I do know where my focus is this week! Maybe the Easter bunny needs to bring me a giant basket of it! I need to be outlining!!! My entire WIP is stuck in my head and I'm afraid if I don't get it out it will make my brain explode! At first I blamed my problem having bought a new house this year. You see when I outline I use sticky notes(everywhere). The problem is I have no idea where to stick them! It's an excuse...plain and simple excuse. However, on Friday I was so ready and excited that I went out and bought my two whole new packs of sticky notes. I haven't even opened them. I held them in my hands for a while today but couldn't get any farther then that. Does anyone else have this problem during the outlining and planning phase and if so what do you do to fix it?
Yes. Sometimes the harder we try to grab, the more like fog the story becomes. Turn on some music that fits the feel of your story and let yourself relax and zone a little. Then imagine your characters and watch them do stuff-- like a movie. You can put the sticky notes in order later-- just let it flow out in any order. (= Works for me.
ReplyDeleteI am writing my third novel and have only just started outlining. I didn't outline with my first two, but this one calls for it. Surprisingly I did the whole outline in a day! It just...happened. So I figured the writing of the story would just fly by, but I'm lacking the time/motivation/will, whatever you call it. :)
ReplyDeleteSometimes when I'm stuck like that, it helps to just start writing, even if it's truly terrible nonsense. After a while, my mind opens up and I can see the outline in my head. Sometimes I stop and write it all out. Other times I just keep writing and let the nonsense take over. Either way, the act of writing gets me unstuck. Right now, my office and desk are a mess and that's my excuse. I can't focus because there are too many papers strewn about. Hope to remedy that soon!
ReplyDeleteI haven't been in that kind of situation, I'm bad with advise. But i wish you look :)
ReplyDeleteLove
S / http:// mydarlingsolitude.blogspot.com
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OK I am totally feeling you on the new house thing. I'm in the same boat and it's so disorienting to be in a new place with new light, new smells, new views, new everything, and half of our stuff is still in boxes! Maybe that's part of the general disorientation, in which case what I'm doing is trying to create a new ritual..."See brain? Time to write! Time to really buckle down now! Brain? BRAIN???" ;)
ReplyDeleteAnother thought: Maybe you're a "pantser" instead of a "plotter?" I've never tried outlining before, although I think I might on my next MS, but if you are, maybe give the reverse a try!
And please let us know how it goes!