Q&A with Gail Z. Martin Oct. 24 - 31 discussion
What is your biggest writing obstacle?
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Gail
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Oct 23, 2012 05:42PM
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Job, mostly. By the time I get home, I am exhausted and stressed. Sometimes that helps, depending on the scene I'm working on, but usually I just want to relax, play a game, watch a movie or take a bath.
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Gail wrote: "I think that's probably the biggest one for most people--that and family obligations. I know that my job kept me from getting The Summoner ready to send out to agents/publishers for at least five ..."My job is certainly my main distraction but also my family/my guilt at having to spend so many hours chained to my laptop. Also, lack of knowhow; I'm an amateur and still have to spend hours fumbling around in internet darkness trying to market/network/reach my target audience. even researching which lit agents and publishers would be receptive to my work takes an age.
On a personal note, when I first started you were very kind to me Gail when I e-mailed you out of the blue and I'd like to say that I was/am extremely grateful. I wish you continued success and happiness.
:-)
Gail wrote: "What keeps you from writing what you want to write? Whether it's your job, lack of free time, kids, or writer's block, let's talk about the things that hang us up and how to get over them!"I would have to say writers block. I have an idea (or many floating around in my head) that i am able to plan down to the smallest detail, and yet when it comes to writing it i become stuck. It varies dependant on the strength of the plot but at somepoint i do find myself running out of steam, until i am throwing paper around the room trying to squeeze out any new ideas.
I know for example that character A is getting from point 1 to point 4, but how i am not too sure? I did try to start writing my first novel (quite a bit of it), and then came to that point where i got stuck. I do want to continue it, but i have decided that for November to start something fresh. I hope that this storyline is stronger, so that it will keep going and maintain the momentum throughout (and i have planned a lot- seems to be going well, ideas pulling me forwards not backwards).
When i begin writing the first draft i only hope that this 'idea' for a novel (series actually) is i suppose good enough to be able to compelete something this large. So far i have written many short stories and as i mentioned above the beginning of one book, but my aim of course is to actually write an entire novel. As an amateur writer who dreams of being published one day, every time i sit down to plan something and write i do try to push myself so as to produce something good. My worst fear would be having these imaginative ideas, writing and then getting stuck...what happens next?
Lucinda wrote: "Gail wrote: "What keeps you from writing what you want to write? Whether it's your job, lack of free time, kids, or writer's block, let's talk about the things that hang us up and how to get over ..."Like Lucinda, I find my main barriers are internal. If the inner barriers come down, I can work around almost any outer barriers (I remember writing in a notebook with one hand while holding my sleeping infant son on my shoulder with the other hand; I also used to write on the PATH train, even standing straight up). But depression and self-doubt can put up barriers worse than the most packed schedule. At these times, "pushing myself" can sometimes do more harm than good. Sometimes I do better to go on a reading jag -- fill my mind with other people's stories until it rebels and pushes back with a story of its own.
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Hi MJ
I spent a lot of years writing at 5 am on Saturday mornings or after the kids went to bed, which can put you at your limits for creativity! Hang in there on the research--it will get easier as you get more practice. You'll find your groove!
I'm glad that our email conversation was helpful--and I really do want to encourage you to stick with it. That old saying about "what do you call a persistent writer--published!" is very true!
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I don't know if it would work for anyone else, but when I feel stuck or uninspired, I give myself permission to "throw up all over the page" and write whatever comes to me, knowing that if I hate it, I can delete it and no one will ever see it. Sometimes I do delete a lot of it, but more often than not, it will be better than I thought I felt up to, or at least be on the right track, so I feel as if I've made progress.
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You're in good company writing on notepads during quiet times in your day--that's how JK Rowling got started! And if immersing yourself in other people's work is what jumpstarts your muse, go for it!
Gail wrote: "Lucinda wrote: "Gail wrote: "What keeps you from writing what you want to write? Whether it's your job, lack of free time, kids, or writer's block, let's talk about the things that hang us up and ..."I agree completely. The first pages may be drivel but usually you enter the zone and it's all in the editing. Nice to know we all suffer from the same issues. :-)
Thank you so much Gail. Your advice is really helpful. x
Gail wrote: "when I feel stuck or uninspired, I give myself permission to "throw up all over the page"."I like that "throw up all over the page" approach. When I was working on my dissertation (a process that, for some, can last a lifetime), a professor gave me a priceless piece of advice: "Don't get it right; just get it written!" I put it up on a sign over my desk. Sometimes I think that motto can work for fiction, too.
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I like that "throw up all over the page" approach. When I was working on my dissertation (a..."
I think that should be the motto of every writer! Once you at least get something down on paper, you can react to it, get feedback from other people, or just let it sit for a while and percolate. But if you never put it down on paper, you can't look at it objectively
I am signing up this November to 'NaNoWriMo' where my aim shall be to write as much as possible, for their ethos is quantity over quality (and do the editing later on). I am hoping that this aproach may help get the ideas down on paper, as i do tend to think about things a lot in detail and question 'is this right or should i change it?' all the time.
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Gail wrote: "I think that NaNoWriMo is brilliant to get people in gear and overcome fear. You're absolutely right--you need to get it down on paper and stop overthinking it. Save the editing for later. If yo..."I do hope that it helps my writing. Thank you again for your helpful advice. x
I do know that some writers alocate time for writing whilst others are more spasmodic, and as i seem to be more of the latter i was wondering if this is a bad thing? should i alocate several specific hours in a day to write or write as i do know which is whenever i feel inspired.
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If you're writing with a goal of actually finishing a book (instead of just journaling for relaxation or enjoyment), then your odds of success increase when you schedule time to write.
That doesn't have to be big blocks of time, especially if you aren't working on deadline for a contract. Look for the times in your schedule when you can slip away for an hour or two--early Saturday morning before the kids wake up, late one night after the kids go to bed, or even during soccar practice while you sit in the car with your iPad. You'll find yourself looking forward to your writing time like it's a secret date. And you'll get the satisfaction of seeing your project make steady progress.
Gail wrote: "In my experience, if you write only when you feel inspired, you run the risk of never finishing your project. On the other hand, if you put butt in chair and begin typing, you'll be surprised how ..."Thank you so much Gail. I shall take note of your words and add structure to my daily writing.
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Don't make it a chore--make it something you look forward to, time you carve out for something important, which it is. You'll find yourself getting excited about it, and then you can start putting your subconscious to work prepping the next section of story for you to write, so that when you sit down you already know where you're going. You'll also feel really good about seeing even short writing sessions turn into word count. Enjoy!
I find lately that I have to have a goal, and that I stink on ice at making them for myself. Like I'm writing later tonight, but it's mainly due to seeing a submission for stories that I liked. Also, if I'm having stress in my personal life, it grinds my creative juices to dust.
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Can you make it a game instead of a goal? For example, dare yourself to write a particular scene in 1000 words. Offer yourself a treat if you win. If you're stuck on the actual linear story, make it a game to describe a character, interview a character, or write a scene that you know will happen later that is clear in your mind.
Stress is a big barrier for a lot of people. My only trick is to make thinking about your fictional world into a mental vacation so you can go and play in your fictional world when the real world sucks. That makes it a treat to writeecause you're going to hang out with your friends--kind of like jetting to Maui when you get stressed out.
Sometimes, when I have writers block about a particular scene, I move on to the next one where I know what is going to happen. After all, while you have to read the book in order, you don't have to write it in order. That usually gets me over the hump.
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I totally agree. And often when I get that other scene written, then the pieces that were missing in my mind about how to get from point A to point B fall into place.
Michael wrote: "Sometimes, when I have writers block about a particular scene, I move on to the next one where I know what is going to happen. After all, while you have to read the book in order, you don't have t..."That is a helpful tip actually, as sometimes my mind can go blank from how to get from one part to the next.
Daily tasks such as houswork, dogs, spending time with family can at times limit the amount of time when i write. If i am doing something that needs to be done by the time i get to sit down at the computer, it is often too late for me to write anything as when i am tired it is harder to concentrate to write. I have concidered drawing a timetable and alocating specific times of the day for things, such as for example 8am-10am writing, 10am-11am walk dogs, 11am-1pm housework and lunch ect. Do you think this is necessary, as i do want to make the best use of my time especially next month? I am also writing when helping my mother with a University Degree that she is doing, and as i still live at home i naturally want to be supportive. But spending several hours writing constantly for her essays and then trying to write something then completely different, does tend to turn my brain to slush!
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I tend to do my email and paperwork in the morning and get down to writing in the afternoon because I'm not a morning person, but my schedule permits that at this stage in life. For a lot of years, i had to write in the between-times when I wasn't working traditional hours, taking care of small kids, etc.
I totally undestand your dilemma of being burned out for your own writing when you're helping someone else with writing. That was an occupational hazard for me for years!
If you're trying to hit a wordcount by a certain date, scheduling will probably be the most successful strategy--but that depends on what works best for you!
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I've done it with single scenes, but I've always been afraid that if I did it too much, I'd have a string of disconnected scenes without the middle pieces!
Gail wrote: "Lucinda wrote: "Daily tasks such as houswork, dogs, spending time with family can at times limit the amount of time when i write. If i am doing something that needs to be done by the time i get to ..."Thank you Gail. I have got a time schedule planned and i shall just have to see if when implemented i can 1. stick to it and 2. that it works.
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Good for you! I want to hear how it goes!
Gail wrote: "Lucinda wrote: "Gail wrote: "Lucinda wrote: "Daily tasks such as houswork, dogs, spending time with family can at times limit the amount of time when i write. If i am doing something that needs to ..."Of course i will let you know and would like to thank you for your support, which means a lot to me.
Procrastination is my mortal enemy. I would love to write, but I keep getting distracted by music, work, and my own general thoughts. I also write a lot of video game novels, and that is also a bad distraction from original works (albeit good practice!). I'll open up a project with the intention of writing a couple of thousand words, and before I know it the evening has gone and I've barely written a sentence.I think I also get stuck doing a lot of planning. I'm so fixated on creating strong characters and a believeable world that I get lost or bored. Also a general belief that I couldn't come up with a complete storyline to fill a novel.
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Coming up with a complete storyline doesn't sound like a problem for you--you sound like you have a lot of imagination.
Are your video game novels for the game publishers or fan fic? Either way, I agree they're good practice.
Can you schedule "distraction breaks" when you write--maybe ten minutes every half hour or 45 minutes so that you get the reward of some time off, but you can maintain your focus in bursts? When my mind wanders a lot, that helps me stay on task.
Gail wrote: "Amanda wrote: "Procrastination is my mortal enemy. I would love to write, but I keep getting distracted by music, work, and my own general thoughts. I also write a lot of video game novels, and tha..."Thanks. :)
I write them as fanfic. I started doing them just for practice to develop my skills. Plus it meant I got to take a story I loved and transfer it into written form. Even though they don't get published, I get a lot of satisfaction just from writing them, which I found to be much more important.
I will certainly give that method a try. I think I just need a bit more discipline to not get so distracted. I'll certainly give that method a try. :)
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Fanfic can be a great way to practice writing and gain confidence. I started writing fanfic in junior high, and it's where I learned that I could entertain people. The point is to keep at it!
I suffer from periodic attacks of lack of confidence, which most people call "writer's block." I agree with Gail that writing fanfic can help. I was blocked on my work in progress this summer and spent most of the summer working on Hunger Games Trilogy fanfiction until I got my confidence back. The fanfic projects will probably never be finished. My own ideas take priority.
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I play the same game in my mind, and find that once the imagination starts moving, it's easier to transfer it back over to your own stuff.
