The first Wednesday of every month is officially Insecure Writer’s Support Group day for participating blog owners who may be professional or amateur writers. (All you need is the passion and output, published or not). Started by Alex Cavanaugh the author of the sci-fi space opera CassaStar and just released CassaFire, it is a means for writers to talk about their fears big and small. It is also an opportunity to connect to other writers who may have conquered these or are sailing in the same insecure boat as you.
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Last week, at around 4 p.m as I was dozing (almost) next to my desktop, when I was supposed to be fleshing out my characters, I was mauled...
They came with their gamma ray projectiles, their mind curses, their wails and tears, swords and bombs, acid dripping words, threatening to freeze my bank account (word bank).
I am a Ninja only in name, I could fend off a lean guy with a stout stick at the most, but them with an armoury that would make not just the Indian Army but the Western ones hang their heads in shame...not a chance in the universe.
Have you ever faced a 'characters assault'? Found yourself with fingers in too many pies unable to do justice to all?
Do you start a new story just to abandon it half way through, promising to come back when better plot lines and scenes surface?
Wake up one day; to realise your collections are only 3/4 complete and need to move your butt to have them ready, edited, embellished in a few months time?
Is it just a Gemini thing...here, there, everywhere, not a moment to spare...worse still, unfinished tales to sell?
They came with their gamma ray projectiles, their mind curses, their wails and tears, swords and bombs, acid dripping words, threatening to freeze my bank account (word bank).
I am a Ninja only in name, I could fend off a lean guy with a stout stick at the most, but them with an armoury that would make not just the Indian Army but the Western ones hang their heads in shame...not a chance in the universe.
Have you ever faced a 'characters assault'? Found yourself with fingers in too many pies unable to do justice to all?
Do you start a new story just to abandon it half way through, promising to come back when better plot lines and scenes surface?
Wake up one day; to realise your collections are only 3/4 complete and need to move your butt to have them ready, edited, embellished in a few months time?
Is it just a Gemini thing...here, there, everywhere, not a moment to spare...worse still, unfinished tales to sell?
17 comments:
I always have projects that I've left half-done to move on to the next. But on the plus side, when I do get back to them, half the work is already done!
Hi Rek. This is priceless! You have a lovely blog. So pleased you visited so now I can meet/follow you.
Denise
My characters yell at me all the time, even the ones from the novels I've shelved.
I know how you feel - I tend to stop projects part way through and then go off to do something else. I've got about half a dozen unfinished ideas, and another half a dozen that I won't commit to the page because I know I won't finish them.
My characters are always battling each other for face time. They elbow, kick, scratch, and jostle for position. I just let them. Sibling rivalry is a good thing.
I'm the opposite. I refuse to quit, even when I should.(; Still working on this flaw. Good luck to you.
Ah, I do that too. And it seems that the more I think about one story and say I'll focus on it, then all the other characters in other stories start talking and try to drown each other out. If you find the way to quiet them down to wait for their turn, please let me know.
The very best characters refuse to be silenced. Characters like that should be brought to a full birth.
Sorry your characters ganged up on you, but I think this experience will only make you stronger for the next time! Clever post, and I like the cartoons! Julie
I do that to - unfortunately I had a nasty clash between one of my chick lit heroines and a fantasy assassin last night - it was messy!
Lx
I do leave off a short story part way through, and I've been working on getting better at that. Requiring myself to make at least one submission per month is helping that; I HAVE to go in and finish and edit so I can get a submission piece ready!
Shannon at The Warrior Muse, co-host of the 2012 #atozchallenge! Twitter: @AprilA2Z
I have several projects only partially done. Some have been sitting a very long time. Someday, they'll see the light of day. I hope. :) I find the most I can attend to is two projects, and they better be in different stages--editing for one, and writing for the other.
You are a writing Ninja! Believe. Take control of those characters.
And the cartoon was funny!
Oh wow, I do that. I never thought I'd be the kind of writer who would have too many ideas to write them all down, but, once I started writing, there they all were, clamoring for my attention.
I do make a point of finishing the stories, as the characters demand that. But when it comes time to revise, I'd much rather write another story!
I have to balance my time between the two, though it doesn't always work!
What a pretty blog you have! I'm glad I visited.
Sounds a little familiar... though in my case, I have tons of story snippets & dialogue snippets which could belong just about anywhere...
I'm probably a story-snippet specialist! Sounds quite abnormal, doesn't it? LOL!
I think we can all relate, especially with their vicious freezing of the bank account. Those b*stards. You, however, are consistently eloquent and articulate when fending them off.
Sorry it took a while to pop by, Rek. There was some acid dripping and all.
Keep faith, friend.
xoRobyn
Took me ages to get here :)
yes, I have had this. Several times. I still get haunted by some characters from a short story I wrote ages ago.
Right now the only characters in my head are from my novel in progress. Thank goodness :)
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Glad you made it this far...would love to hear your take on the words scribbled. A comment every now and then keeps the blues away. :D
Since, crazy Mr. Blogspot won't let me reply to the comments here (is upset with the water ladies ever since they refused to verify visitors)...will do the next best thing, drop in to your blog to say my Vanakkam/Namaste/Salaam/Hello.