Writing

[violet]

I considered asking this on the other forum where I'd get more feedback.
I considered using a different username, but decided some readers would know who I am anyway.

I desperately want to write a novel, but my fears stop me. And I'd like tips about how to take small steps and feel small achievements that might give me confidence to keep taking steps.
I have a high level synopsis (excuse lack of correct jargon). I have many many scenes. I have ill-developed characters and what may as well be zero dialogue.

My fear is that I'll spend some amount of time trying and will have proof at the end that I really am useless and incapable of writing.
It's not that others will read it and not like it, it's that I'll have proof that I can't do something I really want to do, and that others would be happy to see me achieve.

Today, I began to put on paper the main character. It should be easy considering I know her so well, but I ended up in tears that I wouldn't be able to do the next step, so why even try?

[vladimir]

My fear is that I'll spend some amount of time trying and will have proof at the end that I really am useless and incapable of writing.

Just do it, really. I've had two - and the entire list of characters and plots - for years now, just need something to kickstart me to do it.

If you worry about failing, you will never start it. I lost two one short story, and one part-novel to a stolen laptop, what to do? Start again.

Look at it this way, it will keep you away from snide remarks, and you will have something to show for it afterwards, you can always tweak it after friends crit it.

Get off of ya butt, Sheila!

[Hot_Pink_Urinal_Mint]

Writing is a craft and with all crafts (even witchcraft) it takes practice and discipline. Discipline means sitting down and actually writing.

Maybe instead of "wanting to write a novel" you change your mindset to, "I want to tell a story."

Maybe a novel is too ambitious. Can you write it as a short story first, then get some feedback and then flesh out the story?

Hell, why not even write it as a short, edit it, make a cover and sell it on Amazon. There is a whole section for short reads.
https://www.amazon.com/Best-Sellers-Kin ... 8584457011

This is a good forum for indie writers.
https://www.kboards.com/index.php?board=60.0

Discipline, Violet!

[violet]

Sorry....it is actually about telling a story. I wrote novel as a short hand way to give readers an idea of the type of story.

I haven't set any length in my head, however it has crossed my mind I may be thinking it has to be long (because of the complexity).
Food for thought.


Me and discipline aren't good bed fellows. As some will know.

[logos]

I really am useless and incapable of writing.

Well you do have moments of lucidity, I will give you that

[A10]

This may or may not what you want to hear, but I'll just put it out there with my own experience.

I used to be passionate about a certain area in life, and while it wasn't necessarily novel writing, it was journalistic writing. I put years and years of work into making it work, going through technical writing courses, attending workshops, talking to independent and "mainstream" journalists, even took on an unpaid apprenticeship at a news studio. I even became a backup news anchor and did a few in studio teleprompter readings, so I was "famous" for my 15 minutes.

Now I was actually reasonably good at what I did, but after 10 years of grinding it out by doing every side kind of gig imaginable, and killing myself over what I thought was my calling in life, I gave up this year...and I've never felt better. I've felt free, and I don't have that lingering feeling of traveling a path that God wouldn't intend me to.

I know this might sound preachy, and that's not my intention.

All I can say is that finding out what I thought I wanted to do was not what I was destined to do, was a wonderful awakening to me. So being on "the other side", just don't worry. If you're meant to write regardless of your talent, it will work out. If not, then don't sweat it.

Easier said than done, but it's really not as scary as it sounds. Finding out you're not destined for something you want only means you know that much more about yourself.

Good luck

[kinard]

Did you ever see 'Throw Momma From the Train'?

"The night was..."

[starkmonster]

I would highly recommend reading The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. It's an awesome book that I'm sure was written to answer someone else asking a near identical question to yours, I know it helped me change the way I see a lot of things. It's written from a writers perspective, but it's equally applicable to anyone who designs, builds or creates.

Also ignore the very few but very prominent negative reviews on Amazon and Goodreads. I forgotten what it was exactly, but he committed some type of thought crime which induced the wrath of the professionally offended into a coordinated campaign to mass up vote any negative reviews.

[slavedog]

Perhaps start with short stories; going head first into a novel seems a bit much.

And read, read, read.

Anyway, creativity is its own reward. Look at it that way and you can not fail.

The taxi ride could make a decent short story.

[Playboy]

Pick few of your characters and aim to write a shortish interaction between them - a short short story, or a standalone chapter.

Use a single location/ event for the setting - a family dinner, lunch at a new restaurant, randomly bumping into each other in the library, running into each other in the woods after the zombie apocalypse, et cetera.

With a limited number of your characters in a single location, in a standalone situation it minimises the variety of things that you need to cover, it forces you to open/develop/conclude the situation and it makes it more achievable.

It then serves as a starting point to other chapters/stories.

Set aside a specific time and duration everyday to 'work' on this - every evening between 7PM and 9PM for June.

Others above have mentioned Amazon and Goodreads, I would add Wattpad as my perfected platform.

[violet]

She me very constructive and useful advice and information. Thank you, everyone.

[Playboy]

She me very

You might want to work on that prior to writing ...

[violet]

She me very

You might want to work on that prior to writing ...

Fricken autocorrect

[horace]

There are at least two published authors living in Phnom Penh, Luke Hunt and Professor Steve. Both of them are regulars at Larry's. Why don't you introduce yourself, offer to buy them a beer and ask for their advice?