Why the HELL can't I write????!!!!!

Ah, I just don't get 'writing in public'. I suppose it's ok if you're doing observational stuff, trying to write as you watch.

But I sometimes get this vibe from people like they're writing to be seen writing. Horribly cynical of me, I know. I'm working on that trait.

No offence intended, I need to think before I start writing my opinions as fact is all.

Nah, if I'm writing in a Starbucks it's because it's too goddamn busy at home and people bug me.

Besides, it's not like I stand out between the kids doing their homework, the businessmen doing their documents, etc. No 'look at me I'm a writer' going on.

I think I worry too much what people think of me, sometimes, ironically.

I have a terrible, constant fear that people will think I'm showing off or being pretentious.

Eh. Getting over my prejudices, one at a time.

I'm self-conscious about a whole bunch of things, but not that one — probably because the Starbucks (etc.) around here are always full of people on their computers.

Wow. I knew your guys would definitely be able to provide good advice and you didn't disappoint.

One thing though, I've never done outlines. Everytime I've written, even back in school, I'd really just sit down and stare at the screen, or pad, until stuff came out.

I almost feel like this bout of Writer's Block started because I had an idea of a larger story to tell.

I don't do outlines either. Everything's in my head. So everything that I've ever written has had the shit scared out of it.

I used to do one-pass writing, too. I've found it's a lot easier to get things down on the page when you know you're coming back to fix it later. I'm still pounding that idea into my head, but Na No Wri Mo is helping with that.

Another thing that I've found helpful is that when I know what in the very general I want to write, but I'm stuck on details, I'll write for a while about, "this is what I want to write, but I can't because I don't know what to do with this..." and mull over some possibilities.

I am so totally gonna try that. That's exactly the way in which I'm stuck in the Mythology 101 Cycle.

Original Post: You just need practice. Start with short stories, don't expect to get a good one out on the first shot, and when you finish one start another.

There are a few potential blocks. First, are you trying to write a masterpiece straight off? It won't work, masterpieces come after competencies have been established and following prolific activity. So don't try to be perfect straight away (which doesn't mean don't try to write to the best of your ability). The second major block is not understanding story structure - you need to figure to how stories are rolled out from an idea; the basic structure is known as hero's journey and sites such as http://www.clickok.co.uk/index4.html go into this in detail. Then you just have to keep doing it - which means keep coming up with new characters and situations and drivers and resolving the initial problem (which is done by taking the heroes on a journey where an antagonism is overcome, after which the problem is overcome).

Hope that makes sense.

I may misunderstand you're question. But I do have a similar question, why can't I write well? And this is how I answer it.

To start with, the old adage practice makes perfect is incorrect. The correct phrase is perfect practice makes perfect. It's not how much you practice but how well you practice. I used to know allot of people who got much better than me at anything in a very short amount of time. Their secret is that they try harder. Quality, not quantity. To put it simply, I'll use the video game analogy. I've gotten stuck on a level for weeks to no avail, then one day I beat it. The problem was I was trying to beat the level how I wanted to beat it. Not the easiest way to beat it, I would run headlong into a room instead of taking cover. That was the problem. Hence when I would play multiplayer with my friends. Even though I had an extra week of practice I would still loose, since they were taking cover You follow?

Another major thing is the relationship between watching, hearing, and reading stories and being able to create them. I find I can come up with cool plot points. Only thing is I can't write them, even though I read a ton of books. I don't pay attention to the parts I can't do and that's why I can't do them. Because I see them everywhere I fail to look for them. I read a comic and I don't pay attention to the layout of the comic. How the panels are positioned. So I can't do panel positions. I only notice what makes this comic different from the others. The story, more specifically the plot points. I'm not paying attention to the subtleties of character development. How quickly the pros can make you understand a character without shoving it down you're throat. And so my character development suffers. The same thing applies to characterization. All I notice is an out of character moment. I don't pay attention to what the character does that makes me understand them.

Aside from that you have to remember writing fiction is very, very, hard. You need the subtle stuff like characterization. But you also need the much more blatant stuff of a good plot, structure, and you have to create a coherent story that makes sense from nothing. And if you're writing a novel you need great prose which brings the total number of things you need to know to write somewhere around 10 things that must be mastered one by one by one. Don't fret though, allot of it is learned simultaneously.

Expect a lot of changes. Think george lucas, he went through scripts like toilet paper and the story still has plot holes.

Last but certainly not least. You might think you suck compared to the greats. But you have to remember how horrid you were when you first started. Then you'll see just how much progress you've made.

Have fun. That's the best advice you'll get. Don't do anything if you're not making money or having fun with it.

P.S.

"I fall on my face like some deer shot in the left eye."

That's pretty decent.

edited 19th Nov '10 3:33:34 AM by wellyea