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Post by Firestarter on Jul 3, 2006 17:57:26 GMT -5
A tough one. I've lost all confidence in everything I write. In the past, I could type out a sentence and be happy. Now, it seems, I look at everything I write with too critical an eye and expect perfection. I know as well as most people that writing never comes out perfect the first time, and that it needs to be rewritten and changed. Like it's said that 90% of writing is rewriting or something.
Well, I've come up with some ideas and I just feel like all the skills I've learnt through my life in writing have been lost somewhere. I wrote a paragraph for a new short story the other day; re-read it, hated it, and deleted it. I know what you'll say! Never delete what you write. Well, I did. I read over it and hated it.
Maybe I need to experiment in doing free-writes closing my eyes so I can't get so fed up with what I write, I don't know.
Any suggestions?
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skye
Senior Writer
cuz i'm not afraid of dying if you're loving me to death
Posts: 124
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Post by skye on Jul 3, 2006 18:21:29 GMT -5
I suggest not re-reading it. Well, not for a certian period of time at least, say a week or so. Then go back, and if you still hate it, try to pinpoint exactly what it is you're not liking. A period of separation can help you (well, at least it helps me) look at what you had written with a not-so-personal eye. Hope this helps, and I hope you get over this soon.
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Post by CassandraJ on Jul 3, 2006 18:44:27 GMT -5
Last year I wrote a short story for school, loved it, thought it was the best thing ever...you get the idea. I opened up the file this year, read through it and thought, "My God, I showed this to people?" The point? skye is right. If you wait a little while before you re-read, you can better evaluate your work. I don't dare re-read the novel I'm working on right now. I just think to myself, "Okay, keep going." because I know it's rubbish. But I'll go back and fix that later. Try to keep that inner critic down. I like the image of someone closing their eyes and writing. Only my handwriting would get so sloppy I wouldn't be able to read it at all, better yet fix it. Hope I helped!
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Post by Snoink on Jul 3, 2006 22:21:20 GMT -5
Don't write just a pargraph -- write a couple of hundred words so you can do several paragraphs. Sometimes with certain paragraphs, it's hit and miss. For example, there are some paragraphs in my story that are completely boring. I didn't get the right the first time. But at the same time, these paragraphs are surrounded by better ones. So yes, sometimes I read a paragraph and die because of the corniness of it all, but the next one I love, so I end upo just revising it.
I think it's a little like photography. The more pictures you take, the more totally awesome pictures you have, even if you're not a good photographer.
Another thing which you can do is to use writing forums for help. Show them the paragraph and ask, "Okay, what's wrong with it?" And people will generally be honest with you.
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Sam
Writer
No, darling. I'm not a monster- I'm merely misunderstood.
Posts: 61
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Post by Sam on Jul 4, 2006 0:14:51 GMT -5
Agreed. Writing a big chunk and then evaluating is better because you can catch more character flaws...
And I'm usually consoled by the fact that the writing I personally hate (of mine, of course) other people love.
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Imp
Speaker of the Forums
Impishly Inclined
Posts: 557
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Post by Imp on Jul 4, 2006 0:29:33 GMT -5
A tough one. I've lost all confidence in everything I write. In the past, I could type out a sentence and be happy. Now, it seems, I look at everything I write with too critical an eye and expect perfection. I know as well as most people that writing never comes out perfect the first time, and that it needs to be rewritten and changed. Like it's said that 90% of writing is rewriting or something. Well, I've come up with some ideas and I just feel like all the skills I've learnt through my life in writing have been lost somewhere. I wrote a paragraph for a new short story the other day; re-read it, hated it, and deleted it. I know what you'll say! Never delete what you write. Well, I did. I read over it and hated it. Maybe I need to experiment in doing free-writes closing my eyes so I can't get so fed up with what I write, I don't know. Any suggestions? I've had the same problem...especially about six months ago; it's still rather stubbornly haunting me. Nothing just cures it. At least, I haven't experienced a cure. Write - just write, as you said, free-write and don't look back. If that still feels or looks stilted, read authors that you enjoy and don't think about it but enjoy it. I found that the more I edited and doubted, the worse it became. If I wrote on whim, or merely for the fun of it, I got the sense back of the story and flow and things connected much better. Sorry about it in the first place though. It's a bloody rotten place to get stuck in. -_-'
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Elelel
Junior Writer
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Posts: 41
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Post by Elelel on Jul 4, 2006 1:36:11 GMT -5
Deffinately don't reread AT ALL until you've finished more than just a paragraph. That's what I'd do to break the habit of being a critic for your own work. Don't even give yourself the oportunity. Once it's on the paper or word document, it's invisible.
Also, maybe when you want to change something and it's only a short thing, rewrite it instead of deleting it. So it's still there, and the new one is there, and nothing's gone. And if you don't like the seond attempt, try again. And if you don't like the third attempt, leave it as it is and move on and forget about the bad spot until you're in a better writing mood.
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jigsaw
Senior Writer
Purveyor of Random Wierdness
Posts: 238
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Post by jigsaw on Jul 4, 2006 2:59:35 GMT -5
Hmm, with my writing Im pretty much blind to its faults, at least initially. The only thing that bothers me as I write is spelling, apart from that I can write anything without the inner critic speaking up--he's shy, doesnt want to hurt my monstrous ego. However, after a period of time I'll look at whatever it was again, and just be thoroughly disgusted. COMPLETE REWRITE....if I can be bothered.
Take Shadow for instance, I thought it was awesome--first thing i wrote--I look at it now and am appalled. So I guess, allowing some time to pass would be the best option--after writing the something--then coming back to look at it. We are constantly growing as writers so there'll be something there that you'll want to change or fix.
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Post by Firestarter on Jul 4, 2006 5:46:35 GMT -5
Thanks everyone! Hopefully I can start writing prose again -- it's been too long.
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Post by Areida on Jul 4, 2006 11:23:23 GMT -5
Agreed! Your prose is great.
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Post by Meshugenah on Jul 4, 2006 12:04:03 GMT -5
I'll second that one, Ari. Jacko, you're prose is great.
I'll agree with everyone else; don't even look at it until you've written at least (handwritten for me) a page, or a few hundred words typed. Also, just write. Be it fake journal entries, an excerpt of an essay, a random descriptive passage: just write! The same easily goes for poetry (just not the word counts, usually). The one thing I've learned, though, is to write a piece that means something to you, (pardon my language), but screw the rest of the world. If it doesn't speak to you, I wouldn't bother. Write in small amounts, don't force it, editors and readers can usually tell if a passage is forced.
And don't even listen to your inner critic; leave that to the editors 'round here, for now.
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Post by Firestarter on Jul 4, 2006 17:47:29 GMT -5
Thanks again I posted something in Fantasy Fiction, a bit of flash prose to get me going. Nothing special, but at least I wrote something. I don't do many short stories so it was refreshing.
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fishr
Writer
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Posts: 69
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Post by fishr on Jul 4, 2006 22:59:55 GMT -5
Ha! The mark of a writer, ever growing. I can relate. In the past, I thought this sentence was sufficient, only to have a billion others argue, lol. But then, my skills grew, I began learning to edit my own work, and thus, the critical eye developed. In my opinion, I would accept it as a compliment. It means you know exactly the type of flow in your stories that makes you comfortable, and there's no second guessing. For me, I have six or more stories unfinished, lol. Why? Lost interest but someday, I will edit each one, and finish them. It took me eight years or so to locate my niche (historical fiction), and I've stuck to my current project for nearly a year without boredom. For you, like me, it'll probably take time before you find the genre that holds your interest entirely. Until that day comes, I find non-fiction (a personal favorite genre) a great way to release tension from writer's block. At least with this genre, the world usually has been created for you, but research plays a role. However, if research is completely out of the question, that's the great aspect of non-fiction. It doesn't have to be about a historic figure, passage of time, or when Dinosaurs ruled the Earth. You could simply write about a family member, a memory, your greatest fears or triumphs, etc. The other thing that I've discovered is script writing. I can take my main characters from my novel, and place them in unique positions. It's VERY interesting what becomes of those characters, but so fun too! Scripts has become my new favorite tool, and the great thing is, you can throw grammar nearly out the window. It's a script, so you don't need to put for example, "Sam, stop it!" I said. Instead, the script would appear something along these lines : I personally think with scripts, it releases the tension because you don't have to focus on grammar or how the character is expressing their emotions. After the script is finished, then you can add all the little details. And if the story is in the first person, scripts are especially help because a writer can gain insight from what the character is interpreting. I hope you get your confidence back, Jack. I was enjoying reading about Robert Shaw.
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writingluver5
Senior Writer
Eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow, you may diet!
Posts: 154
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Post by writingluver5 on Jul 5, 2006 22:54:38 GMT -5
You can do it Jack-and I'll give you two words of advice: just write. Simple, but if you don't write, you don't have anything to even critique!
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