Blogger-Writer Support Group discussion

What are you finding to be the biggest hurdle right (for getting your book finished, edited or published)?
What's your plan to over come this?


For me, it's definitely the editing process. I can write a first draft no problem. I've done it five times. But the editing process is always where I get tripped up and can't seem to progress through.

As for my plan to fix it?

Well, I don't know what I can do. Anyone have any suggestions?

My main issue is motivation. It's so easy to sit around and write scenes in your head, but actually typing them out? On good days it seems challenging and on bad days it feels exhausting. Part of this is because I don't have a desk to sit and write at. All I have is my bed, which leads to me scrolling Twitter instead of writing. Dealing with my anxiety and depression holds me back a lot more than I'd like to admit. I want to write -- need it, even -- but those two sit on my shoulders and whisper insecurities and how it'd be much easier just to lay in bed or read a book.

The sad thing is, until I can find a job and support myself so I can move out of my parents' house and have my own space, I have no idea how to overcome this issue.

But Kat, I'm with you on the editing process. It seems so incredibly daunting, like I'm having to write the book all over again. Possibly another reason my motivation is lacking (not that I'm anywhere close to the editing process).

I struggle with plotting, I find. I usually get to know my characters really well but the plot doesn't flow nearly as easily. I'm a semi-plotter/semi-pantser, so I know important events and where I'm headed, but I don't always know how to get there. Which often means figuring out the "getting there" takes up a lot of my time and can push me away from the ms when I get discouraged that it's not going as fast or as well as I'd like it to. I know realistically that the solution could just be to plot more, but then I'd never get any writing done because I'd struggle with planning out every scene. It gets tough!

Kat, I tend to edit as I go, which is both good and bad but I find it makes the full edit seem less daunting. But since not everyone does that, have you tried breaking up your edit by focus? So, the "am I telling this story?" edit, a plot continuity edit, a character continuity edit, a story flow edit, and then the smaller things like sentence structure and grammar and whatnot? Maybe it would be less intimidating than trying to edit everything in one big pass.

Mary-Allyn, I know exactly what you mean with that. I don't have a designated office space or desk either and it definitely makes it harder to deal with distractions. Maybe if you're stuck at your bed, try disconnecting your computer from the internet or using a site blocker to block Twitter for a few hours and force yourself to stare at your ms. My other suggestion would be to get out of the house. Try writing at a coffee shop or something, or meet a friend somewhere for a writing date. A different environment might help. Plus if you're out somewhere else writing, you have no books or other easy things to turn to - it's just you and your laptop! You can always treat yourself to a drink, too, which I find helps keep my butt in the chair because I think, "I came all the way out here and bought a drink, there's nothing else I need, I might as well get SOMETHING done!"

Jessica wrote: "But since not everyone does that, have you tried breaking up your edit by focus? So, the "am I telling this story?" edit, a plot continuity edit, a character continuity edit, a story flow edit, and then the smaller things like sentence structure and grammar and whatnot? Maybe it would be less intimidating than trying to edit everything in one big pass. "

Ooh, I really like that idea of breaking it up into different sections.

My biggest hurdle to writing is probably motivation/focus/time all blended together. I tried setting numerical goals, but I just get focused on that and then flounder. I tried the goal of just writing every day, flounder again. So I just write when I feel like it, when I can, with whatever feels right for the day (so scientific and specific, I know!).