Struggling to finish the story

[other2other1]

I hope all my fellow authors, editors and those readers are doing well. We're halfway through 2023 already, and I find myself really struggling, so I thought I might take a punt to reach out to the AH for a little advice, or perhaps just a little 'i get what you mean' and ask how you work to finish a story, when you're just, I guess, struggling.

Writing is not the issue, I've got dozens of story concepts written, I've got three stories drafted, and another five over ninety per cent done. I know that I am not as prolific as some of my fellows and I don't aim to be. I always write at my pace, I knock out around 20k - 30k words a week and will continue to do so, but how do you, my fellow authors, overcome the hump that is completing your story to feel it is ready to enter the editing process?

Do you have a process you undertake, a ritual that helps you complete that story you have put your heart and soul into?

I'm curious as I try to surmount my own struggles, and I am hoping by hearing some of your own thoughts and ideas can get me and perhaps others of us struggling with the same thing to get our butts motivated and get some more stories out there

Thanks all, it's appreciated.

 

[Emilymcplugger]

No process.

Because I only work on one story at once I find by the time I’m getting to the end of one I want to finish the one I’m on and this acts as motivation to get over the finishing line to the edit.

Hey! I guess there was a process after all.

 

[Seadog777]

Since I am having this same problem with "My Sneaky Wife Jennifer Part 2", I can not give you the best of advice.

I'd suggest putting it away for a month, then bring it back up.

 

[Smuttyandfun]

I've let some stories sit for a year, especially for contests. When I feel like I'm really stuck, I'll move onto something else. Then when I go back, I look at it with fresh eyes, and often that motivates me to keep going.

 

[oneagainst]

Put it away to age a little, pick up something else. I had a LW story I put on ice a month back and I picked it back up yesterday, re-read, and thought "This is a keeper!" - phases of the moon, the whim of the muses, you can't force it.

 

[Seadog777]

I wouldn't set a specific time frame, such as a month or any other period. Instead, I would put it aside until inspiration strikes. It's one of those situations where you instinctively know when you've discovered the right path; you can feel it.

Moreover, it doesn't have to happen exclusively at the end of the story; it can occur at any stage. There are always other projects to work on, so the time invested won't be wasted.

However, if weeks go by and you're still grappling with it, perhaps the issue lies not in the ending itself but rather in what leads up to it.

I just threw out that "time frame" as an example.
I pull my story up every now and then, and just end up staring at the fucking thing.
I've always known HOW I want it to end, I just can't seem to get there, in a way that I like.

I got 6 or 7 other stories that I'm actively working on as well, so I don't dwell on it too much.

 

[ElectricBlue]

I often put a long piece aside and write something else whilst it percolates through my subconscious. It's completely unpredictable. Everything I've written in the last three years has been a side project for something else. It's not a "process" as such, but it seems to work out in the long run.

 

[Voboy]

Occasionally, I start out with an ending in mind. More often, my ending occurs to me as I'm writing the second third of any story, often past the halfway point. I don't have set numerical "writing goals," but most of my stories come in between 15k and 25k words, so usually by the time I've written about 10k words I'm familiar enough with the characters and what they want that I feel I know where the story will end up.

Then it's just a matter of writing my way to that ending. I know the story is "finished" when I reach it. I do try for a zinger of a last line, often with overtones of cliffhanging: I love a little ambiguity at the end of the story. The characters tell me when I'm done, which sounds kooky and new-agey but which is utterly true for me. I see them as people, with human wants and needs, and once they've met those needs for the situation I've put them into, the story's over.

As for editing and drafting after that, I'm of little help. I re-read each story once, for continuity, and then it goes live.

 

[MyBareTorso]

I hope all my fellow authors, editors and those readers are doing well. We're halfway through 2023 already, and I find myself really struggling, so I thought I might take a punt to reach out to the AH for a little advice, or perhaps just a little 'i get what you mean' and ask how you work to finish a story, when you're just, I guess, struggling.

Writing is not the issue, I've got dozens of story concepts written, I've got three stories drafted, and another five over ninety per cent done. I know that I am not as prolific as some of my fellows and I don't aim to be. I always write at my pace, I knock out around 20k - 30k words a week and will continue to do so, but how do you, my fellow authors, overcome the hump that is completing your story to feel it is ready to enter the editing process?

Do you have a process you undertake, a ritual that helps you complete that story you have put your heart and soul into?

I'm curious as I try to surmount my own struggles, and I am hoping by hearing some of your own thoughts and ideas can get me and perhaps others of us struggling with the same thing to get our butts motivated and get some more stories out there

Thanks all, it's appreciated.

You knock out 20-30k words a week? Just for Literotica? Or counting paid work too??! Either way, work ethic is obviously not a problem for you!

 

[gunhilltrain]

I hope all my fellow authors, editors and those readers are doing well. We're halfway through 2023 already, and I find myself really struggling, so I thought I might take a punt to reach out to the AH for a little advice, or perhaps just a little 'i get what you mean' and ask how you work to finish a story, when you're just, I guess, struggling.

Writing is not the issue, I've got dozens of story concepts written, I've got three stories drafted, and another five over ninety per cent done. I know that I am not as prolific as some of my fellows and I don't aim to be. I always write at my pace, I knock out around 20k - 30k words a week and will continue to do so, but how do you, my fellow authors, overcome the hump that is completing your story to feel it is ready to enter the editing process?

Do you have a process you undertake, a ritual that helps you complete that story you have put your heart and soul into?

I'm curious as I try to surmount my own struggles, and I am hoping by hearing some of your own thoughts and ideas can get me and perhaps others of us struggling with the same thing to get our butts motivated and get some more stories out there

Thanks all, it's appreciated.

You seem pretty prolific to me. Twenty to thirty-thousand words a week is ambitious, yet you seem to be able to handle it.

It seems like you've got too much going on at once. Most people can't work on too many things at the same time. If you are 90% done with five stories, you are in effect already in the editing process with them although you might not realize it yet. Possibly some of them are virtually done, and you don't need to add much more. Just have some patience and aim to have four or five of them submitted within, say, a month or six weeks? The three that are in drafts are going to be distractions, I think, until you get the backlog reduced. Maybe it's best to take a break on those.

It's good to have story notes written on new ideas. Eventually, I hope, you can pick some of those to work on. It sounds like you have enough to keep you busy for months.

 

[Altissimus]

...how you work to finish a story, when you're just, I guess, struggling.

So, this is pretty obvious, but: you need an ending.

I would suggest that your story hasn't been/can't be finished because you don't know how it will end. (Or the ending isn't inspiring you - same thing, basically.) If the issue actually is "I don't know where I'm going with this", then having a view of the ending will lead you to get there. Could be a witty last line, could be a concept or premise.

If what you're saying here is "I can't think of an ending," then there's no easy fix for that. What works for me is reviewing the concepts of your story, putting yourself in the mindset of one character or another, working out what would lead you into a sequel (if relevant), thinking about what a reader might want to see. Are you finishing on a high? A happy resolution? Romance? Conflict? A surprise, a twist? What does what you've already written lead to? Why were the characters doing what they were doing? What's the natural progression?

Take some time out (mow the lawn, go for a drive, play some Diablo 4 - all brainless activities that let you think about this in the background. Especially Diablo 4.) and let your mind mull it over. Or wake up in the middle of the night and make notes.

When you have your ending, you just have to get from where you are to where you want to be, and voila!

 

[Tomh1966]

LOL Im sitting on a ton of 1/8 written stories and a ton of outlines.

Mostly working on Heartbreak and Hope Ch 02 (Chapter 01 tomorrow. I hope) This was one where I am having great luck compared to others. 02 is very close to done. I just have to rework a scene to be smoother then run my double spell check. Ch 03 is at about 70% and 04 is like 30% This is one of those rare ones that things keep coming to me.

 

[SimonDoom]

I agree with Tilan (hey, how about that!) that it can be useful to discard time frames and deadlines. For instance, I find contest and event deadlines kill my motivation. Then when the deadlines pass I feel freer to write. I have a lot of stories in the dock, so if I lose interest in one I can turn to another. Mine is the path-of-water strategy. Flow around the boulders rather than try to smash through them.

One advantage I feel I have is that I tend to script my ending long before the story is done, so I don't have a problem with the ending per se. The difficulty is in getting there the way I want to. But I find it helps to have an ending in mind as opposed to writing free-form without direction.

 

[nice90sguy]

My technique is to put stories aside until I'm no longer emotionally vested in them, then pick them up. This might take weeks, or even months. But eventually you'll see your "nearly finished" story in a more dispassionate way, and you can continue drafting or editing.

 

[RoperTrace]

So, this is pretty obvious, but: you need an ending.

I would suggest that your story hasn't been/can't be finished because you don't know how it will end. (Or the ending isn't inspiring you - same thing, basically.) If the issue actually is "I don't know where I'm going with this", then having a view of the ending will lead you to get there. Could be a witty last line, could be a concept or premise.

If what you're saying here is "I can't think of an ending," then there's no easy fix for that. What works for me is reviewing the concepts of your story, putting yourself in the mindset of one character or another, working out what would lead you into a sequel (if relevant), thinking about what a reader might want to see. Are you finishing on a high? A happy resolution? Romance? Conflict? A surprise, a twist? What does what you've already written lead to? Why were the characters doing what they were doing? What's the natural progression?

Take some time out (mow the lawn, go for a drive, play some Diablo 4 - all brainless activities that let you think about this in the background. Especially Diablo 4.) and let your mind mull it over. Or wake up in the middle of the night and make notes.

When you have your ending, you just have to get from where you are to where you want to be, and voila!

While your suggestion is also pretty obvious, I've had the same problem recently. I have a part 02 of a recent story in progress, and not sure where it's going. As you stated, maybe I didn't have an idea on how it ends. On Part 01, I had the idea for the ending right at the beginning, so it went along smoothly. So before I keep rambling along, I'm going to outline what the ending will be. Thanks for the obvious tip(well not so obvious to me). RT

 

[djrip]

Consider emloying the Hegelian method for storytelling: identify the thesis, establish the conflict as the antithesis, and conclude with the synthesis.

Or the sin-thesis

 

[Altissimus]

Sis-thesis

Sis, the sis?

Lesbian incest?

 

[djrip]

 

[Djmac1031]

Been through it.

My Nude Day story sat unfinished for over a month because I just blocked up.

I have found making friends I can talk to here about it helps.

Not that I want anyone to write my story FOR me. But it certainly helps to have someone you can ask opinions of, bounce ideas off of, let them sample the work in progress and give you an honest assessment.

Sometimes a story just needs a set of fresh eyes.

Baring that, walk away from it for awhile. Clear it from your head, don't even think about it for awhile.

Then come back to it with your own fresh eyes.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Consider emloying the Hegelian method for storytelling: identify the thesis, establish the conflict as the antithesis, and conclude with the synthesis.

Perhaps Hegel did enjoy the ladies, based on the cover of this book. I'm not sure who did the painting, but it would seem he did not go for skinny chicks.

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51crYryO7vL._SY445_SX342_.jpg

 

[Nikki354U]

I hope all my fellow authors, editors and those readers are doing well. We're halfway through 2023 already, and I find myself really struggling, so I thought I might take a punt to reach out to the AH for a little advice, or perhaps just a little 'i get what you mean' and ask how you work to finish a story, when you're just, I guess, struggling.

Writing is not the issue, I've got dozens of story concepts written, I've got three stories drafted, and another five over ninety per cent done. I know that I am not as prolific as some of my fellows and I don't aim to be. I always write at my pace, I knock out around 20k - 30k words a week and will continue to do so, but how do you, my fellow authors, overcome the hump that is completing your story to feel it is ready to enter the editing process?

Do you have a process you undertake, a ritual that helps you complete that story you have put your heart and soul into?

I'm curious as I try to surmount my own struggles, and I am hoping by hearing some of your own thoughts and ideas can get me and perhaps others of us struggling with the same thing to get our butts motivated and get some more stories out there

Thanks all, it's appreciated.

Well I am very new to this and have not publish anything so I am no authority on anything but moral suport. I am impressed with what you have done. Just write, don't be afraid to put it out there and ask for feed back. Sometimes the insite you get back is priceless and can make all the difference. Regards, Nikki

 

[gunhilltrain]

So, this is pretty obvious, but: you need an ending.

I would suggest that your story hasn't been/can't be finished because you don't know how it will end. (Or the ending isn't inspiring you - same thing, basically.) If the issue actually is "I don't know where I'm going with this", then having a view of the ending will lead you to get there. Could be a witty last line, could be a concept or premise.

If what you're saying here is "I can't think of an ending," then there's no easy fix for that. What works for me is reviewing the concepts of your story, putting yourself in the mindset of one character or another, working out what would lead you into a sequel (if relevant), thinking about what a reader might want to see. Are you finishing on a high? A happy resolution? Romance? Conflict? A surprise, a twist? What does what you've already written lead to? Why were the characters doing what they were doing? What's the natural progression?

Take some time out (mow the lawn, go for a drive, play some Diablo 4 - all brainless activities that let you think about this in the background. Especially Diablo 4.) and let your mind mull it over. Or wake up in the middle of the night and make notes.

When you have your ending, you just have to get from where you are to where you want to be, and voila!

There are times, not always, when the story as is already has an ending, but one may not recognize it immediately. Sometimes, one or two additional sentences are all that is needed to sum it up. I had one with a lengthy post-mortem, and then I realized I didn't need it. I didn't need to explain several additional months, so I just cut it. There was one sentence describing the protagonist a year later, and that's all that was required.

 

[Altissimus]

There are times, not always, when the story as is already has an ending, but one may not recognize it immediately. Sometimes, one or two additional sentences are all that is needed to sum it up. I had one with a lengthy post-mortem, and then I realized I didn't need it. I didn't need to explain several additional months, so I just cut it. There was one sentence describing the protagonist a year later, and that's all that was required.

Yep. I sometimes write the last line of my story half-way through, and just have to work out how to get there

 

[Rob_Royale]

Really hasn't happened to me yet. I work 12 hr days, Wed through Friday or Saturday and I don't write at all those days. On Sunday when I sit down, I reread the story as is. I make a few changes, fix any flow issues, run on sentences etc. So, but the time I finish, the story is pretty well fleshed out. Pun intended. After that it's just proofreading runs.

 

[gunhilltrain]

Yep. I sometimes write the last line of my story half-way through, and just have to work out how to get there

I guess editing can mean adding text, but it can mean removing it too. You might see something and say, "I don't really need this." Somehow I doubt that David Foster Wallace, with around 1,000 pages in Infinite Jest, ever had such a moment. It's difficult to imagine this, but maybe I'm wrong; maybe he cut it down from 1,500 pages.