That 2nd one ties into boredom with the story. In the past, I either did a lot of "prewriting" (scene sketching) or none. Doing none meant that I spent more time figuring out what to write than writing, and that can be pretty darn boring/frustrating. Doing too much meant that there was no novelty for me, no feeling of discovery. I was just plugging through an outline.

The first one is just a general feeling... "Is this good enough? What chance do I have of doing anything with it? Jeez-- I'm already at 60,000 words and I'm just now wrapping up the beginning?! Will this ever end??" Perhaps fear isn't the right word-- It's more like a general feeling of anxiety. After all, committing to your writing project is exactly that: a commitment, and it requires dedication.

Although I'm still wrestling with my anxiety over my work, I've fixed my problem with the 2nd issue. I did a substantial amount of world building so that I wouldn't have to figure it out as I went along. But beyond that, I did only a very marginal plot sketch. I detailed my characters and my main conflicts, but have "discovered" how the story will unfold as I'm writing it. This keeps it fresh and exciting for me, and keeps my interest-- and sometimes my angst as my characters surprise me and do something totally unexpected! I pretty much just threw my characters at their conflicts and have written how they're wrestling with it... and those scenes naturally flow into others, etc. etc. I keep my eye on the main plot, but don't script how we're going to get there.

Hope that helps some... Good luck!

If you keep bogging down when trying to write something long, try tightening your focus into writing something short.

A book that may help with that is WRITING IN GENERAL AND THE SHORT STORY IN PARTICULAR by Rust Hills. (Until I read that book, I thought I was a novelist, but after I read it, I was able to write short stories that sold.)

But consider if it bores you, it will most likely bore the reader.

Add some hot sauce. Intro a new character and let him run the show for a bit.

In which case, I'd personally recommend it takes focus and discipline - with more focus on top. You need to be able to keep the world of your writing constantly with you - think about it when you're simply walking anywhere, even to the shops. That can help with the inspiration. But then you need to be able to discipline yourself to sit down and write what was come or is coming to you. There are always a 1001 other things you could be doing, other thatn write, which is why the discipline is important.

Sometimes, you simply run out of steam. In which case, put the story aside for a little while, and return to it later. Attempt to focus and discipline and see if anything will come of it.

Just my personal opinion

An example is that for a market-orientated sci-fi I'm working on I listen to track 2 from the "Star Wars - Phantom Menace" soundtrack [it's a dramatic choral piece].

When I hear it I visualise a film trailer and watch it in my head. This shows me excerpts of scenes from my writing. It also helps me break into the feel of my work.

There's a CD of classical choral pieces that somehow embodied specific scenes, and simply hearing a certain track or two has written scenes without prompting because, there is a shared mood in both.

Before I try and write something, I *always* try to visualise it. This can help break through the first couple of sentences, and then the writing takes over of its own accord.

This latter especially helps if I make up my own soundtrack in my head while visualising. Music is a powerful tool, and I'm lucky in that I feel able to use it. Why not have a try yourself?

Keep it going -

Brian

And to do that, I think you have to have hit upon a set of characters and a situation that you really love and that fascinates you. Only then are you going to want to sit down and devote the long hours it’s going to take to get a novel put together. Even when you have that high level of interest, it also takes just will power too. You have to decide that you are going to finish, and park you rear end in the chair on a regular basis to see it come together.

On the topic of jumpstarting when you stall a bit:

The musical theme/imaging combo mentioned above – very powerful stuff. I’ve gotten some of my best ideas like that, as I’m driving off to do such mundane things as going to the grocery store.

Sometimes I also talk out a scene in my head. I’ll often get some useful opening line like that, or even a set of scenes or a dialog half-fleshed out. So when I can get back to the computer, I’ve got something that’s going to flow down easier to get me rolling, and often, with that foundation, I’m off and rolling. (Of course, if you do such things when you are trying to go to sleep at night you run the risk of the mind getting a bit too excited about the whole thing. I ended up having to get out of bed at 1:30 in the morning, and didn’t make it back till 4 because of this random idea that refused to shut up. Now if an ending would just become so insistent – right now I’m a total blank now where that tale’s concerned – I’d have a cute little short story on my hands…)

I also find that going back and editing earlier parts of the story to be great inspiration starters as well. I tend to need to fill in the details that ground the scenes into the world’s reality when I go back, and in doing so, I’ve found some great ideas for off-shoots and whole plot directions.

And I was listending to track 2 on Gladiator repeatedly after my first round of submissions failed - it really pumped me up for planning my next round of soliciting - I will not be defeated! Growl, roar, and other testosteronic noises!!!

But as GZ rightly points out, you've got to be careful with it - I usually veg out on the net the hour before bed, to cleanse my head of ideas, and stop myself keeping awake plotting, planning, and constructing! Especially when you *really* need that sleep!

You keep at it and impress us when you're finished.

Even though I hate it, I outline the whole plot (often working from back to front). I usually write one or two lines for each scene. That usually gives me a page or two per chapter. Then I can use this scene map to fill in the details. If a character or plot element goes wild on me, I can always revise my outline and get back on track. I still have all of the stepping stones to the big finale laid out so I won?t get too off track. Also it enables me to work on chapters 1,2,and 3 at the same time if I want to.

Take care
-Justin-