Saturday, January 23, 2016

Writing Obstacles by Victoria Chatham

What are one (or two) writing projects you want to accomplish this year? What will be any obstacles you might encounter? I laughed when I saw this Round Robin topic for January, because this year I have committed to writing two books, one for release in May and the second in October. Will there be obstacles? You betcha!

I have to say right up front that I’m something of a hedonist, so my first and biggest obstacle is always myself. Yep, given a choice between writing or sharing a glass of wine over lunch with a friend, the lunch is likely to win out and writing will be put on the back burner – again.

I often have to put in catch-up time with my writing and then will go through periods of ‘how-could-I-write-this-drivel’ and then panic as I equate word count with my time frame. Not the smartest course. The smart course would be to get the writing done first but I never professed to be smart.

Another obstacle for me is that whatever my story sounds like in my head, by the time it reaches the page it’s never the same. Being a Virgo and therefore something of a perfectionist, I might then write and re-write the same scene a dozen times before I’m happy enough with it to move on. I’ve tried just letting it go, I really have but, like sand in a shoe, it keeps irritating me until I go back and fix whatever it is I think needs fixing.

Usually the parts that have given me sleepless nights are the parts that my critique partners have no trouble with, and parts I think are fine my beta readers will question. I try to get out of my own way in order for the writing to flow, which I wish it did as easily as the ideas I get. Not content with working on my two books for this year, I have also committed to a Christmas themed novella.

That should be easy right? I mean, I have 10 months to write it in between working on the other two. But winter doesn’t last forever and then there will months when sunshine will tempt me out of doors, whether it be for gardening, hiking or just sitting on the deck. There might be a camping trip or two, and always the movies and my writing group. Ah well. That’s just me. I always get there in the end.

Visit these fine authors to see what obstacles they come up with.

8 comments:

  1. Oh Victoria, I so recognise that friend's tempting offer. throw a retired hubby, a grandchild or two and some dear elderly neighbours into the mix and it's pretty soon - "Writing? What writing?" Good luck with it all, anne stenhouse

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    1. You have no idea how much better I feel now Anne, knowing that I'm not the only one struggling with the mix!

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  2. I share many of the situations you mention. It's like I can't move on until a solve some obsessive-compulsive driven, occasionally imaginary issue. Plus, like you, those live your own life impulses.

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    1. It sometimes bugs the heck out of me that I can get so hung up on a scene. I have one now, and will shortly be opening my file and sorting out exactly where my ship's captain is going to introduce himself.

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  3. I can certainly relate, but it sounds like it works for you and you get their in the end. Have a great year.

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    1. When I first started writing seriously I really worried about 'rules of writing', until I found there weren't any! Apart from the rules of grammar, which are finite, the way you choose to produce your work is yours alone. What works for one, doesn't necessarily work for another. Vive la difference!

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  4. Need to get a laptop so you can be out in the sunshine AND work on your WIP

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  5. Hi Victoria, I so sympathise with your struggle to sit down and write. And with me it's not even just sunshine or a nice lunch - sometimes I'll do ANYTHING rather than write. Even cleaning the bathroom seems a better alternative!
    I hope I do "get there" in 2016, despite everything, and wishing you the same. Best of luck with your projects!

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