

[Starlights]

Oh thanks everybody. You guys are encouraging. My two novels are not finished ive hit the 30,000 words and im stumped. Im like "can i do this? this story reads like crap."
I say this because i doubt my grammer skills. I dont know why. Noone has ever said I couldnt write so i dont know why i lack confidence in this area. I plan to read up on the grammatical issues soon -i dont feel ready to tackle them just yet. I dont know why i feel like this about something im passionate about frustrating.
I definately will post my work to be critiqued once im a bit comfortable around this place.

 

[Anne Lyle]

Hi Starlights

I got stuck at this stage for a long while - then I discovered NaNoWriMo. The aim is to write 50,000 words in a month, regardless of quality, but somehow, once you get into the zone, the writing is often not all that crappy, at least in places (one scene from my 2006 Nano-draft has made it into the final submitted novel with only modest edits).

Doing "Nano" (as we regulars call it) totally got me over the 20-30k hump, and now I have some serious interest in the (heavily revised) completed manuscript. As one of my favourite how-to-edit books puts it:

"To make a silk purse, first you need a sow's ear."

Or in Mur Lafferty's words: "You are allowed to suck"

So, yeah - just push to the end of the story, in the happy knowledge that you can go back and fix all the crappiness later

 

[Starlights]

aww am glad your having success

Hi Starlights

I got stuck at this stage for a long while - then I discovered NaNoWriMo. The aim is to write 50,000 words in a month, regardless of quality, but somehow, once you get into the zone, the writing is often not all that crappy, at least in places (one scene from my 2006 Nano-draft has made it into the final submitted novel with only modest edits).

Doing "Nano" (as we regulars call it) totally got me over the 20-30k hump, and now I have some serious interest in the (heavily revised) completed manuscript. As one of my favourite how-to-edit books puts it:

"To make a silk purse, first you need a sow's ear."

Or in Mur Lafferty's words: "You are allowed to suck"

So, yeah - just push to the end of the story, in the happy knowledge that you can go back and fix all the crappiness later

 

[Pyan]

Can I suggest something, as well?

Even though what you post on-line is essentially ephemeral, and not meant to be preserved for posterity, it might be a good idea to make it grammatically correct and punctuated as properly as possible.

Not only is this good practise for when you're working on your actual writing , but it gives the impression that you're serious about trying to improve your writing skills.

Ive written two novels, each around 30,000 words, but i've hit some sort of block. I feel my writing's crappy and I dont know how to pick it all back up again. Anyone got any ideas on how to get around this? has anyone else been through this?
Im a newby here so not sure if ive posted in the right area, so MODS please move this thread if you feel its unsuitable here.

I've written two novels, each around 30,000 words, but I've hit some sort of block. I feel my writing's crappy and I don't know how to pick it all back up again. Anyone got any ideas on how to get around this? Has anyone else been through this?
I'm a newby here, so I'm not sure if I've posted in the right area. Could the Moderators please move this thread if you feel it's unsuitable here? Thank you.

 

[Starlights]

good point!

Can I suggest something, as well?

Even though what you post on-line is essentially ephemeral, and not meant to be preserved for posterity, it might be a good idea to make it grammatically correct and punctuated as properly as possible.

Not only is this good practise for when you're working on your actual writing , but it gives the impression that you're serious about trying to improve your writing skills.

 

[Mouse]

I say this because i doubt my grammer skills...

*grammar

Ok, when I look back at things I'd written while I was at school it makes me grimace because the grammar's so bad. I used to write 'could of' instead of 'could have' and 'definately' instead of 'definitely' as well as sooooo many other things.

The way I learned was by seeing how other people (and I mean authors, not mates who probably don't know any more than I did!) did it. I bought grammar books and whatnot, but mostly they only confused me. So now, whenever I'm not sure how something should be done, I'll pick up a book from my shelf and see how the author did it. (Recently I checked on where quotation marks should go during dialogue when the dialogue spans for more than one paragraph).

This might be an easier way for you to learn it too. If you're anything like me, you'll find it easier learning something by seeing it, rather than being told it.

 

[chopper]

Can I suggest something, as well?

Even though what you post on-line is essentially ephemeral, and not meant to be preserved for posterity, it might be a good idea to make it grammatically correct and punctuated as properly as possible.

Not only is this good practise for when you're working on your actual writing , but it gives the impression that you're serious about trying to improve your writing skills.

now you're making me feel bad for deliberately not using the shift key

 

[Ursa major]

But at least you didn't control yourself, chopper.


I have recently been going through my WiP1 reading it out aloud, and have discovered something unsettling. Just because what you have written is "correct", in that the the plot develops, the characters behave in character (and "grow"), and the grammar might pass muster even in Critiques, it doesn't always work, even when I thought it did.

I already knew that when I read the words (whether off the screen or paper) in my head, mistakes can be missed: the brain (well, mine) corrects as it goes along, and not just for the odd misspelling, but for grammar and meaning. Okay, this can occur when reading out aloud, but because I don't usually do this, the self-correction isn't as smooth: I can hear the corrections "being made". It's a rather odd experience.

As it happens, I record my reading as I go. I think this helps: in a strange sort of way, it makes the whole thing "official", and so I can resist the temptation to skip ahead (which I'm sure I must do when reading without vocalising).

The one thing I can't manage to do is to keep going, although I am getting better at it. The temptation, one I can't always resist, is to record (though not for posterity**) cries of "Rubbish!" or "Nonsense!" Sometimes the cause of the pain is a tiny matter, apparently hardly worth bothering about; only it is: if it stops me in my tracks, it is very likely to irritate a reader.



** - I don't save these versions to my computer (I'm using a digital voice recorder with a USB i/f), only the versions read from the corrected-on-the-page text.

 

[Starlights]

Gosh I am new to this forum and was not really looking at what I typed, just merely typing it. I never spellcheck either *my bad* but generally I have a relaxed attitude to writing a post.

 

[Ursa major]

...but generally I have a relaxed attitude to writing a post.

Same here (unless it's important to get the spelling right - or deliberately wrong - for a pun. I hope no-one thinks my WiPs are as badly spelt.

(One day, I may get into the habit of using the browser's spellchecker for my posts.)

 

[Starlights]

Same here (unless it's important to get the spelling right - or deliberately wrong - for a pun. I hope no-one thinks my WiPs are as badly spelt.

(One day, I may get into the habit of using the browser's spellchecker for my posts.)

I agree .... Its important to be relaxed about writing and get the words out onto a screen or onto the paper. Then after I can do the "touch ups" if im serious about the writing.
I prefer to stay relaxed in writing my posts so if i spell something wrong or make an error its just because im a relaxed being and not because im thick

 

[Anne Lyle]

Problem is, Starlights, when online, the only way people have to judge you is your words on screen. There's no voice or body language to counteract the impression that you don't know how to use the English language and are therefore, as you say, "thick". Feel free to post the way you want, but don't complain if people assume from your lax attitude that you know no better.

And magenta text? Seriously? I don't know about anyone else, but it hurts my eyes...