What's the hardest part of writing a story to you? how do you overcome that struggle? share an example from your most recent story/series

Vassia 2024-05-15 02:47:51 UTC #28

Oof I'm getting through my burnout right now I speed wrote like 10+ chapters in april and as soon as may hit my creative brain shut down I just didn't write anything for a week. I'm kind of feeling the reboot now. The last few chapters I wrote I need to go back and rewrite the emotion like you said. It's like half there for them especially that last one lol.

Too avoid the burnout I find it really useful to try and take one break day off a week from the main project and just relax or if you're feeling those writer vibes write whatever even if it doesn't have to do with the project you "need" to be working on.

SumireHime 2024-05-15 03:03:05 UTC #29

Writing what I call "key chapters", where there's a major plot point that's very important. Right now, I'm stuck on one in "Lyra's Magnum Opus". I am on book 8, and about to introduce characters that I've wanted to include for years. I first came up with them about two years ago, and have finally reached the point in the narrative when they are introduced to everybody and make their first appearance. Obviously, I've been so excited about them for two years so now I'm nervous about doing it right. This is always the case, I'm so nervous about doing key chapters right. I'm also stuck on the ending of "French Cup" for the same reason. I overcome this by just doing it. Just write. Just write. Just write. So easy to say but it's been six months on the "Lyra" thing >.<

Leyelle 2024-05-15 14:07:31 UTC #30

Yeah, I take one day off a week from writing too. But tbh, i've been running on fumes for like 3 years

Leyelle 2024-05-15 14:10:10 UTC #31

OMG I go through the same thing, lol. You just want to make sure it's done perfectly because it's so important. I still find myself overthinking a scene I've made myself deem "done" that introduces a relevant new character for the first time. And I've had really emotional chapters I rewrote and edited like three or more times to try to make them perfect. You just want to make sure your favorite scenes/chapters/parts bring all the emotion you imagined into them when you dreamed them up but that's so much easier said than done...

Leyelle 2024-05-22 14:23:48 UTC #32

Plot pointing is becoming my Achilles heel. It's so easy to know where a story starts, and some things that will happen in the middle, but deciding on an ending? Bruh. It's so much harder than it needs to be lol. I've spent so much time working on the outline of my new novel I thought was going to end one way, only to completely over haul the ending yesterday.

But then other days it just all wants to work out for me without me thinking about it, and that only makes the times i'm stumped even more frustrating. I figured out the ending of Rigamarole so easily, without even thinking about it, but now this new one? it's like it's trying to drive me insane. But my editor doesn't let me complain about wanting to give up so I have to end this rant here lol.

roguemonte 2024-05-27 12:44:47 UTC #33

I think the hardest part of writing a story for me is the part of me wanting everything to be perfect, making me go through a lot of revisions. And to counter it I try to write two to three drafts of that chapter and base my final draft on those three. Sometimes going out on walks and taking long breaks help too if you're in a slump in writing a chapter.

Leyelle 2024-05-27 16:43:03 UTC #34

yeah, sometimes you just overthink it too much and can't finish anything.

Leyelle 2024-06-12 12:37:06 UTC #35

With my newest novel it's been writing the female lead way of narration because my poetic way of narration doesn't suit her. I've had to adapt my narration style to better suit this new lead's personality and it was a tricky process, but fun too. I got some advice from different people on what it's like seeing the world without an emotional response to it, and I think I've managed to rewrite my narration style (feels like rewriting my muscle memory lol) into a way that suits her well now.

I reread the novel segment three times, muttering under my breath.

I rearrange the emphasis, try to sound it out and find a way of inflecting that makes it sound more interesting than it is, but each time it just oozes more cliche.

I can’t begin to imagine how I’m supposed to clean this up without sending Miss Lay into another fit. My smallest suggestion is met with a two hour argument. The most glaring issues become soap boxes where she insists that her ‘masterpiece’ is ‘better’ with every red flag and run on sentence.

“I pray thee, my dear lady, this worthless frame needs no other nourishment than your honeyed words, and cherry-colored lips,” Tiff is reading aloud from her computer between shrieks of screamy laughter.

‘Is it possible that Caroline could use a word other than ‘stupid’ to refer to Harry’s flowers?’

I mark down a dozen awkward sentences, each line of dialog and narration that feels too ‘clunky’ when read aloud. Then, I stare at my screen and try to dismiss them.

I can’t have any more arguments.

I can’t tell if my head is thumping or burning, but I have too much work to do to do anything about that.

Leyelle 2024-07-11 14:00:59 UTC #36

Trusting the process is a bit tricky for me with most of my stories. I have a tendency to panic if my outline looks like it's not 'beefed up' enough, but I've learned that sometimes ideas come to us most naturally when we just let the story breathe, or take the time to daydream rather than forcing our brains into 'work mode.'

Leyelle 2024-08-05 16:25:28 UTC #37

In my most recent series "Sketchy Business" the hardest part is the art lol, but I'm overcoming it with the comic itself. It's a comic designed to help me improve my art.

Leyelle 2024-08-22 13:51:37 UTC #38

Learning as you go and not panicking lol.

I'm writing my first action novel, and it's an uphill battle, but the more I stress, the more I can't write anything, so I've gotta teach myself to relax and trust the process, but I'm no good at that lol. I WILL learn to write action stories, i just have to be patient with myself

supriyashukla2398 2024-08-22 14:50:19 UTC #39

For me, writing the fight scene and Intimate scene. It's really tough, but after reading some Bl novels and watching Bl series, I overcame that struggle.

Lensing 2024-08-22 15:30:45 UTC #40

I write 2 kind of things. One is easy one is hard

Autobiography stuff from my life as a musicican and artist. There is nothing hard about it.
I love to share stories from the road and tour / musician life

Then I write funny erotic stories. The hard part about it is that´s is intimate and writing
it and letting other people read feels like being very vulnerable

All other things that I write (except songs and poems) just suck because they are not authentic
and not what I feel

Leyelle 2024-08-22 16:02:24 UTC #41

well, no matter what you write you can always find something in the story you can latch onto, or relate too, even if the characters situations are nothing like yours, and that can lend a sense of authenticity. I'm not a mermaid like my female lead lol, but I can relate to the constant feeling of instability and moving from place to place longing for a home that she feels and that can lend authenticity.

Lensing 2024-08-22 16:13:18 UTC #42

It just feels not authentic when I write other kind of stories, I tried writing some family / kid friendly stories,
it was really hard for me to do. I only finished one comic which got printed because my mother was helping
me to write the dialogue I just have a hard time writing which feels too conservative

I also wouldn´t write anything that´s violent because that´s also not me.

Leyelle 2024-08-22 16:58:50 UTC #43

well yeah, it makes sense to only write things that you can connect with

Lensing 2024-08-23 04:52:32 UTC #44

Yep, but this means I can never show it anyone
that´s the struggle / hard part of it.
It would be a bad career decision to publish nsfw comics

JoshRaed 2024-08-23 05:02:05 UTC #45

I think the hardest part is getting it all to weave together or something.

arcaneer99 2024-08-23 22:27:16 UTC #46

Greetings!

The hardest part of writing, especially this particular story, is the plot placement. My story has multiple narrations and it's difficult to find the right place to put their story in the story. I also have to make sure that each chapter flows naturally toward it's end.

I overcame this struggle by putting all of my characters, settings, interactions and conflicts into a giant tree. As each leaf travels down the stem to the branch to the trunk, BAM! Story! Then there's the whole mess with the roots, but that's for another discussion. This method helps me with what I want in the story, what I don't want and what I'll save for later.

Leyelle 2024-08-24 12:34:14 UTC #47

well, sometimes our art is meant for ourselves only. I write some things I would never share as well, or would be hard pressed to lol