Wednesday, December 7, 2011

How I've NOT been going at writing fiction

For the last few weeks I've been a big fat procrastinator. There are 3 budding stories that I turn over and over in my head, but I can't find a whole structure for any of them. I think of a new approach, a new angle, start writing it out, but then decide the story's still not working. I decide I don't have a brilliant idea or some great insight into human nature.


I've tried the 'what if' tool, I've tried free writing in 15 minute sessions.


I've read the advice about switching off the inner editor and just letting stuff pour out in a wonderful creative flow. But I can't switch off my inner editor when I don't really know what I want to say. I just get a vague idea about a vague character in a vague situation and can't keep building on it.


Maybe I should just scribble out the weird or fantastic scenes that pop into my head. While I'm waiting for my brain to form an entire story, at least I'll be practising the craft of writing. Maybe I'll just STOP trying to write a whole story for now and enjoy writing pure crap. At least writing crap is better than watching TV or sitting around getting depressed because I have zero imagination.


Maybe I could write a STORY about some-one who can't complete a story. Maybe they pay a fairy god mother from writer's boot camp to help them. They find this boot camp in a writer's site online. What strategies would a fairy god mother have that would get her client to finish a story ?  


I think I need to stick to something simple. Lock onto one simple theme, or a moment in time. I've been trying to link too many elements together. 


Or should I switch to drafting a novel ? Maybe my brain just isn't wired for the short story.

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