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[honey]

aww. Julie, yet another reason why you are my hero. 

You see? This is why I love you guys.

It is also the reason I'm so addicted to this board, and this board is probably another factor in my ADD can't focus enough to write anything phase.

[RokofAges75]

^ Omg, I swear there is a huge correlation between this board and my lack of writing LMAO.  I would say take a break from the board, but I dont' want you to do that.

[starbeamz]

^I completely agree. I love this board so much that I don't want to leave it long enough to go write lol That's not a bad thing necessarily, but it happens. Don't leave us!

Kelly! I stuck YIM on the fam's computer, so, as soon as I come up with a schedule of when my brother and I can compromise on who uses the computer when, I'm totally talking to you like crazy! I really really do want to update something (and I wrote 6 pages of Zoey the other day but haven't done any more since then ), and you're my muse...so maybe we can inspire each other. Or I could just give you advice on what books to read next (more Dessen!) lol

And, like Julie said, don't write because you feel obligated to update for your readers' sakes. If they love you as much as we all do, I'm sure we'll all wait patiently for as long as it takes.

[RokofAges75]

I feel like I'm kinda going through the same thing as you, Sarah, Mare, etc... I dunno if I'd call it a slump, but ever since I finished BMS, I have felt kind of lost, like I don't know where to go next.  I have two ideas for novels that I like, but for whatever reason, I can't get going on them.  I have a novella that I started a couple years ago, and I can't get much done on that either.

I have two Broken-related projects in the work, and those are what I have been working on lately, and I'm enjoying them, but at the same time, I feel guilty working on them because I feel like I should break away and write something brand new.  And I'm not sure why I feel that way.  My readers, at least over on my forum, say they'll read anything by me, but the Broken-related stuff is met with the most interest.  My one attempt to write something completely different only got one review on AC.  So it's not like the majority of my readers are pushing me to go in a different direction and I'm the one resisting.  I think it's just pressure I'm putting on myself.  So now that it's summer and I have all kinds of free time to write, I told myself to just write whatever the hell I want, whether it's Broken stuff or something different, and I feel like I'm getting back into the habit of writing or at least attempting to write every day.  And hopefully, once I get the Broken projects out of my system, I will be more inspired to get into one of my other ideas.

[starbeamz]

Julie! I'm totally still waiting on that Brian story *taps foot* lol Just kidding! Although, you know, I wouldn't mind it...but you gotta do what you gotta do. And that's what I tell myself everyday. In fact, I woke up this morning and told myself that I had to write 2 pages today and finish this unfinished chapter for one of my OF stories...and I'm sitting here instead lol Sometimes, real life just gets in the way...I know we can all write and get back into it...so I'm planning on just patiently waiting for our collective muses to kick in.

[RokofAges75]

LOL I know, I know... and that's the one I've at least started... but it's one of those fics with two interwoven stories, and one story I'm interested in writing, and the other story I'm totally not, yet I need it to make the overall plot work.  That's why I'm stuck on that one.

The other novel idea I have still has plot holes.  I have point A and point C of where I want the story to go, but no point B... no idea how to realistically get from one to the other.  Blah.

I wish my muse would either give me some major inspiration for the first story or some ideas for the second, but so far it's not doing much of either.

[honey]

I feel like I'm kinda going through the same thing as you, Sarah, Mare, etc... I dunno if I'd call it a slump, but ever since I finished BMS, I have felt kind of lost, like I don't know where to go next.  I have two ideas for novels that I like, but for whatever reason, I can't get going on them.  

That is EXACTLY my problem!  Lost, like I don't know where to go from here and I keep starting all these stories and nothing seems to have really truly clicked, and that's not only frustrating, it's just kinda sad...


As far as feeling pressured by my readers to update? I don't think that's my problem so much as the pressure just comes from myself. My readers? I'm not sure how many still read all my stuff. I know there's a couple who will read most of what I write, but I tend to change Boys or change genres, so it seems like every story I write has a different group of readers.  I don't think I've felt reader pressure since the Welcome To My Heart days.

I just get really hard on myself about "quitting" anything, so probably that need to update and do so frequently comes mainly from me. Any ideas on how to turn that off? lol


And I think you are totally right about taking longer to write chapters because you're trying harder to make it good. I totally do that and sometimes I will even finish, decide it's not good enough and then start over again... Plus, my chapters have naturally gotten longer as I write more, so it takes longer to update for that reason too.

[starbeamz]

I just get really hard on myself about "quitting" anything, so probably that need to update and do so frequently comes mainly from me. Any ideas on how to turn that off? lol

If I had the answer to that question, I would've told you a long time ago lol No, I have this exact same problem...but then, when I decided to focus on OF, I just forced my brain to quit. And, that, I think, is why I'm having such a hard time because some of those stories that are on AC that I left incomplete still bug me. I think it's just a part of your personality and personal drive to not quit and not leave things unfinished. I'm not sure there is a real way to change that without it driving you crazy months later.

My biggest fear at the moment is that I'll never be able to finish an actual long story. Lately, all I want to do is write short stories, and I feel like I don't even have the energy to finish an entire novel-length story out anymore. That freaks me out more than anything because I LOVE my long stories and I have so many ideas. *sigh* I dunno. Sometimes, I think there should be therapists trained to take care of people suffering from writer's block. I'd be the first to sign up.

[mare]

Yup, I wouldn't call my thing a slump either. Lost is a good description or for me maybe the word ambivalent is better. I've just become so-so with writing. I'll suddenly get the urge to write, get myself all excited but once I get up here by the computer it goes away and i'm all like eh? lol

I also used to be very Rain Man about updates as you can tell if you're reading Why. At the end of each chapter i'd always be like "See you on Monday" or "See you on Sunday." because I knew like clock work i'd get those updates out on time. Julie described it best when she said at first it's all so fresh and new but then after awhile it all gets old and the novelty wears off.

My advice about the quitting thing, because i'm the same way, is kind of simple. Just don't quit lol So what if you go for a long time without updating something. It doesn't mean you'll never go back to it. If you are the type that doesn't quit, than most likely you'll see the story through so no worries about that. If people are invested in the story they'll come back to it when you do. I mean look at you guys and Yesterday's Blue Skies. Maria hasn't updated that one in years but if she did tomorrow i'm sure we'll all be there reading it.

Give yourself a break and most importantly give yourself some credit. You're not going to just up and abandon what you love. Maybe you just need time away form each other for a little bit.

[starbeamz]

Give yourself a break nd most importantly give yourself some credit. You're not going to just up and abandon what you love. Maybe you just need time away form each other for a little bit.

Wow, Mare. That really is true. I think it happens with anything/anyone you love. If you have it too much or spend all your time with it, you get burned out. I'm gonna start listening to you all the time, oh wise one.

I think we all too easily forget all the awesome work we've ALL done and don't give ourselves enough credit. We're all awesome writers, even if we don't think so right now. We've all done a hell of a lot of writing, and it's no wonder we need a break. I think we shouldn't feel bad about not updating or writing. Take your time, take a break, and we all should find our way out of being lost...

*is done being preachy*

[mare]

I feel we all need a group hug

*searches for group hug smiley*

[mare]

there we go!

[honey]

aww. I needed that. thanks guys.

[RokofAges75]

Do you think part of the problem is that you have too many stories going on at once?  Cause I kinda wonder if that is part of my problem.  I spent SO long on By My Side, and the whole time, I was thinking about what my next project would be.  I started a couple of things while I was writing BMS, thinking that once it was over I would launch right into those, and at the same time, I was getting other ideas.  So now BMS is done, and I have one novel that I've started on, another that's in my head, a novella/short story I've started on, the Broken original novel, Footprints, plus Not Another Teenybopper Story, Code Blue, 00Carter, etc.  It's like all of a sudden I went from only having that ONE main story I was working on to having like eight different projects to think about.  And how could you possibly get into eight stories at once?  I'm not an octopus LOL.

So I think what I've decided for now is to keep working on the Broken novel, with Footprints as my back-up project.  00Carter, of course, I will write when it's my turn, and Code Blue I will get to at some point.  The others, unless I get a sudden burst of inspiration, can wait.  I figure maybe if I get the Broken stuff out of my system, there will be nothing else I can do with that series, and then maybe my muse will let me move on to something brand new.

Sorry, I'm not trying to make this about me - my point is, maybe it would help you to narrow things down to one or two stories that you want to concentrate on now.  Your main story and your back-up, is how I like to think of it.  Figure out which story you're most into and make that you main one, then just focus on writing that story.  Let the other projects go on hiatus, and come back to them later.  That's my advice, but then, I'm not really a multi-tasker when it comes to fanfic; I would prefer to just have that one story to think about.  Some people thrive on having lots of options.  So it's just a thought.

[honey]

lol, no I love hearing about YOU julie! And I know what you mean. I think I have that same problem. I really do kind of need a story for all my moods, but I've always had the "one" that is the front runner, but ever since I finished Movie, nothing has really jumped out at me. It's like I can't decide which one I'm the most "in to". I love them all and yet none of them at the same time...

*sigh, will take a break until my brain just can't take it anymore*