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Monday, August 6, 2012

Story Problems

I’m having problems with the ending of my current story. And it’s making me a little crazy.

I got stuck on my last novel, too. It got to the point where I had to set the thing aside and let it rest for a while. Luckily, it’s my new normal to have several stories going at once, so I had something to jump to.

However, this time what I jumped to wasn’t as fully thought out as my stories usually are. I know that this will be a trilogy. I know where each part begins and ends. But now that I’m actually writing the first one, I find that there are certain weaknesses.

The ending.

I know where the end needs to go. I know what my characters need to be at that point. I know where the next story begins. The one thing I’m missing is a climax.

Back to the drawing board.

Have you ever abandoned a project because it wasn’t coming together? Should I just trash this and move on?

24 comments:

Amanda Foody said...

I personally HATE trashing work. Especially if you spent a lot of time on it.

You must have the tiniest idea of a climax. Something. I think one of the easiest ways to make it bigger is to play with its setting. Sometimes certain places are just bound to make a scene epic.

Alicia Willette-Cook said...

Indeed. Just did that with my story I'd been working on for a while. It was beginning to feel much like pulling teeth. And I got to thinking...if it's like this writing it, what is it going to be like for the reader reading it? Gag. Ditched it. Started over with a new character lead, new concept, new new new. Feels much better. And maybe I can use my old story as a sub-plot or something later on. Who knows!

mshatch said...

Sadly, I've abandoned many projects; they are either sitting in notebooks, the file cabinet, or on my hard drive. Maybe some day I'll resurrect some of them. I've started outlining to help me determine if an idea can be made into an actually full-fledged story.

Susan Gourley/Kelley said...

Maybe you just need to rethink where you're ending the book. If it's a triology, maybe just change the spot.

1000th.monkey said...

I'm a pantser, so yes that happens every time :)

...I just keep writing until the story comes out.

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

Don't trash it. Power through it. Sit down and force yourself to make this ending stick. In the olympics, it is all about the ending. Athletes train and train and train to get it right. Writing is no different. If you abandon and go to another project you'll just hit this wall again when you get to the climax. Stop running from your fear and face it.

Briane said...

I've given up on things mostly because I'm not interested in them any longer. Just this past weekend I scrapped a sci-fi story I'd been working on because I didn't feel like writing it anymore. If I don't want to write it, who wants to read it?

Maybe your story already has a climax, and you've missed it? Most of my stories don't end, really. (Some literally have no ending in sight.)

I'm kind of with Michael: just write. Don't worry about the climax. Write until you are done with the story and that's the story.

Unknown said...

I've dropped a story idea if I felt it wasn't unique enough or if I just lost interest. If I don't feel the inspiration to write it, then why should I? I turn my attention elsewhere.

I don't think you should trash it. Maybe put it aside for a bit and let other things claim your attention. Come back to it later, give it some thought. Don't stress over it for too long. That never helps with writing. Good luck!

Liz A. said...

That's the problem--the idea is tiny. It won't work as a climax.

Liz A. said...

Ah, that's an idea!

Liz A. said...

I don't consider those abandoned projects. They're just "resting".

Liz A. said...

Solutions are coming. Stay tuned.

Liz A. said...

Panster? You're braver than me.

Liz A. said...

This week's posts are a series. Stay tuned.

Liz A. said...

No, I got to "the end" and it was more of a whimper than a bang. I think a climax should have a bang.

Liz A. said...

Good advice. Thanks.

Theresa Milstein said...

Don't trash it and move on. You've come so far! Sit on it a while and think. I know someone who landed an agent, and the agent wanted to climax to be more exciting. Good luck!

Huntress said...

Back up and give your story a good thinkin'.

Where did it go wrong? What side street did your characters wander down without telling you?

I'd say trashing it is not an option at this point.

J E Fritz said...

I hope you don't trash it. Go do something that stretches your imagination in other areas, like reading or painting or working on another story even. It will come as long as you keep pushing your imagination into creating new ideas.

Ever thought about showing it to a crit partner and asking for feedback? Talking it out is another way to power through.

Liz A. said...

I'd like my climax to be more exciting. Well, anything with a pulse would be more exciting than what I've got now.

Liz A. said...

Ah yes, you're getting ahead of my little week long story.

Liz A. said...

Good advice. Thanks.

Amrit Sinha said...

Do not trash it, just go writing ... create the draft, and once the novel is done, you can always come back and edit the portions you didn't find satisfying !!!

Liz A. said...

I can't just write. If I don't know where the story is going, I stall. Just the way I work, I guess.