Goodreads Authors/Readers discussion

Something has been bothering me about my story for a long time. I finally realized I've been shying away from my stories main conflict. Now I don't know if I should just scrap my rewrite and start all over again or just go back and try to fix it.

I know what the main conflict is but it seems I've just gotten lost chasing what was fun (and easy) to write.

I would say that if you can make it so the characters have been avoiding the conflict that might work. It would require the draft to fit that idea, and might take some work to make it fit. If the rest was fun, I'd guess the story is still fun and worth saving.

I'd be happy to help and have a look if you're interested.

Gina wrote: "Something has been bothering me about my story for a long time. I finally realized I've been shying away from my stories main conflict. Now I don't know if I should just scrap my rewrite and start ..."

Hmm . . . it depends. (A lot of help I am, eh?) I'd probably need to read it to know, but if the story itself is engaging as it is, maybe it just wanted to be something other than what you had planned.

Andy and Dale, good thoughts.

Hadn't thought of the characters intentionally avoiding it (which actually makes sense for one's personality) or that the conflict has shifted to something else.

Do you think looking back over what I have and seeing where the conflict shifts or slacks off would help?

Gina wrote: "Do you think looking back over what I have and seeing where the conflict shifts or slacks off would help?"

That's one of my strategies when I get stuck or lose focus. It's absolutely worth a try. If nothing else, it will remind you of things you've possibly forgotten you had written.

I always make up a timeline of the events before I start writing. It isn't detailed, just enough to show how they fit together. This keeps me on track while allowing the creative writing that I enjoy. I don't know if you do this, but it works for me. That document also holds character bios, notes on locations, or any other notes that I need to refer to. This is essential for little plot threads that turn up periodically and make the story richer. For instance, a coffee mug that gets chipped early on might trigger a response when it's found later.

I agree with Dale, going back frequently is a good idea. As your draft gets longer details or ideas can be forgotten. My notes document is just as active as the actual draft to keep track of everything.