# How do I convince myself I am good enough to finish a story?



## lzbeth97 (Mar 30, 2014)

Over the years I have found myself coming up with an idea and jumping right into the story, but after I reach the fourth chapter I find myself losing the ability to continue.  I want to know why I do this?  Even when forcing myself to continue I find that the story is going no where.  Currently I'm writing a story I love and still find myself struggling to continue the work.  I feel unmotivated and sad when I write it.  My sentences seem choppy to me and the characters seem like they aren't developing how I've wanted them to.  So how do I continue and actually complete something for once?


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## bookmasta (Mar 30, 2014)

You just have to write. Write for the sake of finishing the story. No matter what you do, finishing is always the first step. A first draft can always be edited and such, but unless you finish the story, you'll never get to that point. I've felt how you feel now many times. In fact, I feel like that with all my first drafts. It usually takes a friend to convince me its not as bad as I thought when they read it. So just keep writing. On the motivation, I recommend setting a time a day that you write for a certain amount of time. If you're finding it hard, then start at twenty or thirty minutes. There's no hurry when it comes to writing. Take your time, find a pace and go with it. From there, if you want, build however much want gradually on it. Either way, keep going, keep writing, and keep practicing.


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## lzbeth97 (Mar 30, 2014)

Thank you for your help bookmasta.


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## popsprocket (Mar 30, 2014)

A few hints that might help:

Not everyone can 'just write'. 

Not everyone can just jump into a story.

Try taking some time to plan out the story. Think about the plot, give it a beginning, middle, and end. Give it conflicts and sub plots. Decide on characters and the roles they play. Decide on setting. Once you've spent some time thinking about those things, _then_ you start writing. I myself am quite incapable of writing more than small stories without doing a good amount of planning. It works for some people and not for others.


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## Greimour (Mar 30, 2014)

Books and Pops make valid points.

I don't think you need to convince yourself you are good enough to finish a story. I think you need the motivation to write until you meet your stories end. As Books said, finishing is the first goal. Whether or not it is any good can be judged or rectified later... but actually finishing is a big task so keep at whatever you are working on until it is finished. Experience and skills will follow, you will get there in the end as long as you keep finishing stories.


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## Bishop (Mar 31, 2014)

The only way to convince yourself you're good enough to finish a story?

Finish a story.


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## thepancreas11 (Mar 31, 2014)

To elaborate on a plan set forth by popsrocket, why start by writing an entire novel? Sometimes I find I have better success starting with an idea, writing a short story, and then trying to examine what it is I could expand on. It's normally superdense, contains a bunch of lukewarm characters and needs so much more explanation. I'm just like you in that I often lose steam, so starting with a shorter story and blowing it up lets me 1) forget about book length because that's just a number that people generally put way too much stock in and 2) have an end in mind as soon as I begin (generally, I have an end written before I begin).

The only other trick I can suggest is to write two things simultaneously. When you lose steam on one, try switching to the other. That should keep the creative juices flowing, and by the end, you'll have two books for the mental anguish of one.


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## kilroy214 (Mar 31, 2014)

When I first started writing I too had this problem. It seemed to me that I had a dozen different stories dying to be told, get half way through several of them and they would just peter out. I still have a 3.5 inch floppy somewhere with about 20 or so stories that have died in this manner. What happened to me was that, like you, I told the story I wanted to tell, but hhadn't thought of and ending, or had but hadn't thougt of a way to connect the ending with where the narrative stopped. Everything after that felt forced and wooden.
What I eventally came to find out was I was rushing my stories. I'd think of cool scences and write them out, then had no way to end them, so that's all they were, these brief scenes of a story.
I think what's been said before is true, work needs to be done on planning. One thing I do know when I think of a story is what and where do I se the characters in the end. What have they taken from the story? Did they survive? Have they changed? What conclusion do you want to have happen?
My best advise to you that hasn't been given already is to think about what the characters would do. What comes natural to them. Put them in a situation, something that may have nothing to do with the story at all. Discover who they are and what their reactions would be. You might be surprised by what comes from it. It's nice to always have an idea for an ending, but a lot times, the storie's characters make the ending for you.


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## Morkonan (Mar 31, 2014)

Blondiefrom1997 said:


> Over the years I have found myself coming up with an idea and jumping right into the story, but after I reach the fourth chapter I find myself losing the ability to continue.



That's not uncommon. Writer's usually encounter it during what's often called "The Dreaded Middle of the Book." 



> I want to know why I do this?



Because it's not uncommon. 



> Even when forcing myself to continue I find that the story is going no where.



There's a different reason for that... (I'll elaborate)



> Currently I'm writing a story I love and still find myself struggling to continue the work.  I feel unmotivated and sad when I write it.  My sentences seem choppy to me and the characters seem like they aren't developing how I've wanted them to.  So how do I continue and actually complete something for once?



Well, as you've probably heard, "Writing" will solve all of that. But, it's not that simple, is it? It sounds as if you just don't know where you're going. Forget your sentences and characters for a moment. Instead, ask yourself "What happens next." Can you answer to that?

Do you "Plot?" Do you outline how you want your story to develop? Do you examine your characters and figure out where there are going to be opportunities to develop them? Do you figure out what scenes go where and what transitions you're going to use? When you're down and out and feeling lost, having a roadmap that helps you remember where you wanted to go can mean the difference between feeling as if you've wasted your effort and feeling as if you're actually working towards a goal.

Here's a sample plot diagram : 







Note that this is just a standard, run-of-the-mill, plot diagram. It's generic and is so common that it can be applied to just about any written fictional work. See those dots? Those are pivotal guiding points along the progression of the plot. Typically, they're scenes or are important points within scenes. But, that's not all this sort of outline can be applied to. Let's see what Vonnegut has to say, using a similar plot diagram. This time, instead of just general "Plot" development, Vonnegut applies it to the theme of Ecstasy vs Agony in the tale of "Cinderella."

http://michaelgrayouttakes.blogspot.com/2012/05/kurt-vonnegut-on-cinderella-writing.html






So, let's say that the original author of Cinderella followed a similar method when "Plotting" out how the theme of Ecstasy/Agony was going to develop in their story. (Not that I'm saying any of that occurred...) It's possible that they could have sat down one day, grabbed a piece of paper and a stick of charcoal and "mapped" out the progression of the theme and the parts of the story that were relevant to that theme. Aha! Now they know "where they're going" as far as "theme" is concerned, right? (Cinderella is a bloody, somewhat grotesque, tale, to be honest. Disney didn't want to include all the blood and bodily disfigurement...)

Lastly, in keeping with the first diagram, let's look at the overall structure of your intended story. Most common is "The Three Act Play."






See how this relates to the first image of general plot progression? While you're not just writing "Three Acts", portions of your story will likely fit nicely into such a description - Beginning, Middle and End. 

Sit back and imagine your story. Imagine your main characters as they progress through the story. Imagine the plot as it unfolds and imagine the revelation of that plot and the increased stakes that may come with it as your characters, and readers, experience them. So, how do you get from "here", wherever that is, to "there?" 

Grab a piece of paper. Don't use the computer for this, you need to be able to rapidly scrawl near illegible text and shaky lines all over the place in the minimum amount of time necessary to do so...  So, a piece of paper or, better yet, a notebook would be best. Grab a pencil or, if you're confident in your abilities, a pen. Now, draw your first "line." This is your "Plot." Draw it with the first image in mind, making it higher as it rises in action and story details that relate to the tension building in the main plot. In your plot, where are the "Plot Points?" Where is major information or action revealed? Scrawl little circles on the line and add a note describing the sort of scene you're going to write for that. Move on to the next "Plot Point" and do the same until you have finished "Plotting" along the entire line, including your climax/crisis and the denouement/resolution/falling action bit. How about Scenes? Do you have any favorites? Do you have any scenes that you feel must be included? Well, stick those on the "Line" as well.

Now, what about those "Major Plot Points?" Where are the pivotal scenes  in your Plot? Where are those points that say to the Reader "Things just  got interesting" or "Bet you didn't think that was going to happen!"  Where are those specific scenes that dictate an entire sequence of new  events directly relating to the plot? Find them and draw big fat circles  on the line. Those are where the major "Acts" of your story have their  transitions. 

Next up, how do you want your characters to develop? You say that they're not cooperating with you, right? Well, you've likely either not given them sufficient instruction or they're darned determined that they don't want to be the people you thought they were... Either way, make a sort of "plot line" for them, too. Where does the Reader, in time, get introduced to the characteristics of your character that you want them to notice? Draw a little circle and note the scene or circumstance. Refer to your major plot-line if necessary, just to get everything to match up through the progression of the story. But, if you have separate scenes or envision different circumstances for developing those characters, make note that you have to write a scene that isn't connected to the main plot in order to communicate these developing attributes to the Reader. Do that for every "Round" character. (Characters that change over time.) For "Flat" characters (Characters that don't change over time), note the scenes where the Reader is informed of the Flat character's attributes (or the character demonstrates them for the first time) and take the opportunity to reinforce those unchanging attributes in a couple of other scenes in the Story. (Flat characters can be interesting in how they're able to persevere in their "Flatness" while Round characters bounce off of them..)

OK, now you've got a "Plot" roughly outlined in a visual format and you've got notes for each of your Character's as far as their "Development" is concerned. It's visual, so you can refer to it at a glance, if necessary, without having to dig through a bunch of handwritten junk that will probably change, day-to-day, anyway.  Tape all this stuff on a wall, somewhere within easy reach. You'll likely be making changes to it as you progress through writing your story.

See all the little dots you put on those lines? Those are likely going to be scenes or, at the very least, special moments in your story. Those scenes are things _you_ have determined that are completely _necessary_ for either the development of the Plot or a Character. You have to write them - They aren't optional. At least, they are not optional in a conceptual way, but the exact contents or presentation could be. The important thing to remember is that you have decided that _Something_ must be done _Here_ at _This Stage_ along the line in order to _Accomplish a Story-Telling Task_.

All of this can help guide your efforts when you're feeling lost. So, when you're suffering from not knowing where to go or you find your character's not developing the way you wanted to, if you've already done a little bit of outlining, it'll be much easier to see the problem or the solution and, importantly for your post, where to handle that in your story.

Motivation

I don't _really_ know where your problem lies. I think it's likely that you just haven't given yourself enough direction and you likely need to sit down and do a bit of outlining, working with Plot, Character and Scene progression. But, if it's something else, if it's truly a feeling of not being up to the task, then you need to realize that _everyone_ goes through this sort of thing. 

Look through what you have written so far. Don't read it, just look at it. You've already accomplished a lot, even if you're not completely satisfied with it. Don't worry about that - That's what Editing is for. However, if you've managed to get as far as you have, why do you think that you can't manage just one more chapter? And, after that, another one? And.. so on. Writing is writing. That's what it is. If you can write, you can _Write_. If you've done four chapters, there is no reason why you can't write fifty or a hundred-and-fifty. Forget about the finer points, the weak sentences and whatever other criticisms you have for yourself. That's not important, right now. What _is_ important is writing the next chapter and repeating that task until you Finish the Story. Actually "finishing" writing a story is the first grand hallmark of being a writer. It's not publishing, it's not getting someone to like what you've written, it's not even managing to print out your entire story without spilling coffee in the printer. The most important "First Thing" you can do as a writer is to finish a story. And... now you know why it's often difficult and frustrating. But, hopefully, now you have a better idea about a few tools that may help you through your specific problem. Outlining won't solve every problem, but it will help you avoid many of them.


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## Bishop (Mar 31, 2014)

View attachment 5372


But, no seriously? Well said Mork! Also, every time I see those types of diagrams, I stare at them and map out my novels on them. Especially fun today, as I just finished writing the climax of my latest, and all I have left now is the resolution.


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## Sam (Mar 31, 2014)

Bombarding someone with that kind of information is counter-productive. Your first go at a novel does not need to adhere to plot structure, diagrams, or anything of the sort. The OP is asking how to get past the feeling that s/he isn't good enough to write a novel. Does anyone really think that firing plot structure at him/her is going to help? Do you pick up a saw and attempt to make precise and complicated cuts from the start? No, you first learn how to saw without jamming the blade or making off-the-square cuts. Plotting, structure, arcs -- all of them are advanced writing techniques that come later. The first thing that needs to be done is get your ideas onto paper. Stop trying to make it perfect. It isn't going to be. Before you know how to write a good novel, you need to learn how to write a rubbish one. It's the only way you'll build your confidence.


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## movieman (Mar 31, 2014)

Sam said:


> Does anyone really think that firing plot structure at him/her is going to help?



If they want to produce something readable, yes. I'm no longer an outliner, but a novel is a long journey for most people, and setting out is easier if you have a map of where you intend to go.

Otherwise, just take the NaNoWriMo route and say 'I'm going to finish a novel by the end of the month, whether it's good or crap.'


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## Tettsuo (Mar 31, 2014)

Dune - "Litany Against Fear"



> _I must not fear.
> Fear is the mind-killer.
> Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.
> I will face my fear.
> ...



I avoiding writing my novel for years.  I honestly didn't think I was capable of doing it either.  I mean, don't have a degree in literature. Hell, I didn't even read that much until after I finished my novel.  I had only ideas, vivid concepts, that kept gnawing at my soul.  Concepts I had to get out of my head.

Now, after the novel is done and out of my head, the gnawing of that story has ended.  

There's a finite number of stories.  If you wait long enough, someone will come up with the exact same idea that you had... except they won't allow themselves to be hamstrung by fear and self-doubt.

You'll never see how high you can fly until you take a leap of faith.


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## Tettsuo (Mar 31, 2014)

I think you need a bit of The Wiz right about now!

[video=youtube;TZ6ZllWIA7A]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZ6ZllWIA7A[/video]


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## bazz cargo (Mar 31, 2014)

Before you make anything you must first make an effort.


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## Sam (Mar 31, 2014)

movieman said:


> If they want to produce something readable, yes. I'm no longer an outliner, but a novel is a long journey for most people, and setting out is easier if you have a map of where you intend to go.
> 
> Otherwise, just take the NaNoWriMo route and say 'I'm going to finish a novel by the end of the month, whether it's good or crap.'



I've never studied plot structure in my life and I'm a twice trad-published author.


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## ViKtoricus (Mar 31, 2014)

Sam said:


> I've never studied plot structure in my life and I'm a twice trad-published author.





I think this is one of those moments where we really should listen to the one who's more experienced than us.

Dan McKeown has done it. Stephen King has done it. And neither of them are big fans of plotting.

To quote Stephen King, "I distrust plot..."


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## Jeko (Mar 31, 2014)

> after I reach the fourth chapter I find myself losing the ability to continue. I want to know why I do this?



1) Lack of purpose
2) Lack of discipline
3) Lack of focus
4) Lack of confidence
5) Lack of humility
6) All of the above

Those are the most common reasons I know. 



> Currently I'm writing a story I love and still find myself struggling to continue the work.



This is a contradiction. If you loved the story, you would be able to write it. It's more likely that you love the idea of writing the story, but not the story itself. There is a vital difference between the two.



> My sentences seem choppy to me and the characters seem like they aren't developing how I've wanted them to. So how do I continue and actually complete something for once?



Remember that you're learning the craft. A GCSE Art student isn't going to paint the Mona Lisa. A student at university can't take their final exam on their first day. If you're going to succeed at writing, you'll need to learn as you practice the craft. Whether you learn directly or indirectly, the more you write the better you'll get. So you may write it badly now, but in a few years you might look back at your work and immediately know how to improve it, as many famous writers do.

You may benefit more from writing shorter stories - if you can't shape a plot in 5,000 words, how do you know you'll be able to in more than 50,000?


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## Morkonan (Mar 31, 2014)

Sam said:


> Bombarding someone with that kind of information is counter-productive. Your first go at a novel does not need to adhere to plot structure, diagrams, or anything of the sort. The OP is asking how to get past the feeling that s/he isn't good enough to write a novel. Does anyone really think that firing plot structure at him/her is going to help? Do you pick up a saw and attempt to make precise and complicated cuts from the start? No, you first learn how to saw without jamming the blade or making off-the-square cuts. Plotting, structure, arcs -- all of them are advanced writing techniques that come later. The first thing that needs to be done is get your ideas onto paper. Stop trying to make it perfect. It isn't going to be. Before you know how to write a good novel, you need to learn how to write a rubbish one. It's the only way you'll build your confidence.



You can't cut wood without tools.

If someone appears to be in need of a tool to help them get control of the creative process, that's what they need. Sometimes, having just a simple tool or even the understanding of more complex tools can make a huge difference. It's often just one or two keywords that can feed a spark which rises to a full fire of comprehension. The cause of the OP's frustration seemed to be a lack of direction and knowledge of where the OP wished the story to go. I don't know the story, so I can only attempt to provide some general tools that can help provide the OP with a means to decide that for themselves and to help direct them when they're feeling lost.

Confidence is only ever built by achievement.


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## bookmasta (Mar 31, 2014)

So its a matter of choice. Some people outline. Some don't. Pick the one you prefer and go with it.


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## Tettsuo (Mar 31, 2014)

Morkonan said:


> You can't cut wood without tools.
> 
> If someone appears to be in need of a tool to help them get control of the creative process, that's what they need. Sometimes, having just a simple tool or even the understanding of more complex tools can make a huge difference. It's often just one or two keywords that can feed a spark which rises to a full fire of comprehension. The cause of the OP's frustration seemed to be a lack of direction and knowledge of where the OP wished the story to go. I don't know the story, so I can only attempt to provide some general tools that can help provide the OP with a means to decide that for themselves and to help direct them when they're feeling lost.
> 
> Confidence is only ever built by achievement.



I got the impression it was more about fear than a lack of knowledge.

/shrug


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## Jeko (Mar 31, 2014)

> You can't cut wood without tools.



The tools required to tell a story are within the reach of any writer, regardless of ability. 

More specific and specialist tools, like those you posted, are not the kind of tools that you can just pick up and hack at a tree with. They may help some people and hinder others; what's important for any struggling writer, however, is that they pause and reflect on what's preventing them from succeeding. A new tool won't do that. A new tool is the path one might take if they realize that they need better tools.


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## Kyle R (Mar 31, 2014)

blondiefrom1997 said:
			
		

> after I reach the fourth chapter I find myself losing the ability to continue. I want to know why I do this? Even when forcing myself to continue I find that the story is going no where. Currently I'm writing a story I love and still find myself struggling to continue the work. I feel unmotivated and sad when I write it.



I know the feeling!

For me, one simple trick that works is to figure out how I'd like the story to end. This way, I have something to write _toward_, instead of writing off into a giant, endless abyss.

With an ending in mind, it can serve as a sort of GPS destination point. You're here, you know you need to get _there_, now the fun part is getting there.

Also something to keep in mind, with this approach, is that the destination you choose when you begin writing may very well change along the way, and that's perfectly okay. It's not meant to be set in stone. Mostly, it's meant as a place-holder to give you some direction and insight.

To me, it sounds like you're hitting a wall because you have no idea where the story should be going. Take a few minutes and write down a dozen or so possible endings. By forcing yourself to come up with many of them (instead of the first that comes to mind), you may surprise yourself with new, non-cliche ideas.

Circle the top three that you like the best. Then decide which one of those three will be your place-holder ending (it might change, or it might stay that way).

Keep that ending in mind as you write, and see what ideas you come up with for all the events leading up to it. You might be surprised how quickly your subconscious begins "connecting the dots" between your beginning and your ending. Ideas for scenes may spring up out of nowhere. Write them down before you forget them.

If nothing else is working for you, perhaps give this a shot. See where it takes you. :encouragement:


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## Tettsuo (Mar 31, 2014)

Let's not also discount the fact that a writer will not always be overcome with endless waves of inspiration.  That's a fallacy for the most part.  Many writers, at some point or another, muscle forward with sheer grit and determination to complete a novel.

So.... KNUCKLE UP!


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## Bishop (Mar 31, 2014)

Morkonan said:


> You can't cut wood without tools.



Have to...

View attachment 5373

OKAY BISHOP. That's enough pictures. But really, I think that your second statement is correct. Confidence is built by achievement. I wont say that it's the only way confidence is built, but I know from my own experience that actually finishing is what finally told me I could do it. Until then, I refused to really believe it. I think there's benefit to knowing the ins and outs and the suspected "rules" but at the same time, there's a benefit to just going. At lot of times, the instincts are there, you just need to trust them.

Bishop


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## Sam (Mar 31, 2014)

Morkonan said:


> You can't cut wood without tools.
> 
> If someone appears to be in need of a tool to help them get control of the creative process, that's what they need. Sometimes, having just a simple tool or even the understanding of more complex tools can make a huge difference. It's often just one or two keywords that can feed a spark which rises to a full fire of comprehension. The cause of the OP's frustration seemed to be a lack of direction and knowledge of where the OP wished the story to go. I don't know the story, so I can only attempt to provide some general tools that can help provide the OP with a means to decide that for themselves and to help direct them when they're feeling lost.
> 
> Confidence is only ever built by achievement.



If you have a leak and I fire twenty tools at you, saying, "Figure out which one will fix it," how long do you think it will take you to solve the problem? If a person doesn't know how to move forward on a story, bombarding them with writing techniques is liable to confuse them even further. I don't need to have visited the South Pole to know it's cold there. Likewise, I don't need to know all the plots in the world to know how to write a damn good story. I write it from my head and my heart. 

The first thing the OP needs to learn to do is write the novel. Doesn't matter if it's the worst novel ever written. Once you've written one, the rest are easy.


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## Morkonan (Mar 31, 2014)

Sam said:


> If you have a leak and I fire twenty tools at you, saying, "Figure out which one will fix it," how long do you think it will take you to solve the problem? ...



But, I didn't just say "figure it out." You're making far too much of this. It's simply taking the concept of "Plotting" and applying it to the perceived problem at hand. That is all it is. I trust that the OP appears cognizant enough to benefit from the discussion, even if they aren't yet able to fully implement it in any complex manner. (Which, I have no doubt of their ability to eventually achieve, should they wish.) This is definitely not a situation of someone being given a neutron bomb without any explanation of how one should use it.

This knowledge is not dangerous. There is nothing that I presented which would somehow lead the OP astray nor is there anything there that should confuse them to the point where their frustration is increased. I simply discussed a tool that could possibly help to provide a solution as well as providing some separate encouragement. I have not rent asunder the tapestries of the temple and, thus, endangered the innocent souls of the unwary or ignorant... Please stop acting as if I have.


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## Greimour (Mar 31, 2014)

I was going to write another response but, I think the questions needs have been met and all that remains is personal opinions.

I don't plot, never studied plot, don't plan to... though technically that is now not true thanks to reading Morks posts. Still, I somehow agree with Mork, Sam and Cadence in all comments. All well reasoned statements but simply personal points of view that I can agree with... or at least, feel no desire to argue against because it is an opinion that remains correct to the individual. 

Our opinions are based on teachings, logic, reason, understanding and more... no two people will have the same contributing factors that formulate opinions and so we can't expect everyone to agree with the opinions we have. What we can do is; try to understand the other persons point of view.

My point of view seems, from the comments so far, to be the same as Sams... that does not however mean that I disagree with Mork, who makes a valid argument. I see and understand morks point of view, so I accept it but do not go along with it. ... Get it?


This is my personal opinion of Morks plot comment and Sams response:

If it were me asking the question back when such a similar state of being troubled me... Morks comment would have largely gone over my head. I would have been disheartened in thinking I needed to plot, and therefore study and learn about plotting... I would have wondered why I couldn't just write and keep writing until my story was done. I would have questioned my ability to learn plotting and structure and wondered how important it is to follow the methods shown. In short, I would have become more self-conscious, more doubtful of my abilities and more stressed in general.

But that was me then... not me now. It is also limited to certain people, as is Blood-Type B, blue eyes, red hair, etc... There are people out there who would have been greatly benefited by Morkonans post - I just wasn't one of them. If I had allowed my self to be concerned with the post, I would definitely have had a hard time dealing with the information presented. On the other hand, I could have easily ignored the comment as 'not valid to me' and listened to the people who shared a like-minded method of work, such as Sam. 

That's my opinion.

And also this:


Cadence said:


> The tools required to tell a story are within the reach of any writer, regardless of ability.
> 
> More specific and specialist tools, like those you posted, are not the  kind of tools that you can just pick up and hack at a tree with. They  may help some people and hinder others; what's important for any  struggling writer, however, is that they pause and reflect on what's  preventing them from succeeding. A new tool won't do that. A new tool is  the path one might take if they realize that they need better  tools.




I love Cadence ^_^


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## Lyra Laurant (Mar 31, 2014)

I don't want to go into the dicussion about tools and plot right now, so I'm going to answer directly to Blondiefrom1997.



Blondiefrom1997 said:


> How do I convince myself I am good enough to finish a story?



You ARE good enough to finish a story.

You love your story, right? Aren't you looking forward to writing any particular scene? Or maybe don't you miss spending some time with your beloved characters when you are doing something that is not writing?

You ARE capable of finishing your story. But you don't need to be so hard on yourself! Your first draft is just a draft. It is not supposed to be perfect. It is not supposed to look like the best-selling books you read. If you are not a genius, but just a regular human writer like any of us, you may write a first draft that looks awful, but you should know that that is completely normal. With practice and, maybe, study (learning about plot and structure may or may not help you), your writing will improve. Every word you put on paper is worth. Every word gives you experience and improves your ability.

So, don't worry if your sentences are not as good as you thought they should be! Just keep your focus on the story you love so much! Write it freely, write it with your heart! Have fun! 

Then, once you finish it, you may fix it if you want.


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## lzbeth97 (Mar 31, 2014)

Thank you all for your help! These have been good tips.  As for the plotting I have never been a planner.  I dislike have a set course with the story it has always created disinterest for me.  I like to plan some small details for the future but I could give plotting another chance.  Hopefully I can get this one completed at least.  Again I thank you all for your help!


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## Jeko (Apr 1, 2014)

> This knowledge is not dangerous. There is nothing that I presented which would somehow lead the OP astray nor is there anything there that should confuse them to the point where their frustration is increased. I simply discussed a tool that could possibly help to provide a solution as well as providing some separate encouragement. I have not rent asunder the tapestries of the temple and, thus, endangered the innocent souls of the unwary or ignorant... Please stop acting as if I have.



All I'd say is that if there's a lot of information that accompanies the explanation of something, it should be condensed to the point where it can be expanded upon by the recipient. That's the best way I learn something - when someone points me to something and I then study it myself, in as much depth as I want to go into.

You can't teach someone how to write with a well-written post, but you can steer them towards practices that will help them teach themselves. There are some good threads made by some of the other mentors and members on plotting - I might try to dig them up.


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## David Gordon Burke (Apr 1, 2014)

While I can hardly imagine nor have any inclination to talk about the kinds of insecurities that this and other posts often deal with, it seems to me there are way too many solutions to this pseudo-problem.
1.  Read about the art of writing.  How do others do it? 
2.  Instead of concentrating on the 'Novel' as a goal, try some other forms first and work up to the novel.  Flash fiction, short story,  novella etc.
3.  Man-up.
4.  ETC.  

David Gordon Burke


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