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Starting again...

edited November 2014 in Writing
Just beginning work on my third novel - got the plot plotted, got the characters characterized but can't seem to get it it going - usually words flow like champagne at the Tory party conference but for some reason struggling a bit with it - anyone got any words of wisdom??

Comments

  • When I get stuck I imagine what each character would sound like if they where talking to me. It almost becomes as if I know them and then the juices start to flow.
    On my novel I am working on at the moment, I knew who the character were, but I needed that something to get me started. So I also gave each one of them a nasty side or a bad temper. Strangely I then looked forward to bringing out one of my characters bad tempers in the novel, now at 34,000 words and that temper has now come out. it was as if I was looking forward to reaching this point in the novel.
    Great post it will be interesting to see how others work things out.
  • Maybe don't try too hard? I know that's not exactly inspiring, but I often find when I try to write, that's when I can't. An idea for an opening will come to me when I'm not trying to think of one, and away I go. Sorry, but good luck.
  • Ask your characters questions- they may or may not answer, but you might get some useful insights.
  • You're suffering from anti-climax, datco: you've written two, and now you have to start all over again. It seems like something of a chore just now: hard to make yourself do it.
    I imagine there's something called Third Novel Syndrome, actually - I'm sure you are far from being the only one to feel so disconnected from your art at this point.
    Remind yourself that you are about to explore a world you haven't really visited yet, meeting people you know by reputation but not in person.
    What is it about these people that makes you want to tell their story? If you can't come up with much, maybe you need to rethink their characters? What's grabbed you about the setting? Do you need to find some pictorial mind-jogging somewhere?
    I'm sure you have the plot worked out, so why not scribble out one of the scenes from further in the novel? Don't start at the beginning; jump in with both feet.
  • I'm struggling to start my second novel so know how you feel. Sorry I don't know the answer to it but it might help to know you are not alone. :-) Good luck.
  • Definitely not alone. I'm on my third (unpublished) book and it took me a long time to start it. I actually wrote the second one after I'd done a lot of research and planning for this one. But having written the second one and feeling I took too many wrong turns with it, I think my confidence was knocked. So, although I did write a chunk of the current one while still rewriting the second, I left it on the shelf until a few months ago. Now I've taken a good look at the plot and characters, made changes, and I've found myself absorbed back into it with renewed confidence.

    My advice, then, is to take a step back. Probably not for years like me! But keep it in the back of your mind, maybe try short stories, and take a second look at the novel plans in a couple of months.

    In that "break" period, the right words might come to you anyway. As Magwitch said, I usually find the words when I stop searching.
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