Writing something that you don't want to write

[Carry]

Something horrible happens in my story. While it is not going to be in the actually story, I feel that I need to write it to understand it better and know what exactly has happened. Whenever I think of it, I feel sick and I don't really want to write it.

The dreaded scene(s) are about my favourite character being tortured while he doesn't really deserved it (some power crazy psychopath doesn't like the characters and wants to have fun with him). Towards the end of the story this character will finally talk about it with something and that's the biggest reason why I need to know exactly what happened.

I know that writing it will make me a better writer but I'm in desperate need of tips to tackle this. Did someone go through a similar experience and has some tips for me?

[J. David]

Absolutely, in my series there is one character (Heather) whose mother is an alcoholic. In the first book, all we really see is that Heather's mother is somewhat verbally abusive when drunk, but in the 2nd book we go back further and find that Heather's mom has been getting wasted and bringing home these abusive men who beat her. It was HORRIBLE for me to write, but absolutely necessary to tell their story. That was the hardest chapter for me to write, because it just put me through the wringer emotionally. In the end, I just had to focus on the fact that, just as in the case of real therapy, the characters in my mind will be better for the truth coming out, and I just kept hitting the keys until it was done.The chapter was just as painful the 2nd time through when I worked on 2nd draft revisions, and remains just as painful to read as it was to write. But in the end, the bad things your characters endure are just as much a part of them as the good things, and make them better characters for the telling. That's my view.

[J]

@ Carry - In my old story there were some scenes that were hard to write. Killing off a character is tough. In my current story, I feel bad for what happens at the end. Punishment for a big, big misunderstanding or deception. :(

@ J. - Did all this happen with Heather's mother and her 'beating boyfriends' in the story or before the story and appear in flashbacks?

[Giulia]

I have to write a scene/chapter I don't want to. I know my story needs it. But I keep shying away from it. And so my story has stalled, because I'm avoiding it. Don't avoid it--write it, and see what you learn about your characters from it.

[J. David]

Josh wrote: "@ Carry - In my old story there were some scenes that were hard to write. Killing off a character is tough. In my current story, I feel bad for what happens at the end. Punishment for a big, big m..."

The answer to this question is more complicated than you might think because of the way time works in my series, but the best answer is it happened before the story. Time is constantly jumping back and forth in this series, so we are always flashing between 3 or 4 timeframes, some far in the past.

[Carry]

I gathered up my courage and started to write them. I wrote a bit earlier today, during grammar class at Uni and it went rather well. Though it are only very very rough drafts. When I will type them (and I automatically start polishing then) I fear I will have a harder time. I can just hear my character screaming in my head when I write this stuff :/
But it's a relief to get it over with, actually.

[Ann]

I haven't actually had this problem. I've written a nasty scene that happens in the second book of Vermillion's series, it was the first thing I wrote actually of it.

But I get excited to get emotional responses from my readers. And see if I can get them from myself. I'm actually quite hard to provoke meaningfully in humour and upset in fiction. I always think that it helps that I don't have to see the screen or the keyboard to type, and I type fast too.

It enables me to just see the pictures playing out in my head, i guess it disconnects me somehow.

But there is a scene I will write in a future novel that I think will push my boundaries.

[Anna]

It is amazing that when we put our mind, thoughts and actions together when writing everything just seems to flow and gel.

[Carl]

I avoid directly writing about my parents, my janitor "career," and church politics. My dad is a retired pastor. Yet bits of these sneak into other fiction.

[Carl]

I love to write horrible scenes. Must be some sickness.

[Ann]

Hahaha, GeorgeRRitis.

[Steve]

I've written several things I didn't want to write, most of them acedemic papers, if you don't want to do it it tends to go downhill fast, creatively I think you should write want you most want to write and treat the rest as work

[Char]

Its a part of the life cycle that also appears in our stories. Death and despair must believe its about to conquer at some point so that the character can strike off its head and win. If that's how you want them to deal with it. Just sit down and take it slow. You don't want to rush writing it because it might miss pieces and the reader will be confused. Crying does normally occur. But I believe you can do it. Everyone is different in how they deal with it. Just try to make yourself as comfortable as possible. :)

[Steve]

!!! just noticed how bad my typing is there, thank the gods for Word! LOL

[Ann]

@Steve tells me about it, I think its the font. It plays up my dyslexia something terrible!

[Steve]

I'm dyslexia, bad typist and have saugages for fingers, that was a stupid upgrade!

[Ann]

OMG I'm really not enjoying the new format lol

[Dawn]

I'm odd. I love to write death and horror, but also make the characters in the story show remorse and mourning for the loss of life. So while my stories aren't categorized as horror or dark, I enjoy killing off people. The hard part is writing how the characters feel about the death, while I'm doing a happy dance in my head because I killed an undesirable character. LOL.

[Deb]

Bisky wrote: "But I get excited to get emotional responses from my readers. And see if I can get them from myself. "

Yes. This. As in, me too! I love doing horrible things to my characters, because then I know I'll (and hopefully my readers will, too) feel something!

One of my favourite scenes in one of my favourite books ("Best Served Cold" by Joe Abercrombie) is a torture scene where someone undeserving gets mutilated... it was horrid, and I felt SO sorry for the guy. Oh, and the way it complicates his relationship with one of the other characters... Just really well done. It had made him one of my favourites if/when he shows up in other JA books...

It also makes me want to come up with a story idea that would give me an excuse to do something similar!

[Ann]

OMG that scene .__. I know exactly the one you mean lol

[J.X.]

I have done that before, written a scene that won't see its way into the book just to have it clearly laid out. As far as writing something that makes you feel ill, not so much of that; a little sad, sure, but I also realize the importance of it. We do it so the reader will empathize, and also because if nothing bad ever happens to anybody, there's no conflict, and without conflict you can't have the oh-so-delicious conflict resolution! :D

[Ann]

"and without conflict you can't have the oh-so-delicious conflict resolution! :D"

Shouldnt that be a winky smilie? :p

;D

[J.X.]

Bisky wrote: "Shouldnt that be a winky smilie? :p

;D"

Ahhh, so it's THAT kind of conflict resolution! ;)

[Steve]

I haven't said anything in a while ... LOUD NOISES (yes I am this bored)

[Ann]

I think quiet mystery noises are more distracting.

ghosts .__.

[Ann]

Though I should say that editing today was rather tough for me. I'm trying to express a mother's feelings at having to leave her child for a short time without contact.

While trying not to remind myself that human babies scare me o_____o

I'm pretending its a baby cat. That I can understand.

[G.G.]

First the noises... just between us guys, you are cranking me up with that one. I will let you guess what loud and quiet mystery noises bring to my mind. :P (Hint: I've never heard of a ghost doing that!)

@Bisky Why are you scared of babies? They don't bite... much! :p

[Steve]

am I a ghost! that would explain a lot

[Ann]

But... Baby's produce smelly liquids... Lots of it :I

[Dawn]

Bahaha Bisky. You aren't alone. They make really loud noises, too. I have a knack for setting them off, so try to avoid them. Baby kittens? Oh yeah, it's on. I will snuggle and love them all day long lol.

[Ann]

I'm sure I will grow to love them eventually...

:I

Until then its cats. Lots of cats.

[G.G.]

Oh but what about puppies?

And you will grow to love them once you get your own, (but that doesn't mean you will start loving them all.)
It's quite strange how some people will love anything baby. For me it was more like mine's ok. My sister's, and (one) cousin's, slightly ok too, but that's it. All others, I was polite because it's hard to say NO I don't want to hold THAT THING, (or get THAT THING away from me!) but if I could have, I would have!

[Ann]

Puppies are alright, but they smell. Kitties don't smell.

Also thats what I say to people.

I don't hate kids. I just hate other people's kids.

I just don't have any of my own yet :P

I'm still the obnoxious under 25 who can give scowling looks to parents who bring their babies to resturants at 11pm :p

[Kevin]

Dawn wrote: I'm odd. I love to write death and horror, but also make the characters in the story show remorse and mourning for the loss of life.

I'm the same way. It's not that I'm morbid, but I think the most interesting stories are the one's rife with tragedy. The more traumatic the situations I put my main characters in, the more gripping the story becomes. That gets me excited. It's the scenes where everything is going right that I struggle to stay inspired, because there's nothing to root for or draw me in.