Bad Ideas Gone Good! Ask a Friend for Help
It took almost a year, but I'm finally writing a post about writing. I know, what a shocker! A blog by an author that is intended to talk about writing has finally gotten a post that isn't a list of or complaint of something not even related to the field of writing. And if you were expecting a list, a tangent, or a complaint, don't stop reading just yet, I'm sure at least one of those things will occur at some point during this post. And well if you weren't expecting a complaint or list and aren't really into that kinda stuff I still suggest you keep reading. Who knows, maybe I'll surprise all of you guys reading (and myself) by not complaining or making a list. I probably should get on the whole writing portion of this post before it turns into what all of my posts always seem to be: lists and complaints.
So what I'd like to talk about today is my lack of any good inspiration. (So I guess technically I am complaining...) But anyway, I've been working on a novel for a few years now and recently realized that it is probably the most boring thing ever written on this planet. And it wouldn't take a rocket scientist to figure out it is absolutely horrible. With school out for the summer and my extreme lack of plans (yup I'm an anti-social nerd and have the glasses to prove it. But that has nothing to do with my title as an author. #breaking stereotypes), I've had the time to get back to my writing that is long overdue. Sadly, I'm still just as stuck as I was the last time I had a burst of motivation (and time) to write.
If there're any other authors (published or not) reading this post right now, I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. You finally get an idea for something, you think it's the best thing ever, you write it, and then realize it was absolutely horrible, but you have no idea how to fix it. What's that? That's never happened to you? Well then let me say this: I think that's BS. Everyone, author or not, always has at least one bad idea in their lifetime that they wish to fix. Some people are more prone to it than others (I'm not afraid to admit that that's where I tend to fall, A LOT. Had you asked by 14-year-old self as to whether I made bad writing choices I'd totally say, "No way. My writing is awesome." I was a proud, confident, cocky teenage writer).
But now that I've grown up (somewhat) and can take a more objective look at my writing, I know a bad idea when I see one. Sometimes, though, I overlook it and just leave it there and wait for someone else to point it out. Word of advice to any aspiring writers: anything written at 3 am sounds like a good idea, even the worst possible scenario can seem amazing. Take it from someone who created a character that got three girls pregnant. At 3 am when I wrote it, it sounded awesome. And when I went to read what I had written the next day, I thought okay, maybe it's a little much and not very realistic, but it could still work. A character who gets 3 girls pregnant is never a good idea, ever. And sleep deprivation was the cause for a mistake like that. Thankfully I have a friend who was kind enough to read the craziness I had written at 3 am and pointed out the flaws. Always ask someone with writing experience to read something if you have even the slightest doubt that an idea might not be the best. Chances are you're right. Get a second opinion!
And that's what I decided to do with the novel I can't seem to get right. I tried to fix it, but just kept screwing it up, realizing that I had nothing. The conflict was weak, the ending was missing, I had no idea how anything fit together, and the beginning was well, the iceberg that showed itself only when it was too late to do anything. The book sunk faster than the Titanic had and I had to accept it. I didn't waste time sulking, though. The same friend who told me a male character impregnating 3 girls was a bad idea, told me that if there's anything else I'd like her to read just to let her know. And so that's exactly what I did. So hopefully her eyes will help me out and provide just that glimmer of an idea that could help me turn the thing around.
Your turn: tell me a time when something you did wasn't the best idea, but you asked a friend and he or she managed to help you fix whatever the problem may have been. It doesn't have to be writing related either. Leave your comment under this post or on my Google plus page!
Happy Writing!
So what I'd like to talk about today is my lack of any good inspiration. (So I guess technically I am complaining...) But anyway, I've been working on a novel for a few years now and recently realized that it is probably the most boring thing ever written on this planet. And it wouldn't take a rocket scientist to figure out it is absolutely horrible. With school out for the summer and my extreme lack of plans (yup I'm an anti-social nerd and have the glasses to prove it. But that has nothing to do with my title as an author. #breaking stereotypes), I've had the time to get back to my writing that is long overdue. Sadly, I'm still just as stuck as I was the last time I had a burst of motivation (and time) to write.
If there're any other authors (published or not) reading this post right now, I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. You finally get an idea for something, you think it's the best thing ever, you write it, and then realize it was absolutely horrible, but you have no idea how to fix it. What's that? That's never happened to you? Well then let me say this: I think that's BS. Everyone, author or not, always has at least one bad idea in their lifetime that they wish to fix. Some people are more prone to it than others (I'm not afraid to admit that that's where I tend to fall, A LOT. Had you asked by 14-year-old self as to whether I made bad writing choices I'd totally say, "No way. My writing is awesome." I was a proud, confident, cocky teenage writer).
But now that I've grown up (somewhat) and can take a more objective look at my writing, I know a bad idea when I see one. Sometimes, though, I overlook it and just leave it there and wait for someone else to point it out. Word of advice to any aspiring writers: anything written at 3 am sounds like a good idea, even the worst possible scenario can seem amazing. Take it from someone who created a character that got three girls pregnant. At 3 am when I wrote it, it sounded awesome. And when I went to read what I had written the next day, I thought okay, maybe it's a little much and not very realistic, but it could still work. A character who gets 3 girls pregnant is never a good idea, ever. And sleep deprivation was the cause for a mistake like that. Thankfully I have a friend who was kind enough to read the craziness I had written at 3 am and pointed out the flaws. Always ask someone with writing experience to read something if you have even the slightest doubt that an idea might not be the best. Chances are you're right. Get a second opinion!
And that's what I decided to do with the novel I can't seem to get right. I tried to fix it, but just kept screwing it up, realizing that I had nothing. The conflict was weak, the ending was missing, I had no idea how anything fit together, and the beginning was well, the iceberg that showed itself only when it was too late to do anything. The book sunk faster than the Titanic had and I had to accept it. I didn't waste time sulking, though. The same friend who told me a male character impregnating 3 girls was a bad idea, told me that if there's anything else I'd like her to read just to let her know. And so that's exactly what I did. So hopefully her eyes will help me out and provide just that glimmer of an idea that could help me turn the thing around.
Your turn: tell me a time when something you did wasn't the best idea, but you asked a friend and he or she managed to help you fix whatever the problem may have been. It doesn't have to be writing related either. Leave your comment under this post or on my Google plus page!
Happy Writing!
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