Wow, where did that month go?
Today is IWSG Day…a HUGE thank you to the team over at Insecure Writers for all their hard work, month in month out 🙂 Please check out the web site, theres loads of useful stuff over there.
So how am i feeling insecure this month? *thinks* Wow, if i have to actually think about it it can’t be that bad can it? Actually, it can lol
I got off to a cracking start yesterday with the 100k Challenge, wrote 1014 words, the opening of the new novel….EXCITING…but not lol. I reread what i’d written and its crap lol. Its no secret that I’ve never been confident about my writing, but in the past I’ve written some pretty good openings, even if i do say so myself. The opening of the first novel, Still, was a scene where a man was committing suicide. The opening of the second novel, But Not Forgotten was the main character finding her husband dead on the floor (i won’t count Sorrento Sunrise as that was a Mills & Boon so no real drama at the beginning). This one, Presence has the MC standing in front of a house *yawns* DAMN! Why can’t i come up with a bloody good opening image?
Im also struggling with whether to do it in first person or third person. The 1000 words i wrote yesterday are in first person. Is that the problem? Ive always struggled with first person in the past. Perhaps its just not me, although most writers say its a lot easier. Perhaps i should rewrite that whole section in 3rd person? Or just come at the story from a different angle? Or a different MC? Or perhaps write a different novel? NOOOO, i won’t be defeated! lol
But as it stands its just not working *slumps* Ok, back to the drawing board, I’m going in….wish me luck 😉
What tactics/methods do you use when something just isn’t working?
The View Outside 
If this is the opening but you have the rest of the plot sorted, why not leave the opening for now. You can always come back to it later.
xxx Huge Hugs xxx
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Thanks David 🙂 I rewrote the start 3 times and I’m happier now lol
xx
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Good luck! If it’s any consolation you’re doing much better than me as my 100k wordcount is nil. 1014 not so good words are much better than a blank page – you can rewrite and improve yours.
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Thanks Patsy 🙂
Are you struggling honey?
xx
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When I can’t figure out how to approach things like POV, I basically just try it a few different ways until something clicks. If characters are standing around not doing anything, I throw a random problem in and go with it until something changes. Usually I edit the stuff or don’t use it at all later, but at that point the important thing is to kickstart the movement and make something happen. Also, what David said. If I can’t find a good opening, I just move on and write a different part of the story.
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Thanks Rose 🙂
I ended up doing 2 different POV’s and 3 different openings…im happier now 🙂
xx
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You’re welcome!
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Oh, never reread when you are starting on a long trek like that!!! It can always be changed later, but it will mess with your momentum! (and in reality, when you read it a month from now, it may look better than you think it does right now) (or not, but then you will be far enough in to know where the story really should start.
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Ha ha ha, good point Hart 😉
No, i couldn’t focus, knowing the start was so bad lol…ive rewritten it so I’m happier now lol
xx
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Walking on the treadmill seems to open my creative gate. Showering too but the darn laptop doesn’t cooperate so much there.
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Ha ha ha, thanks cd 🙂 xx
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The most annoying but useful advice I can give is, write the chapter both ways and see what feels more natural for the story. Some stories work better in first, some in third. I went back and fourth a dozen times when I worked on my first manuscript and finally settled on third. I don’t like the linguistic gymnastics I needed to do to make first person work. But you won’t know until you try. I found that by writing some chapters in both, I got a better handle on the setting and noticed things that I hadn’t when I wrote only in one person.
Good luck!
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Thanks Christina, that is excellent advice, and what i ended up doing…..im now writing in 3rd person rather than first 😉
xx
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Hi Vicky, you certainly don’t need to feel insecure about your blog. Can you tell me, do you pay extra for email and more control over posting pictures etc? What kind of package do you have? Thanks x
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Hi June 🙂
Thank you 🙂 I don’t have e mail (all comments just come through to my g mail account) and i think i pay extra for the domain name and customisation, but thats it really.
xx
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