Cant get it down on paper?

[mel3]

I am frustrated to the point of screaming today.
The reason for this is of course, writing.
I have spent a good part of my day trying to get something down on paper but have not succeeded. I have more than not suceeded, I have failed miserably.
Have you ever had something you wanted to write that is so beautiful/fantastic.. perfect (not as perfect as God) amazing but when you put it into words you end up killing it? And the harder you try, the worse it gets.
Not exactly writers block but a sort of filter that only lets dregs of your fantastic vision out so that you really only get a ghost, a shadow of what is inside your head. The magic is trapped in your head and unable to be released.
Anybody ever felt the same frustration when trying to write, knowing in your very being that what you have is gold?
Or, I am just losing my mind.:D

[love2write]

You're not losing your mind.

Write down what it is you see in your mind. Leave it. Go back to it later. It doesn't have to be perfect the first, second, third time. Write it. Walk away. Look at it tomorrow. Do a rewrite. Settle into it.

Writing requires a huge amount of patience. Give it time. But at least get it down on paper.

Write down what you see, hear, smell, taste, and touch, in your fantastic vision. It may at first be a ghost, a shadow of what is inside your head. But as you go back to it, rewrite, embellish, you'll finally get it.

Rita Gerlach

[mel3]

Great advice l2w! I have a problem with the old patience thing. That problem being that I dont have any! But I will try harder not to try so hard. (if that makes sense)
I will settle into it.
Thanks!

[righter1]

I've had that happen before... The scene just won't work the way I want it to. I never know whether it's me, or the characters, or a combination of the two. I usually lay it aside for a few days, or even just move on, then come back to it to hopefully improve it. I'll also have someone read it--sometimes a second pair of eyes can find things I would have missed. I am SO thankful for the workshop/private critique groups here at CW. :)

What I have been having happen lately is scenes that I decide (or someone else points out) should be edited heavily or rewritten completely, when I do the revisions, they come out way better than I hoped they would have. Usually, they're a bit lengthier than I'd prefer, but that's why you edit.

Hope you can find a solution! I know it's frustrating!

[kaulimus]

My big problem: I feel as though I need to read over part of what I've written before I write any more. I end up editing for a few hours and never write anything. And when I do write something, I can't stand it until I've edited it four hundred times.

[righter1]

My big problem: I feel as though I need to read over part of what I've written before I write any more. I end up editing for a few hours and never write anything. And when I do write something, I can't stand it until I've edited it four hundred times.

I usually have to read a bit of the preceding scene before starting again. Just resist the urge to edit your work! There is a time for writing, and a time for editing. When the book is unfinished, it's usually time for writing. (Unless, of course, you need to get part of it polished for a critique group, then you're allowed only as much as you're going to show!)

[kerrig]

I have that problem quite a bit. I know what's in my head, but I'm having trouble getting it onto paper. I just read several articles last night in my Writer's magazine and Writer's Digest. They are older issues but I had forgotten some of the articles. I think it helped to read them as they gave me new ideas on the writing process. I actually have a goal in mind now to work toward.

[Phy]

I start to tell a buddy about the problem, out loud, and hear the answer in the telling.

I can't tell you how many times that has worked.

[mel3]

I start to tell a buddy about the problem, out loud, and hear the answer in the telling.
.

Y'know Phy, I think that just might work.
Thanks !thumbsup!

[love2write]

I've written four novels, and working on a fifth. I do the same thing. I write. I edit. I write. I edit. It is part of the process, and it helps to keep me stay connected to the book. It also helps waylay writers block. I don't believe in writing an entire manuscript and only editing when the manuscript is 'finished'. For example this fourth novel, I would write a chapter, and then the next day I'd go back, start reading through it and edit as I go. When the manuscript was at an end, I went back to page 1 and began editing. I thought in January of 06 I had finished. But after no acceptances, I went back again and edited. I thought I had finished in May of this year, but then a CBA agent told me, 'It isn't ready in my view'. So once more I went back to it. I sent my opening chapters to another historical novelist and she saw what I finally saw. So, I'm editing one more time. After this that's it.

[didot]

You mention communicating only a shadow of something that's fantastic and beautiful. I think it's best to say just enough...go just far enough down the path with our words then let the reader's imagination take over from there.

[P.K.mama]

I have that problem sometimes too. I'll have it in my head but once I start writing I lose it or even just part of it. I then find myself spending so much time on trying to make it perfect that I forget the wonderful things that I had planned next. I find that if I can't make it perfect and it is holding me up, I need to just keep writing on. Otherwise I would get absolutely nowhere. Easier said then done I know. lol I still find myself obsessing sometimes. That's when I try to take a deep breath hope I can move on.

[pajarita_deDios]

I know it well...grrr

[whitehawke]

Have you ever tried writing down your frustrations?
You could write something like...

I keep wanting to write down this scene I picture, but it just doesn't seem to come out right. I see so and so doing (whatever-it-is) but I can't get it written. I see the settling, the trees are in leaf, but it's pouring with rain(or whatever you see). The characters are arguing about(or whatever it is they are meant to be doing) This scene is setting up such and such(whatever it is) and will end (whatever way it does)

What are the characters wearing? What are they saying? What are they doing? Are the characters feeling frustrated that their scene isn't being written? If so, perhaps you can write down questions for them to answer or ask them questions.

Write anything and everything that comes to mind, whether it makes sense or not. Just write all your frustrations out and everything you want to say about the scene etc etc Have fun complaining about it and see what happens.

[Tarin]

Have you ever tried writing down your frustrations?
You could write something like...

I keep wanting to write down this scene I picture, but it just doesn't seem to come out right. I see so and so doing (whatever-it-is) but I can't get it written. I see the settling, the trees are in leaf, but it's pouring with rain(or whatever you see). The characters are arguing about(or whatever it is they are meant to be doing) This scene is setting up such and such(whatever it is) and will end (whatever way it does)

What are the characters wearing? What are they saying? What are they doing? Are the characters feeling frustrated that their scene isn't being written? If so, perhaps you can write down questions for them to answer or ask them questions.

Write anything and everything that comes to mind, whether it makes sense or not. Just write all your frustrations out and everything you want to say about the scene etc etc Have fun complaining about it and see what happens.

Hmm, good idea, whitehawk. If nothing else, this method should help you get a good idea of the shape of the scene - if not the scene itself. I read somewhere that much of writer's block stems from our "need to to be brilliant." If we were to just let go and let the words spill onto the page, we'd be much less inhibited and much better off.

I know I would anyway! I'll have to try this method the next time I get stuck.!thumbsup!

[kaulimus]

I'll try that myself, Whitehawke. In fact, I'll do so right now!

[righter1]

Writing down frustrations would be good.

Like, I had this one scene today I was writing that my MC should have gotten really mad with her mentor, and she just couldn't get as mad as I'd envisioned. I didn't want her yelling at him, and he could tell she was ticked off at him, but it didn't come out quite the way I'd intended... Grr...