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Thursday, April 7, 2016

F is for Finish

This year for the A-Z Challenge, I'm attempting to act like I know what I'm talking about and offering advice about writing.  Let's see how I do!

Also, don't forget to stop by the Parallels blog to see more posts about the upcoming anthology, which will be available on May 3rd!


Sometimes the ideas don’t come, and sometimes they all come at once.  I’ve found myself at both ends of the spectrum and at various points in between.  It’s hard when I have so many story ideas that I can’t focus on one.  This frequently leads to me starting multiple projects but never finishing any of them.

We as writers need to force ourselves to finish what we started.  We may be justified in giving up on some projects, but if we’re consistently giving up on almost everything, the problem probably exists within us.

Now that I’ve so rudely said that there may be something wrong with you, or more specifically with what you’re doing, how do you fix it?

Persistence.


I know.  I’m telling you to force yourself to finish something.  Don’t worry too much about word choice and style and all that.  Just force yourself to the point where you can attach “The End” to your story.  The rest cannot proceed until you do that.  Find supportive people to motivate you if needed.

As for the stories you’ve started and not finished, keep them.  Those may come in handy for those times when ideas aren’t coming easily.

12 comments:

  1. It's probably a problem most writers have. Icertaily do too, And I want to continue but it's hard! xoxomake.com

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  2. I never throw any of my stuff away, but I do have far too many unfinished things. However, I do go back and drag them out every now and then and some get reworked and actually finished, so it's not all bad :)
    Tasha
    Tasha's Thinkings | Wittegen Press | FB3X (AC)

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  3. Good advice. I don't throw away anything till I'm pretty certain I can't twist it into shape somehow, probably a lot of the clutter comes from not being able to get rid of the dud ideas.

    Since the ideas for poems are a couple of lines or so, they don't take up too much space thankfully :)

    Best wishes,
    Nilanjana
    Madly-in-Verse

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  4. I've finished most everything I've started. Probably because I'm so worried I'll not get another idea, so I better finish this one.

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  5. I don't have too many unfinished books on my laptop. Maybe one or two. One will definitely be completed. It's just taken up too much of my time and I love it too much not to.

    I picked "Felix" and "False Universe" as my f-words today in honor of your Parallels story.

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  6. I don't have too many unfinished books on my laptop. Maybe one or two. One will definitely be completed. It's just taken up too much of my time and I love it too much not to.

    I picked "Felix" and "False Universe" as my f-words today in honor of your Parallels story.

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  7. I am experiencing it..with so many unfinished drafts lying on the lap top. At times, you tend to withdraw and it depresses you. I am running out of ideas for A to Z but thankfully, things are being pre-planned. Enjoy reading your theme:)

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  8. So true! I find that not all story ideas that come to me are a whole story. Sometimes its just an idea that I must write down before its gone.

    Heather M. Gardner / @hmgardner
    Co-Host, Blogging from A to Z April Challenge
    The Waiting is the Hardest Part

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  9. Great inspiration for the day!! I remember when I was writing my first book, I got stuck so many times and I just had to push through and finish!

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  10. My only problem is that the ending is written. It's the middle that's incomplete.

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  11. I'm working on three projects now, well, I would be if not the A to Z. LOL but you're right sometimes you force this issue, but it always seems to come out right. Moving between them is thrilling. :)

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