The frustration of going through my WIP folder

[StillStunned]

I haven't written much the last week or so. Actually I have, but it's been a few hundred words here and there, just adding bits to works that have been on hold for months.

But in the process I've been rereading all those unfinished stories. Some of them are pretty good, if I say so myself - well, I would, because they're written to suit my own specific tastes.

So it's extra frustrating that they're unfinished. I want to grab the author by the shoulders and yell, "What next? Finish the story, dammit, you bastard!"

Except the bastard is me. And just now I don't have the energy for any significant output. I'm dying to read the stories, though.

 

[SimonDoom]

I hear you. My list of unfinished stories grows faster than my list of finished stories. It's not even close.

Suggestion: Pick the low-hanging fruit. Pick a story that's partly done, and that won't take too long to finish. Finish it. You'll feel good about getting it done and it may spur you to write more.

 

[AwkwardlySet]

The trouble with writing is that it takes soooo much time and work. At times it's delightful work but at times it's tedious as fuck. That's likely the biggest reason why writers struggle with their motivation. I can't imagine anyone not loving that moment when the story is finished and ready to be published. But it's such a long and winding road that leads there...

 

[StillStunned]

I just found a sci-fi story I'd pushed to the back of my mind that already has 8k words written. Maybe that will satisfy my reading bug for an hour or so.

 

[alohadave]

I hear you. My list of unfinished stories grows faster than my list of finished stories. It's not even close.

Suggestion: Pick the low-hanging fruit. Pick a story that's partly done, and that won't take too long to finish. Finish it. You'll feel good about getting it done and it may spur you to write more.

One nice thing about unfinished WIPs is that sometimes they match the theme of an upcoming contest or event. Makes finishing the story something you have a goal for.

I have one that is at the outline stage, but would be perfect for the At Work event and now I have a reason to work on it.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I don't have this problem. I don't keep several hundred words snippets, I either delete them or keep writing. I have three incomplete stories, that's it, and they're all around 5k words at the moment. Mind you, one is three years old, the others one and two years, but they'll get there eventually. They're all sequels, for various anthologies.

Everything I've written in the last five years has been a side project for something else, but I'm mostly pretty good at finishing what I've started, one at a time. Except these three!

 

[Bazzle]

I haven't written much the last week or so. Actually I have, but it's been a few hundred words here and there, just adding bits to works that have been on hold for months.

But in the process I've been rereading all those unfinished stories. Some of them are pretty good, if I say so myself - well, I would, because they're written to suit my own specific tastes.

So it's extra frustrating that they're unfinished. I want to grab the author by the shoulders and yell, "What next? Finish the story, dammit, you bastard!"

Except the bastard is me. And just now I don't have the energy for any significant output. I'm dying to read the stories, though.

I have two stories both of about 12k in length. One is sooooo nearly finished. I've written a three some and a golden shower for the finale..But I'm still not happy it's finished.
The other one is about 5k off finishing...and I'm in the culdesac of plot. The only way out is the way in...can I reverse?

So I distract myself editing and suggesting stuff for others, until the reversing light and camera come on and I repetitively beep my way out!

 

[SimonDoom]

One nice thing about unfinished WIPs is that sometimes they match the theme of an upcoming contest or event. Makes finishing the story something you have a goal for.

I have one that is at the outline stage, but would be perfect for the At Work event and now I have a reason to work on it.

Very true! I probably have at least one unfinished story for every possible contest coming up this year. I have a bunch of unfinished "summer" stories.

 

[Rob_Royale]

I haven't written much the last week or so. Actually I have, but it's been a few hundred words here and there, just adding bits to works that have been on hold for months.

But in the process I've been rereading all those unfinished stories. Some of them are pretty good, if I say so myself - well, I would, because they're written to suit my own specific tastes.

So it's extra frustrating that they're unfinished. I want to grab the author by the shoulders and yell, "What next? Finish the story, dammit, you bastard!"

Except the bastard is me. And just now I don't have the energy for any significant output. I'm dying to read the stories, though.

Right there with you. Especially when I'm also working on getting older stories reformatted for publishing elsewhere.

 

[mildlyaroused]

My unfinished stories are few but large. I have a couple 5k Lit stories I haven't got back to, and several novels in the ~90k word range which I haven't touched for months. In some ways it's a privilege to have them, though, because the longer I leave them the more excited I become about getting back to them once I finish my current projects. If you let your characters, themes and narrative sit for a long time, they'll naturally (for me, anyway) flesh themselves out and the story you tell when you come back will be purer, more refined.

 

[yowser]

I prefer at least a little backlog, on the theory that's always better to have a couple projects begun that can be jump-started than an empty slate that stares at you, drumming fingers and shooting you nasty stares. And usually the hopeless causes drop off on their own, sooner or later.

Maybe we all should have a swap meet of plot bunny orphans?

 

[ChloeTzang]

LOL. I hear you so well. I have a huge backlog of unfinished series, unfinished stories, novels I'm working on, ideas for stories and .....it goes on. Years of writing, literally.

Love stories, first time stories, happy wives (LOL), tearjerkers, historicals, sci-fi - I have a whole sci-fi series mapped out.....my trouble is focusing on getting one done at a time - I get an idea and start writing, and then I get a new idea and start writing......so many bunnies running around in my head

 

[astuffedshirt_perv]

IBut in the process I've been rereading all those unfinished stories....So it's extra frustrating that they're unfinished. I want to grab the author by the shoulders and yell, "What next? Finish the story, dammit, you bastard!"

Give AI a try. Fun to take an unfinished story that I know I'll never touch, drop it in, and read the continuation as it is written before you eyes.

 

[StillStunned]

Give AI a try. Fun to take an unfinished story that I know I'll never touch, drop it in, and read the continuation as it is written before you eyes.

Thanks for the suggestion, but I'd rather just play out the stories in my mind. Or go back to them when I have the energy to write properly.

 

[LetsMisBehave]

Sometimes, it's best to let stories marinade. You know the start and the endpoint, but getting the route right is hard. I have about seven stories, which are mostly written but don't quite work for me (whether they work for anyone else is a different matter). There are another six where I have the outline. On the one which I have revisited after a few months, I have realised that it works best as two separate stories in two different categories, but with an invitation at the end of each of them to see the other POV in the other story

 

[yowser]

I have about seven stories, which are mostly written but don't quite work for me (whether they work for anyone else is a different matter).

Marinating is often a useful, some would say essential, part of good story creation. Many flaws are apt to become visible with some distance and reflection. I would also say that if you as an author are unhappy with a story, your readership will also feel that way, often more so. I don't like to put a story out there unless I am in the 90% happy stage. The good news is that it is almost always possible with some thought and effort to make things better. Good luck.

 

[NaughteeDragon]

My WIP folder is about to get a workout. I’ve got a 150k novel I’m 70% done with that I was going to start with. One of the experienced writers said ‘don’t make a novel your first piece” and why. Totally made sense. So now I’m fixing some old pieces and crafting a couple of items for contests that will go up first.

 

[Belegon]

The trouble with writing is that it takes soooo much time and work. At times it's delightful work but at times it's tedious as fuck. That's likely the biggest reason why writers struggle with their motivation. I can't imagine anyone not loving that moment when the story is finished and ready to be published.But it's such a long and winding road that leads there...

AwkwardlySet:

It's been about four years now since I finished my last published work... for me, that "moment when the story is finished and ready to be published" is usually less of a loving moment and more of a relief. By the time I get anything into that form, I'm usually quite bored with it and desperate to move on to something else. I also seem to have a "wall" that I hit with longer works. I've got maybe a half dozen pieces that were intended to reach novel length that are stalled around 25K words. One of them is probably going to be the next thing attacked now that I am finally developing the urge to write again.