stuck in the middle.... :/

Jen

Usually when I write I get stuck in the middle and give up. This time I'm determined to finish this novel I'm writing. I am stuck in the middle again thugh.
I know what you will say :) plotting, look at your characters, write the ending.
I don't really like plotting. What if I can't think of what to happen. I did write down that I should make a note of ideas but what if I can't think of anything?
My brain is not working today sadly but advice would be good.
Anything but please be gentle with me I am my biggest critic.

I could sort out my characters, I can't remeber which one has the perm and I need a new name for one of the female characters as Isabell is not strong enough for her.
Anyone else have trouble thinking of names? I should start storing names and jobs etc I swear.
Anyway thanks in advance for any help and advice, I am going to continue writing just to keep the story going but I need to work on ideas I guess.
I don't want anyone to write it for me I'm just searching for advice while I try and solve the problem myself.
:)

dorothyd

Names first, look up baby names on the Internet or get a baby name book. It works well because you get the meanings of names and that gives you a clue to the people. We do tend to grow into our names, oddly.
Second, story ideas. When you sort out the characters, making brief (very brief) notes on each one, then concentrate on one. We have been discussing on here the tactic of 'interviewing' your character.
Help, can someone remember the name of the thread with all the questions on it which you ask your character? Jen needs it!
Jen, when someone comes up with this, there are many questions listed, you ask yourself or your character all the questions and you get an idea of where and what and how and when - type of person they are. That in turn can give you story ideas.

Jen

i have a book with a hgue questionaire in ill fill that in today
tempted to sit here and wait for answers yeah itll take me ages to fidn a name
it i do all the non-creative work now ill ahve to wrtie somthing later

forget-me-not

I think this is the thread Dorothy is referring to:

http://www.writersnews.co.uk/writers_talkback/comments.php?DiscussionID=133372&page=2#Item_15

louise

I like ordinary names, and yep I use a baby book.
I wrote a book with every family member's name in it once. Trouble is my brother Martin didn't like being the villian, and Auntie Pam was a sex siren - she was shocked!! :D

LilyC

Re: names, I often go though the local newspaper and record every first name in it in a thick brown leather book. I add to this regularly. The classifieds are the most useful.

Re: sorting our characters and remembering things about them - I write longhand in exercise books of varying sizes.I now only write on the right side of the open book and make notes against characters (particularly the first time they crop up), their quirks etc, on the left hand side. It's really useful when referring back.

Good luck with finding the middle - and the end. And if you can't plot - just write anything.

Stan2

^

Jen

[quote=LilyC]make notes against characters (particularly the first time they crop up), their quirks etc, on the left hand side. It's really useful when referring back.[/quote]

i'll remeber this as i recently had to go thorough my pages to ifnd info abotu a charatcer :)

Stan2

^

Jen

I'm not going to change my characters name now i tried but it isnt right

im am stuck in the middle stay i have mvoed the story on but they are sitting aronud chatting
it is moving the plot along but i dont think its very entertaining
im concerned ill finsih it too soon and have nothing left to say and a very short novel
oh well

Daisy

It's frustrating when you get stuck like that isn't it? I think I would have something happen suddenly that would move things on. Maybe something in a subplot could happen at this stage? Then you could end the chapter on a bit of a cliff hanger and the next one should get everything going again.

Jen

:( my brain doesnt like working

Jen

but i do