Book 3 in a Trilogy -- Why so hard?

[Martin]

Why is the third book always a PITA to finish? I wrapped up Book II fairly quickly over last summer and the winter and it is being edited.

And while I have the last chapter written and the final encounter drafted, why is it such a chore to wrap it up? Does anyone else have this problem?

Is it because we don't want it to end?

[Jeffrey, Lentarian Fire Thrower]

Quite possibly. I'm on my third book right now, and while it's not progressing as fast as I'd like, I'm still making headway on it.

Maybe that's true, where you don't really want the series to end. I haven't hit the end yet, and I'm sure my opinion will change... :)

Big J

[Ken]

Book 1 & 2 for me....I was crazed and couldn't type fast enough. One night I was up until dawn & banged out 10,000 words! Book 3, I discovered, was sort of starting over. I continued the plot line, but I had to go back and "re-invent" my little universe. If that makes sense. Books 3 & 4 definitely took longer.

[Alice]

Maybe it's just the work. I'm on book 1 of a new series and hit a wall last week. I had plenty of ideas and the scenes were running in my head, but the thought of sitting down at the keyboard was overwhelming. I spent the time working in the garden and I feel a lot better this week.

[Ken]

Sometimes a break is what is needed. I started my next book, but have been kicking it around in my head for a couple months. I think I will get back to typing next month. Funny how our brains work (or don't)

[Jeffrey, Lentarian Fire Thrower]

Been there, done that. There are days when I can picture the scenes vividly and the words just flow. Then there are days where I can still picture the scenes, but I'm stuck at the keyboard, tapping my fingers on the desk. Then something else catches my attention and I'm distracted.

It's sad. I'm trying to write and quite literally, it's like, oooooo, shiny object!

[Mia]

Is it concluding a trilogy, or just third books, I wonder. I know I've been struggling a bit more with the third book in my series than I recall doing with the first two. They say there's usually a struggle with the second album for musicians. Maybe for writers we have trouble with the third?

[Breeana]

I'm in the middle of re-writes with the third book in my four-book series, and it has definitely been the hardest so far ... I just can't get the whole climax/resolution flow to "click" for me. My beta readers are liking the story, but feeling the same way. It's been a challenge, for sure.

[Martin]

Yes, getting that final scene is tough. And even the scenes that lead up to it--this is the last chapter, so I can't have anything left. It has to get wrapped up! So stressful :)

[Rob]

Mia wrote: "They say there's usually a struggle with the second album for musicians..."

I heard that for bands it is the third that is the struggle too. The second album is helped by the stuff that never made it into the first.

Does it work like that for books too? I don't know. The second book I'm currently working on certainly benefits from 'outtakes' from the first. At least in getting me started anyway. Can't say how it'll be for the third, though I suspect I'll have gotten tired of the same main characters by then. I mean, I love them to death (sometimes literally) but every relationship needs a bit of space.