How Do I FINISH?

[glocktwentyseven]

I am an aspiring writer who comes up with great ideas for stories, novels and series (over 200 at last count) but has yet to finish a single one! I am great at character development, plot outlines, and research, but when it comes to actually finishing what I write, I fucking fail. So I put the question to you accomplished authors and writers out there in Literotica-land: What do I need to do to stick with a story and finish it? Are there any writing techniques or mental exercises I could employ to help me continue writing when I hit the wall?

Thanks in advance!

 

[lovecraft68]

I am aspiring writer who comes up with great ideas for stories, novels and series (over 200 at last count) but has yet to finish a single one! I am great at character development, plot outlines, and research, but when it comes to actually finishing what I write, I fucking fail. So I put the question to you accomplished authors and writers: What do I need to do to stick with a story and finish it? Are there any writing techniques or mental exercises I could employ to help me continue writing when I hit the wall?

Thanks in advance!

Well one thing I would like to point out is to stop doing any more outlines until you actually finish something. If you get part way through then say, well yeah this is okay but wait! Here is another idea! You will not get anywhere. You need to be focused not flighty. Have tunnel vision and finish something even if the ending is not great you can always look at it again and start to tweak it.

 

[PennLady]

I am aspiring writer who comes up with great ideas for stories, novels and series (over 200 at last count) but has yet to finish a single one! I am great at character development, plot outlines, and research, but when it comes to actually finishing what I write, I fucking fail. So I put the question to you accomplished authors and writers: What do I need to do to stick with a story and finish it? Are there any writing techniques or mental exercises I could employ to help me continue writing when I hit the wall?

Thanks in advance!

Glock,

I'm sure there are sites or books or techniques to help with this. I know how you feel; I often have a beginning for a story but not always an end. I'd try imagining a point you'd like to get your characters to -- it may not be the end, but it may spark an idea. Also hard to say not knowing what kind of stories you're writing.

If it's a romance, do you want it to end with the main characters saying I love you? Getting married? If it's, say, sf, do you want it to end with the good guys winning? The bad guys? You don't have to have the final scene in mind, just where you want to get.

There's another thread around here on writer's block. Some suggested re-reading earlier works, some (me among them) time away from writing altogether. You just have to try and see what works for you.

 

[mynameisben]

I am an aspiring writer who comes up with great ideas for stories, novels and series (over 200 at last count) but has yet to finish a single one! I am great at character development, plot outlines, and research, but when it comes to actually finishing what I write, I fucking fail. So I put the question to you accomplished authors and writers out there in Literotica-land: What do I need to do to stick with a story and finish it? Are there any writing techniques or mental exercises I could employ to help me continue writing when I hit the wall?

Thanks in advance!

Some writers adopt the approach where they will focus on characters and dialog and a few ideas and pray that the characters will lead them through the story. For some people that works out fine, whereas for others it dead-ends into stories that never get finished. If you find yourself in the latter camp, then focus more on your plot outlines, since you seem to like using them. But take your outline all the way to the finish line BEFORE you let your characters paint the story into a corner that you can't plot your way out of. Some writers need to have a clear view of the finish line to guide them towards it, and I think that you, like me, are one of them.

Maybe not. Writing is all sorcery anyway. Good luck.

 

[stephen55]

Consider one of the habits of highly effective people (not that I'm one of them).

Begin with the end in mind.

 

[JackLuis]

Stop writing and study a little.

There are several patterns to most stories. Longer works are more complex and shorter works may be as simple as, Boy sees girl. Boy approaches girl. She accepts his offer, "The End"

The Hero's myth, is a Nine Step sequence of events that have been used for eons, from the Ancient Greeks to Star Wars. However it takes, maybe 250,000 words to do it justice.

1000 word stories have a Beginning, a Middle and an End you can try splitting the 1000 into 200-450-350, words or what ever you choose.

try to write a 1000 word story, if it gets over 1500 words, cut, slash and rewrite.

Then try 5-10,000 words/ If you can put a beginning, middle and end together, you have a start. Go from there.

As Donna in "My New Best Friend" said, "I thrust my hips into his face and realized that I did agree with Sheila, every chapter should end with a big shivering climax. "

 

[sr71plt]

Begin with the end in mind.

Bingo. It might not be the ending you end up with, but if you begin with an end goal in mind, that will help you drive there.

 

[JAMESBJOHNSON]

Bingo. It might not be the ending you end up with, but if you begin with an end goal in mind, that will help you drive there.

Yep.

I recently published a story that begins with a woman returning her new car to the dealership for a repair recall. The story ends with her car breaking down at the worst possible time.

Your ending starts in the beginning.

Just read A CHOICE OF ENEMIES by George V. Higgins. It starts with a Puerto Rican kid keying cars, and ends with the same kid keying cars.

 

[amicus]

I am an aspiring writer who comes up with great ideas for stories, novels and series (over 200 at last count) but has yet to finish a single one! I am great at character development, plot outlines, and research, but when it comes to actually finishing what I write, I fucking fail. So I put the question to you accomplished authors and writers out there in Literotica-land: What do I need to do to stick with a story and finish it? Are there any writing techniques or mental exercises I could employ to help me continue writing when I hit the wall?

Thanks in advance!

~~~

Hello and welcome.

The problem is with you, not your imagination.

Define your philosophy, your sense of life, your goals, your aspirations, your happy endings or your, 'left in limbo' associations and committments.

Then figure out what you want to say, you know, the 'author's message'...and then write the damned thing!

good luck

amicus...