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Overwhelmed

lethaldose

lethaldose

New Member
I have wrote a handful of short stories. I still have a couple of short stories in my head that I could write. But the story that is calling to me the most right now is definitely a novel. To give you a brief biography of my life. I am a full time college student, I work twenty plus hours a week too, and I have a wife and three kids (the youngest six weeks old). So needless to say I don't have a lot of time to write either, but that is not my real problem. My longest story is 35,000 words and it took me three months to write. In comparison, it feels that I have walked over a few small hills only to find myself at the foot of Mt. Fuji. Because of this I have not written the first word of this story, everytime I sit down to do it I think of some reason to put it off or I just allow myself to load up a game on my computer rather than Microsoft Word. How do I work up the courage to begin this long journey?
 
Sorry can't help with your problem but just out of interest how many pages is thirty-five thousand words? Quite a few I would think.
 
lethaldose said:
... Because of this I have not written the first word of this story, everytime I sit down to do it I think of some reason to put it off or I just allow myself to load up a game on my computer rather than Microsoft Word. How do I work up the courage to begin this long journey?
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You could turn the computer off, and use a pen and paper. Works for me.
 
blueboatdriver said:
Sorry can't help with your problem but just out of interest how many pages is thirty-five thousand words? Quite a few I would think.
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Sorry I said that wrong, it was 22,000 words and it was 35 single spaced pages.
 
lethaldose said:
I have wrote a handful of short stories. I still have a couple of short stories in my head that I could write. But the story that is calling to me the most right now is definitely a novel. To give you a brief biography of my life. I am a full time college student, I work twenty plus hours a week too, and I have a wife and three kids (the youngest six weeks old). So needless to say I don't have a lot of time to write either, but that is not my real problem. My longest story is 35,000 words and it took me three months to write. In comparison, it feels that I have walked over a few small hills only to find myself at the foot of Mt. Fuji. Because of this I have not written the first word of this story, everytime I sit down to do it I think of some reason to put it off or I just allow myself to load up a game on my computer rather than Microsoft Word. How do I work up the courage to begin this long journey?
Click to expand...

I am not a writer but I have written some short essays. If I had a novel in my head, I would set aside some time just to think about it, write what I could and not expect it to come all at once. That's what word processing is about. I don't think you need courage, I think you need discipline and commitment. As far as your games, use that time to get away...
enjoy your family life and some books take years to finish. Try and have a great life because you only have one chance at it.:)
 
I've heard several older writers say they absolutely don't have time to work. If you don't have time, you don't have time. Maybe when you get an idea, you should write that down and come back to it later when you have time...right now it sounds like you have your hands full.
In Writer's Digest magazine, one writer recommended setting up writing time on a schedule. And you would have to give yourself deadlines and no breaks...this would be complicated for you because of your kids, but you might want to consider it. It is very easy to goof off and play computer solitaire instead. ^-^ I know, I'm a guilty party.
CDA's idea is also excellent. If you can, it might be a good idea to use paper instead of a computer. Try a few things out and see what works for you.
 
Perhaps the reason you put off starting is because you are worrying too much about your opening line(s)? For this reason, something I read recommended just plunging in, and writing yourself into the story, just to get going. A lot of it could turn out to be superfluous, and your true beginning might be 8 pages in, but that is what editing is for. Just take the plunge! :)
 
lethaldose said:
I have wrote a handful of short stories. I still have a couple of short stories in my head that I could write. But the story that is calling to me the most right now is definitely a novel. To give you a brief biography of my life. I am a full time college student, I work twenty plus hours a week too, and I have a wife and three kids (the youngest six weeks old). So needless to say I don't have a lot of time to write either, but that is not my real problem. My longest story is 35,000 words and it took me three months to write. In comparison, it feels that I have walked over a few small hills only to find myself at the foot of Mt. Fuji. Because of this I have not written the first word of this story, everytime I sit down to do it I think of some reason to put it off or I just allow myself to load up a game on my computer rather than Microsoft Word. How do I work up the courage to begin this long journey?
Click to expand...

I kinda feel the same. My longest story is 48,000 words (92 pages of single line spaced text) and I hate it, it's gonna need a lot of editing... I wrote it in about two weeks though, LOL!

I have an idea for a novel too, but can't get myself to start it either, and with full time education and 3 kids here too, I know how you feel... stick in there though, the motivation will come! :)
 
My longest work is about 132,000 words. Pen and paper is the only way I can write. Sitting in front of a computer screen usually results in Web surfing, or game playing, but with no distractions other than a pen and paper, I somehow find time to write.
 
Writing straight onto a computer is just too fast - I end up spewing cack onto the screen. I write with pen and paper, then move on to a manual typewriter - editing as I type it up. Then it goes on computer for further tweaking.

Lethaldose might want to try a different approach and see what happens. Anything's worth a try if you're that stuck.:)
 
The most I've written was around a thousand words. I am just starting to write though.

I write on the computer since I can type fast. Fast enough so that I don't forget ideas by the time I get to them.

Strangely, I don't like reading long pieces on a computer.
 
cabbagescribe said:
The most I've written was around a thousand words. I am just starting to write though.

I write on the computer since I can type fast. Fast enough so that I don't forget ideas by the time I get to them.

Strangely, I don't like reading long pieces on a computer.
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I grew up around computers, so I'm used to it. I can sit down for about three hours and read/write, but after that I need a break to do something else.
Er, let's see. I average over 2,500 words a chapter. I have 37 chapters planned, so that is 92,500 words, probably more. *pats handy-dandy calculator* I only have about 5 chapter more to write before I'm finished, then I'll paste the whole document together and see how long it is.
But yeah, I have terrible handwriting (I've been told I should be a doctor because of it!) and it hurts my wrist to write anything by hand. But I type anywhere between 80 and 100 words per minute, so I decided a long time ago to give up the notebooks for Microsoft Word.
For some strange reason, though, I can only write poetry by hand. Hmm.
 
sirmyk said:
My longest work is about 132,000 words. Pen and paper is the only way I can write. Sitting in front of a computer screen usually results in Web surfing, or game playing, but with no distractions other than a pen and paper, I somehow find time to write.
Click to expand...

Excellent point-have others found that what you type on the computer isn't what you would put down on paper? I for one, deliberate more on word choice and what I want to convey efficiently when I do it the *low-tech* way.
 
short story fan

I dislike writing novels, though i am, i prefer short stories. I feel more for the characters in a short story, you can better draw out a persona from those "supporting" and "lesser" characters. Although I can see why one would fall to his knees in catching how long winded the conflict has become, and sigh.
 
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