I’m bored of my book again and there doesn’t seem to be anything i can do about it. I’ve tried the songs, the playlists and mood boards and role play stuff but it just doesn’t seem to work. Im just done with the characters and the setting and all the work that goes into them.
Maybe I’m just not cut out for writing novels? Maybe it’s because they’re too long and I can’t do anything to make it less tedious to work on? Maybe it’s because I like poetry better because i can skip the outline and pants the whole thing easily?
And I’m bringing this up because it happens right after I finish plotting any and every book idea I come up with. It’s become a pattern. And it’s a problematic one because I’m losing the ability to believe in myself due to it.
Any tips? Advice? Opinions? Ditch the book? Continue writing? Turn the whole thing into poetry?
I’ve never understood the whole thing about writers getting bored with a book once they outline it and know where it’s headed, but I hear that’s a thing. I subscribe to the theory that once you know where your plot is going, that ought to make you even more excited to write it.
But if outlining isn’t working for you, why not try pantsing a whole book? Or work on short stories or poems if you’d prefer. Plenty of famous writers never bother to outline or plan at all. They just jump right in and let the characters take them where they will. ¯\_(ﭢ)_/¯
Whatever you do, don’t lose faith in yourself! We all go through rough patches, but sometimes it’s working through these things that forces you to come up with an idea that’s better than anything you’ve ever done before. It’ll come to you eventually! You’ve got this. (*＾-‘) 乃
I get overwhelmed easily by the sheer amount of moving parts. It’s like my brain freezes and idk what to write. So I want to outline. But then I outline and I get bored.
Maybe I could try writing the novel as a severely underwritten short story and then buff it up?
I’ve found that after thinking up an idea for an entire story, it’s like I’ve scratched the itch and my brain is no longer interested in pursuing it.
Me: Okay, now let’s write—
Brain: *yawn * we are done
Me: No, we’re not wait—
Brain: Wake me up when you have a new project * shuts off*
I have a few stories that are in your situation (not outlined, but I have thought of what’s going to happen for the whole thing). I’ll likely scrap most of the thought-up plot and pants the whole thing while keeping in mind the names of people, places, and little bit of lore, and the vague beginning, middle, and end.
I have a similar problem! I deal with it by only outlining 1 section at a time, and being very bare bones with the outline so there’s plenty of room for on-the-fly development. Having to stop to outline the next section works a natural break into the writing process so it doesn’t seem as daunting as if I did it all at once, plus it feels like I met a goal, which is great because i have a very goal-oriented brain. Plus I don’t get the whole “oh well I ‘wrote’ it already and now it’s annoying that I have to ‘re-write’ it from memory” boredom thing.
Let’s take Children of Scorch which is an 8 book saga I plan to write one day. I’ve thought of everything from start to finish for that saga. Well, not every single thing, but it’s a lot for a pantser.
I’d start with Pedro, the MC, and the story is supposed to start at the time where he’s found out to be a Scorch but his mom helps him escape but she dies in the process.
I’d begin with Pedro and his mom in their little house in the village. I’d start really small. Maybe they’re having a fun conversation (or it could be his birthday?), when, suddenly, pounding footsteps and a heavy knock on their door and then “Open up! King’s orders!” and mom immediately tells Pedro to hide and then run.
So, starting with action and then through the action, I pepper in the lore of the world. Scorches are maybe called something derogatory by the soldiers that tells readers a Scorch is a child born with fire powers.
Then I have this running away sequence. I’m thinking I’d use that to add in more lore and more about the bleak, poor village Pedro grew up in. Maybe he hasn’t been allowed out much so many things are new to him as it is new to the reader.
Because it’s new, it will please my brain and keep me motivated to continue on the story.
I’ll aim to write a finished scene each time I write, and if I think I can write more, I’ll write more during that session. If not, I’ll stop for the day.
Whenever I’m stuck, I’ll throw myself a curveball which is always action.
That’s basically it I can’t think of what else I’d do. Any questions?
I talk about it here (I didn’t give you my hour-long video, but I feel like I might have also mentioned it there, too)
Basically, when I come to a part where either nothing much is happening, characters are sitting around talking, or walking or standing around, I make something happen suddenly and don’t even think if it has anything to do with the lore at that moment.
Because, as a panster, I can always make it work.
So, walking along and then suddenly a large beast with glowing eyes jumps out to attack them and then, to weave it into the lore, I might say this beast used to be a Scorch, but it’s one that had been unable to control their powers. Or maybe this beast is the minion of the witch that created the Scorch children. Or maybe this beast is just a rabid beast and they just live around here.
Or you can have a moment where characters are chatting nicely or seriously and suddenly the lights go out and a giant storm is upon them. Maybe it’s nothing magical, but it is action and action is interesting. Once I start it, I feel like I want to write until its resolution—I then end up adding more words in my session.
what if your book is already outlines and half-written but you want to ditch the outline but still have it work? and you’re REALLY attached to the outlined version so you don’t want to ditch it but have to to make it work?
I’d just keep the parts I like in my head and try to write the story without looking at the outline as much as possible. You might be surprised with how much you remember.
I’d also identify from where the story started to feel like a boring struggle and cut and paste that whole chunk in another document to start fresh. So, you’re not “killing your darlings”. You’re just setting them aside.
Then I’d rewrite that missing part without looking at anything.
Then write shorter! I discovered I really enjoy writing characters, so I’m working on shorter things at the minute. It’s nice being able to write a full project, and then move on.
I once pantsed a million words in 30 days. I promise you can pants a novel of any length in any timeframe. It seems to me that you and I have similar issues with our work - the “new and shiny” part of a project is the only thing that keeps us going. Because I don’t plan or outline, I tend to lose that sparkle in the middle or towards the end of a project. All the times I’ve tried to plan, it’s been by the end of Chapter 1.
My personal method of pantsing that may work for you relies heavily on Scrivener to work. You can do it without Scrivener using actual, physical post-its or cards/paper and a board or something to put them on to make sense of it.
I simply start writing whereever I want, and then build around it. Say I want to write a chapter where character A is out slaying beasts with character B, I’ll start there. In Scrivener, I’ll add some notes to the scene card (you would do this on the paper if you’re doing it IRL) so as I remember what I wrote. Then I’ll make a new chapter, plonk it before the chapter I just wrote, and it’ll be how they ended up in that scenario. Rinse and repeat.
The reason this hinges on Scrivener, and not just an assortment of Google Docs or loose files, is because of the chapter cards. Being able to see what I’ve written and what state it’s in (Scrivener allows you to tag cards with things like ‘in progress’ or ‘first draft’) without manually going through tons of files makes this viable, as well as being able to move them around.
That said, if you would prefer to do it digitally via Scrivener, it is a paid platform. You can get 50% off by winning NaNoWriMo and plenty of people will have codes to give you - probably less now that they’ve ran themselves into the ground though, I’m not sure Scrivener even still sponsors them.
I can’t think of what else I’d do. Any questions?
so I’m not sure if I’d use this.
I enjoy the outline too much and the writing of the actual story too little.