1) What if it's not really good, and my reader is just being polite?
2) What if it is good, and I've got to prove that I'm not a flash in the pan? I mean, a fluke is one thing-- anybody can "turn a good phrase" once in awhile. But always??
3) What if my inability to keep going is really just my "passive-aggressive" fear nibbling away at me. I mean, if I don't finish it, I can't submit it. If I can't submit it, then I can't be rejected.

Regardless of what reasons you give for not writing, JUST DO IT. Force yourself. 5 pages a day. Or set a word limit. Anything. Heck, I had writer's block yesterday. I forced myself to fill up my blank screen. By the time I had written 400 (agonizing) words, the block was gone, and I kept on going for another 2000.

For me, the joy of writing comes from the excitement of creation, of having something hip, unique, and fresh to share. While I'm developing my idea, writing my story, it's all about the spark of life in the creation. Energy to write, and even more creative ideas than what I started with, flow as I write. Whether consciously or not, there is an element of 'boy, I wonder what they'll think of this?' As soon as I share that with someone in the middle of the creation process, the spark is diminished or even extinguished. There is no more wonder of what they will think.

Another way to look at writing is like the creation of a laser. Light bounces around in the crystal, the energy building in intensity as it hits each facet of the gem, until suddenly it is too much for the crystal to contain and the beam bursts forth. If the crystal is weak and allows some of the energy to leak out, the beam that finally emerges won't be as strong. Heck, if the crystal continues to leak the energy instead of containing it, the energy may never be strong enough to emerge as a beam. So, to, the creative energy of writing and the crystal writer.

The only time I've found this not to be the case is when I collaborate with a musician buddy of mine. I think this is so for two very important reasons. One, he's a part of the creative process, the energy flows between us and builds and intensifies -- he's a second crystal. Two, the element of wonder is still present, I'm still excited by the expectation of what others will feel upon seeing our creation.

A final thought on letting others read a work in progress. There could be merit in it, as long as it is limited to a very select few, and there is an understanding of what sorts of input are desired -- say, in a crit group (people find those useful, especially beginning writers, but I haven't participated in one here yet, so can't speak directly to it). I would just worry that three things might happen. One, as above, the spark disappears. Two, I spend my time saying, "I'll get to that" or, "You'll see why in the next chapter". There is one thing to hearing, "I don't understand because the writing is weak" and another to hear, "I don't understand because you haven't explained it yet". If I'm going to get the latter, then I'll just wait until I've finished the story. Finally, I wouldn't want unsolicited story ideas, just writing critiques. Too many people reading the story and saying, "This could come next" only diminishes the process for me. It's like too many gems diluting the energy. The collaboration with my buddy works because there is only two of us tossing around the ideas, and we expect that type of input from one another.

Well, this became much longer than I expected, but there it is.

It's been for me a sounding board that helps me see if I'm on track, where I'm strong, and where I'm weak. It enables me to build on my strong points and improve my weak areas, and both of these might have otherwise been obscured by my own pesky and imperfect internal editor.

It's also fueled me to keep writing because I am so excited and passionate about what I'm working on, and sharing that seems to fuel my interest and enthusiasm for my work.

Sharing also helps the accuracy of what I'm trying to convey. For example, my current novel (ok, ok, my first) involves some military strategy and battle scenes that I'm a little uncomfortable with. My husband, a former Marine, will read a chapter and say, "No way would that ever happen. What about doing this instead...?" His idea may or may not work. But then we can talk and hash out something that does work while conforming to where my story needs to go.

Regardless, it's just my perspective. My previous post relates what my stumbling blocks are and what contributes to my writer's block. Ultimately, each writer has their own source of frustration and has to work through it.

And as to sharing, I don't necessarily think that spouses or friends make the best "sharing buddies." I'm fortunate that my husband is just insensitive enough (ha ha ha) that he'll be brutally honest with me on what I've done and is a great reviewer. (In contrast, my best friend isn't because she "likes" everything and never gives me significant criticism.) Similarly, I've found some helpful (if infrequent) reviewers on another website that caters to aspiring fantasy/sci-fi writers. Whatever works for you is what is right... even if it's wrong for someone else.

As I think about it, it still holds true for me: I try not to share in the middle of writing. All of the reasons you gave for sharing, for me, can be accomplished after it's written, when they read the whole story. I'll still find out where my writing is weak, where I might have lost focus. And they'll have the complete picture to judge.

Now, things like your military example would be fine, because I see that as different (somehow). It seems like a form of research to me, different than asking for a critique of my writing.

I guess it all depends on what motivates you to share. If you're just so gosh darn excited that you want someone to read it, I'd wait. If you blocked, perhaps you share to get ideas to get unblocked. If you're looking for specific expertise (e.g. a battle scene), use it as research. If you're wanting to know if your writing is weak or you're losing focus, you're probably asking a question you already know the answer to, so either rework it now or wait until the first re-write -- but why let someone else tell you what you already know. <grin>

Don't show your work to anyone until you are ready to show it--and that might as well be when it's finished, when you've got it as complete as you can get it on your own.

If you don't want to share unfinished work, but you need feedback on a specific part of it, like the military operations, you can just talk about it to someone who knows.

The thing that makes me lose interest in works-in-progress is that when I start something, I'm writing from a certain point of view, ina certain mood, with a certain idea that I need to write. Later, when I come back to it to finish it, I'm in a totally nother frame of mind, and I am often unable to get back to where I was when I started.

I'm with Siligurl on the subject of sharing. My brother and I often critique each other's works-in-progress, and the ones we critique for each other are most likely to get finished at all, not to mention that they are better.

quote:

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The thing that makes me lose interest in works-in-progress is that when I start something, I'm writing from a certain point of view, ina certain mood, with a certain idea that I need to write. Later, when I come back to it to finish it, I'm in a totally nother frame of mind, and I am often unable to get back to where I was when I started.

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I have that very same problem, Viola. It frustrated me for the longest time (heh, who'm I kidding, it still frustrates me), to the point where I wouldn't write if I wasn't in the proper frame of mind. One way I've tried to combat that is by having a couple different pieces going at once -- my major piece, and a couple side ideas I want to develop. Each has a very different feel, and I work on the one that fits my mood at the moment. That tends to take away the excuse of "I'm not in the mood".

This little trick of mine aside (it doesn't always work anyway), it's still a very real issue for me (and Viola and others, I'm sure). So how to combat this? If I'm trying to write a particularly gruesome scene, but I'm not in that creatively sadistic mood, how can I infuse the scene with the necessary feeling? Why bother writing it if I know it would be better if I was in a different mood?

On the other hand, my short stories worked fine to NOT share until done and revised after a time aside to re-read under a clearer perspective.

As far as getting critical input to technical details, I do it at any time, but as a question not by letting my writing be viewed. For example, I have asked friends and co-workers stuff about golfing, car/boat stuff, and an emergency room nurse for help on what happened if the character did such and such. So, I'm saying that it's not a bad idea to get that kind of information as early as possible because it makes the story more enjoyable for both the writer and the reader.

Different writing projects may call for different handling. And, always change how you did something that didn't work for you in the past!

For me writing is more than the creative process. It is also pure communication. I have an idea in my mind and I want my words to put a version of that idea in the mind of my reader. I do not expect or want the reader's thoughts to exactly mirror mine, but I do want the reader to have an experience that allows them to think about my thoughts.

Feedback on works in progress helps me to assess the ideas communicated in my writing. I want to know if my messages were garbled or lost, or if the reader got something unintended out of my writing, which is often a good thing.

SiliGurl, if you want to dream up better technical details for your fantasy battle scenes, I suggest you read a few WWI articles at Trenches on the Web.
http://www.worldwar1.com/index.html

The articles are not too long, but very informative.

>reaching soapbox< Ahem...

In one story a family is murdered by a creature that would resemble a panther (sci-fi). I describe the investigation done at the crime scene in third person with a detective as the main character. I let my friend read it and he says "wow, thats really good, but dont you think there would have been claw marks all over the place or something?"

DOHT (A La Homer Simpson)

But hey, thats just me...

Arron