Hatrack River Writers Workshop: Unshakable faith in an inner vision

This is topic Unshakable faith in an inner vision in forum Open Discussions About Writing at Hatrack River Writers Workshop.

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Posted by hoptoad (Member # 2145) on :

What do you do when you put time effort and talent into a story only to find that in the process of writing you lose faith in the value of the premise?

Please tell me this is not an unsalvageable position.

[This message has been edited by hoptoad (edited October 24, 2005).]

Posted by keldon02 (Member # 2398) on :

I file the story away to use later as spare parts. Usually a novel is made up of more than one story so there are always parts to use elsewhere.

Posted by JmariC (Member # 2698) on :

Is the story done yet?

I know I've had many ups and downs on both of my current WIP-novels and also on a few shorts and flashes I've written.

On my novels, I've had complete loss of faith. I just left them alone, but then they will cross my mind and I'll remember why I loved the character/story. Then I'm back in the saddle again.

Posted by Kolona (Member # 1438) on :

Is this a 'This whole idea stinks' sort of thing or is it the execution that you've lost faith in?

Posted by hoptoad (Member # 2145) on :

You know what? I thought it was an idea that could sustain a novel-length treatment but is really much shorter and simpler. So I've been doing some serious padding and get frustrated with a lack of forward motion.

So it may be a combination of poor execution and unrealistic expectations. (and a feeling that I may not have started in the right spot ie: told this way the story needs a hefty prologue.)

PS JmariC: It is not finished yet it is about half way through.

[This message has been edited by hoptoad (edited October 24, 2005).]

Posted by Jeraliey (Member # 2147) on :

I'm right there with you, friend; I keep on flipping back and forth about whether my WIP is the story I think it is on good days.

If you find a solution, please let me know. For now, though, know that you're not the only one

Posted by Beth (Member # 2192) on :

I saw the topic title, and had a very different impression of what the subject would be.

I'm sorry you've lost faith in your story. It happens.

I don't have any real advice, just sympathy. I've spent plenty of time searching for unshakeable faith but eventually had to decide that it wasn't worth waiting for. Just keep typing, and if you are very lucky, you will find something to believe in as you go along.

Posted by Elan (Member # 2442) on :

I know the feeling. I'm a little shakey right now that I have the skill level to pull off the story I am writing. I feel the story is great, I'm just not as confident that I can get that across.

It's a normal thing to go through. We all get stuck in different ways. The challenge is to push through the block. Me, I'm doing some research right now and trying to bolster my skills.

I'll get through it. And you will too. After all, the alternative would be not to write, and that just isn't at all acceptable.

Posted by Christine (Member # 1646) on :

I wish I could offer you something more enlightening than, "I Know how you feel." Unfortunately, that's all I've got. I recently stopped writing a novel I was halfway finished with because I completely lost faith in the basic idea. Now, with months of time feeling wasted I'm floundering, wondering if the next project will just turn out the same.

Posted by pantros (Member # 3237) on :

If you just can't keep the story going to novel length, make it what it is. If its a novella, finish it as a novella. Use typical methods for cleaning, polishing and fluffing.

If the subject matter supports ideas that you as a person no longer support, it sounds like you have the potential for a great struggle over the issue, you now have the task of either redirecting the plots to come back around or flip the protagonist/antagonist forces in the book for a rewrite.

Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :

Okay, so sometimes you're faith is shaken.

Read something amazing that is fundamentally an exploration of a very simple idea. Go, pick a book off your shelf of really great books, read it. Think about the simplicity and elegance of it's central premise, how everything in the story comes out of that one concept.

There are no small concepts...there is only writer's block. You're idea is fine. It may be factually wrong, but it can certainly support a novel. You're just feeling a little bit unable to keep writing right now. It happens.

You don't need a big, complex idea to drive a book. That can work, there are plenty of good books that have complicated ideas driving the story. But your idea, it isn't too small.

Posted by djvdakota (Member # 2002) on :

Not...not ROBBY!?!

Have you lost faith or are you just overwhelmed?

Do you need more time to perfect your craft before tackling something so complex?

Do you need to step back and spend more time outlining, researching, inventing?

Do you need to approach your planning a little differently? Maybe spend some time sketching scenery and characters?

Do you need to spend some time making the characters more real to you?

If it simply comes down to your having lost faith in the premise, I'd have to concur with Keldon. Put it away for spare parts, so that when you do find a premise you have greater faith in, you have some material to get you going.

Posted by hoptoad (Member # 2145) on :

Hey Dakota,
Yes it is that story.

Looking at it, you're right, it is planning that is the problem. Well, that is, my plans are fine but as I write, the story drifts. I feel as though I'm caught in a relentless machine and whatever is going to come out will come out regardless of the planning. It is disheartening to know I will have to write it ALL--like lancing some kind of gestalt boil--in order to get at the living tissue.

I thnik a little more of your 3rd and 4th suggestion are required. I just can't bring myself to shelve it because I know the story is in there and I gotta get it out.

[This message has been edited by hoptoad (edited October 26, 2005).]

Posted by BuffySquirrel (Member # 2780) on :

If you feel that you're padding the story, then, unfortunately, you probably are.

This situation is not irrecoverable, however.

This approach works for me:

Read the story through and try to pinpoint where you feel it started going wrong. Once you hit that point, cut&paste everything that comes after into a separate "out" file (don't lose it!).

Yes, that seems drastic, but you're not dumping that writing, you're simply turning it into a different kind of resource.

Ignoring where the story did go after the cut-off point, think about where it needs to go. Start writing again. Reuse scenes, characters or ideas from the "out" file where appropriate. You'll probably end up using a lot of that material eventually.