musings on teachng oneself to write

[drunkoffthestars]

I have a googledocs document where I've been storing up all the little fragments I've been writing in the cultverse, and a notebook that I take in to work with me for when I don't feel like working. I printed out the googledocs thing the other day and it's almost exactly 3 pages long [headdesk] The thing about it is, it's completely incoherent. It's all my 'hey, it would be cool if this happened and then something else happens and i don't know what happens next. I'm alternately impressed by myself and horrified. That's a alot of worthless writing. And that doesn't even include most of the stuff in the notebook.

On the other hand, I'm getting a lot better at running scenes in my head. It used to be that I could get a picture or a few seconds, and then it would just stop. But now, I can reliably get things moving for a few minutes at a time. I'm still absolute SHIT at capturing it with words, but I suppose that's what the ubiquitous THEY are talking about when THEY say it takes practice. I also suck at dialog and whatnot, but whatevs. I feel like I will worry about writing crappy stories when I actually have a crappy story written.

Comments

[queenofhell.livejournal.com]

That's how I feel every time I start a new story, like, "it would be cool if this thing happened! It would happen like this, and then...yeah, I don't know what happens next." I mean, even in the cultverse, everything takes place over several years, so its not a straight A to B to C story, its more like A happens, then P, then X. I suck at plot, so my stories are generally, like, "one thing happens and then my characters react to it by not actually doing anything".

I'd say, don't stress out about it too much. If your story comes in snippets, then maybe do a character study instead of a plot-focused story. Figure out what you're trying to do with the story (are you exploring a character? an event? are you just writing out a moment in your character's life? are you trying to illuminate a theme?) and then you'll know how much or how little form your story needs to have. I'm really happy the cultverse is inspiring you, though--if you like, you could send me some of what you've written through email and I could look it over?

[drunkoffthestars]

Ha! I'm totally going to email you this completely ridiculous document!

I wouldn't really say it stresses me so much as... it's confusing? Or something. I think the it's finally settled into being about How Panic Gets Converted, with a little bit about How Brent Gets Kicked Out. Or, rather, that's what I seem to be focusiing on. So. Yes. maybe?