What's everyone working on?

[Jan Christensen]

I figure if perhaps I confess here what I've written most days (or not), I might be more productive.



I try to write about a thousand words a day. Usually on a novel. But I love to write short stories, so I write on those lots of days, as well.



My current novel, at around 20,000 words right now, is giving me a few problems. Today I figured out one major plot point. The next thing is to figure out why the victim was a victim, and who done it. You can probably tell, I write "organically," but I found out I could not go on this time without knowing these things. I've written five novels (one published), and somehow they all come to an end. Some better ends than others, but in all but two I have not known who did it until about 2/3s or 3/4s of the way through.



I have an article about writer's block up on Crime and Suspense:



http://www.crimeandsuspense.com/Current%20Stories/07-04/Overcoming%20Writer's%20Block.pdf



Comments are welcome!



Enough for now--it's a start, and I'll be very interested to see how all this goes.

[Jan Christensen]

Hi Jannie. Thanks so much for commenting and for reading my article. You are right about re-reading our works in progress--I do that, but never really thoguht of it as an aid for writer's block, but I can see it can be. I do re-read what I've written during the last session to jump-start the current one. And tweak it a bit, so it's pretty clean when the first draft is done.

[Jannie Balliett]

I read the article and agree with the suggestions.

One thing that has worked for me, is not to force the writing, but instead, sit down comfortably, and read a hard copy. As you're reading, you'll not only discover errors, you'll discover better ways to phrase a para, and get a new perspective of what and where the plots going, where the characters are leading to.

I always get fantastic ideas re-reading as a "reader." And of course, I discover an aspect that might be better cut and presented earlier or later which is the kicker that ignites it.

I call it, "taking off my writer's glasses and putting on my reader's glasses." It works for me.

[Jannie Balliett]

Hi Jan. I'll have to go read your article. I'm always fascinated how other writers get through that horrid WB.

It also fascinates me when I learn of another writer that writes "organically" as you eloquently stated. My characters write the story as I push them on a little. I never know where they'll take me or what's going to happen next. I'm clueless.

I have discovered when I'm on a road trip driving, that I think my best. I get these "connecting" ideas and good twists and turns, so I carry a recorder and make notes to myself as I drive. (It's like writing while I'm away) I'm sure traffic thinks I'm talking to myself like a coo-coo.

Sounds like the two that you were clueless while writing, might have started as an idea without any planned direction, which I think makes for the best books. The writer creates and the characters act it out.

Off to read your article!

[Jannie Balliett]

Hi Jan. I'll have to go read your article. I'm always fascinated how other writers get through that horrid WB.

It also fascinates me when I learn of another writer that writes "organically" as you eloquently stated. My characters write the story as I push them on a little. I never know where they'll take me or what's going to happen next. I'm clueless.

I have discovered when I'm on a road trip driving, that I think my best. I get these "connecting" ideas and good twists and turns, so I carry a recorder and make notes to myself as I drive. (It's like writing while I'm away) I'm sure traffic thinks I'm talking to myself like a coo-coo.

Sounds like the two that you were clueless while writing, might have started as an idea without any planned direction, which I think makes for the best books. The writer creates and the characters act it out.

Off to read your article!