Feeling That Plot Disconnect? This #WritingPrompt Will Help You #GetWriteOnIn to the Solution
Are we done with National Novel Writing Month 2020 yet?
No, but we are only a day away from the halfway point!
Whether you’re ready to pull your hair out like I am because you’re in NaNo or because you’re just braving the venture that is writing a book, today’s prompt brings us back to a focus on our plots.
If you’re like me, you might be feeling a little stuck on the storyline.
So what’s bothering you?
Are you just not feeling it like you had hoped?
Does the story feel forced?
Do you wish it could be something else already?
It’s all right to feel frustrated with your story sometimes, just don’t let it stop you from writing it anyway.
Remember that the first draft stages are supposed to suck.
So write out your plot frustrations, then get write on in to your daily session.
GO WRITE!
See you tomorrow.
My Response
My story is actually driving me crazy right now. I know I’ve crafted it all up from the nothingness of the ether that was my brain on a random generator, but man I feel like I’m writing in circles. It’s weird, since I’m posting it, and I know that some people are enjoying it, but I feel like I don’t even know what’s going on in it right now. I’m not reading it before I post it, because if I reread it, I’m going to get too caught up in trying to fix it. I know I can’t do that, because then I’m going to fall behind and never get anything done.
It’s just frustrating because, like I said, I feel like I’m writing in circles. The characters are kind of going in circles, I know, and they’re stuck in this cave, which is what makes things hard for me I guess. I’m just wondering how it’s making the reader feel, even though that’s the last thing I should really be thinking about right now. I just feel like the story is moving slower than I would like, but at the same time, I’m not even 100 pages in! It just feels like blabber at this point.
I just wish the story would speak more to me. By this point, with all of the connection I’ve forced, I just wish it would connect back with me a little bit more. I’m feeling a little burned out, and I think the story knows it. The story always has more control than the author admits, but that’s frustrating. If I’m supposed to do a good job writing it, then why wouldn’t it want to help me out some if it were really in control?
Choose a Favorite Scene and #GetWriteOnIn to Your Work in Progress
Hopefully, by this point in your National Novel Writing Month 2020 adventure, you’ve written at least one scene of your book that you enjoy.
Same statement if you’re writing a book at all.
Authors have a tendency to become their worst critics, especially during first draft stages.
We know the stuff we’re putting out isn’t our best.
We know as soon as that editing stage hits, our hideous words will magically transform into glinting jewels.
The problem is, sometimes we can lose motivation along the way if we ever start to feel that disconnect.
Today, I’d like for you to pick your favorite scene thus far from your work in progress, wherever you stand on that.
Either write about why it’s your favorite, or take a break from the written word and act it out for yourself.
Connect with why it’s your favorite scene, and let it motivate you to get write on in to writing more just like it.
I’d totally pick a scene to act out for myself if I wasn’t trying to keep these so short.
Such is life.
See you tomorrow!
My Response
So far, my favorite scene has been when Vaeda is trying to figure out “eyes open” and “eyes closed.” I’m having some fun trying to figure out his little memory things, even though sometimes it’s a little circular. But it’s really fun developing everything going on without the main character actually being able to see. That was something I was a little worried about at first, but it’s proving to turn out just fine. Gotta take the wins when you get them, man.
Another reason it’s my favorite scene is because it was challenging for me. I don’t like setting, I feel like I’m awful at writing it. That’s part of the reason I took sight away from the main character in the first place, so he could basically be blind for me, ha. It’s fun trying to develop everything based on the memory that he can’t hold on to. That aspect of the writing challenge in this book has made me feel like I’m growing as a writer, and I can never be mad at that.
I also enjoy this scene because it gave me the opportunity to explore the cave they’re in a little bit. There will be more of that coming up, I’d assume, but it’s fun to take some time building things every once in a while. For someone who loves to read, I sure am scared to write out some details sometimes. I get scared thinking people will get bored, and while I do tend to overwrite sometimes, there are people who do love details, as well. So I’ve had a great time detailing out this cave and allowing Vaeda to find his inner strength through that exploration.