I'm less than a handful of scenes from finishing this current draft. I know how it's going to end. I know what I need to write. But whenever I sit down at my computer, the words won't come. Instead I get a barrage of you can't do this, this book sucks, and maybe i should change that scene in chapter two.
So then I do this...
And contemplate an ending where I blow up my world and kill off my characters and be done with it. Then I feel bad, so I go pin all the pretty pictures on Pinterest to make myself feel better, and before I know it another day is gone.
Don't get me wrong. I really truly love my story, my characters, and writing them. I already wrote this story...several times over. I even queried it. And last fall, an agent invited me to resubmit once the writing was stronger.
So I ripped it apart and put it back together. Gave my characters bigger goals and tougher conflicts. I've taken class upon class (I highly highly recommend Margie Lawson) and I can see the difference.
There are a few thousand words left to go. Few enough that I could finish this draft before the week's over...maybe even tonight.
So what am I waiting for?
I have no idea.
Anybody else get like this near the end? Please tell me I'm not alone.
Sometimes it's hardest going at the very end. I don't know why. For one novel I wrote in high school, I took a break and didn't go back to finish it for months. It's like your writer psyche knows you're near the end and gives you permission to wind down--prematurely! Maybe try to take an intentional break so that you get impatient to get back to it.
ReplyDeleteYeah, I'm in the exact same situation. I spent 12 hours Saturday to re-write a page. And I played about 300 games of solitare. I'm so close to the end too.
ReplyDeleteI'm just doing what I hope are final tweaks. But I feel like I need to make every word perfect and perfect just isn't coming.
Ah, that last scrap of motivation. So, there are a few ways to do that last part.
ReplyDeleteI've known people who have the voice, you know the "I suck" voice? They give it exactly one page. They type all the nasty things it wants to say for one page. And then they delete that evil page and get moving on their writing. I'm told it's very cathartic.
For me personally, I'm a carrot/stick person. I have to figure out if I need the motivation of a carrot, or the motivation of the stick.
Try the carrot first. Tell yourself that if you make X goal for the day, you will get Y treat (guilt free pintrest time, or a walk, or a luxurious bath, something, anything). That's my best carrot work.
Stick motivation is really simple. Tell yourself that you can either write or do some horrible chore that builds up at your house. It has to be both necessary and unfortunate (I use cat boxes and dog dookie duty). I find that the threat of dog poop makes the words come.
Anyhow, good luck. I know how hard the last part can be.
First of all, I love Rena's comment, and I'm so trying the carrot/stick thing!
ReplyDeleteSecond, I'm in on the other end of the spectrum. I'm having the hardest time getting motivated to write a first draft. I don't know if it's my plot or my characters or what, but I just can't seem to get off my butt and write the thing. For me, the end is the fun part. It's getting that ball rolling up the hill that kills.
But keep going! And try Rena's carrot/stick thing - sounds like a great plan!
Wow, I love the carrot/stick thing Rena suggested!
ReplyDeleteAhh Carrie, I feel your pain…you of all people know that I'm struggling with the same thing. But having been privy to reading the first draft, I have to say you need to stick it out because you've got a great story!
I'm sending all my writing vibes your way this week!
every time i edit!
ReplyDeletethose last pages of climax and wrap up are annoyingly hard to write!
rena, ha! such the scientific method! love it!
You are not alone. And once I get into that thinking, it is easy to spiral out of control. I call it shame spiraling. That's when you think of one bad thing about your WIP and that leads to another and that leads to another and it's a downward spiral of shame. The only way past it is to push through it. So PUSH, lady! The carrot/stick advice was good. :)
ReplyDeleteI love Rena's carrot/stick metaphor. I don't call it that, but I threaten myself with chores and that usually does the trick. My personal cheerleaders also are great for getting through those days. I call one of them, talk about the chapter/scene bogging me down and BAM! I am back in the game and ready to go.
ReplyDeleteGood luck, dear lady!
I like what Rena said too. But I think we all hit this place sometimes, you just have to push through. And I know how you feel. I have a story I feel the exact same way about. But I did get invitations to re-submit. So I'll rewrite it and resubmit anyhow. Eventually. That process has made me scared to write and you can see it in my work. I'm afraid that since I thought this was really good and only I did, I'll never write anything good. But you've got some encouragement, so take it. Use that invitation for motivation. This is your chance.
ReplyDeleteThanks everybody for your awesome suggestions and support!!!
ReplyDelete