I have all these story ideas in my head, mostly just taking up space and gathering dust unfortunately. I try to get them written down, but by the time I start to actually do so, my mind has wandered off to the next great story idea. I just can't stay focused on a story long enough to actually really write it. I even made a long list where I have written down the gist of most of these story ideas, though many are still not even in that list, but the actual writing of a story never really happens. With the only story I have started posting here, "The world through grains of sand.", I ended up getting "distracted" by other story ideas and other other real life things. With the end result that I've only written 4 and a half chapters of it.
Anyone got any good advice for me or how they go about tackling this problem? I bet I'm not the only one with this problem. A flighty muse you could call it. Or just a general problem with staying focussed. At the moment there are actually 2 stories that I really want to write, but I can't choose. With the end result that I don't write anything at all and try to find new stories to read instead of writing anything myself.
So, what do you do to beat your muse into submission?
Cheers,
Angarato
Comments
Have You Tried
Ritalin? Possibly some herbal stimulant would do the same thing. Apparently amphetamine works about the same as ritalin, but I've never tried it.
I've tried meth a few times, many years ago, trying very hard not to be addicted, and succeeded.
Don't try meth. It makes one very stupid and it's dangerous. It will NOT aid concentration!
Hugs and Bright Blessings,
Renee
Muses
You tell your Muse that the beatings will continue until morale goes up :) Yes, I know, I am evil but what do you expect from a former U.S. Army Drill Sgt :)
Could be worse...
…you could be a former U.S. Marines Drill Sgt. XD
Simple answer
Sit and read what you have already written. That gets the story moving again in your head.
Love your characters first
Perhaps it's because you found a storyline you enjoyed but didn't have a character you could love?
How often do you find yourself thinking about a character and asking how they would act rather than plotting out the story?
Try building a character you can love first with all their quirks and foibles and strengths. They may start on one of your story lines but I promise you they will take it to places you weren't expecting :)
Persephone
Persephone
Non sum qualis eram
No, no, no!
Don't beat the muse! You have to seduce her! I find chocolate works wonders, but the right music can make all the difference. Is there a musical piece that would make the perfect soundtrack to your story? I find movie soundtracks and groups like 'Two Steps from Hell' as being good places to start. How about revisiting whatever inspired you to write that particular story? Was it a movie, story, or something else?
Another lure to bring your muse out of hiding is to think about the major climaxing scene. Give yourself something to look forward to and that scene can be the apple. Of course I plan out the ending ahead of time even if it changes in 'route' so to speak. The big think here is not to beat yourself up about it. Certainly do what others have suggested and read back over the story from the beginning looking for that spark. Perhaps you might even find a place where you went wrong or find something you forgot to add that first time.
Hope this helps!
hugs
Grover
I am new to this process.
It is taking me time to get my skill set worked out so that I am not driving people off due to simple mistakes but in this instance what is working for me is that I have a Domestic Writing folder where I create a file for each story Idea and give it a working title. In this folder I start with a general sketch of the story seed or core. Also in this folder I put the research I think that I need to start the story. When I am stuck on the work in progress I thumb my way through proposed Ideas to get inspirations from looking over the notes. This creates the story , the back story, character notes, in a composite picture. There is two story Ideas that will take some time to get to the point that I can start putting up the fist pieces. So for now when some inspiration comes from a dream , joke, past memory of friends and family. Including a story I started back when I was in collage on a visit home. I encountered a coyote watching me as I climbed up a rock face. When I got to the top she had waited and took me for a fun walk playing hide and seek. Every time I just about gave up she would let me see a part of her keep up the game. This twigged into a slightly different vein when watching a show about Quantum Mechanics adding a point where I was split into two different experiences time lines by the trickster . I am using a real life occurrence as the basis to build a story around, embellishing it with other knowledge years later. Brick by block by 2X6 I layer up the story until I get enough mass for it to light off.
This always keeps my imagination primed and WHEN I hit a dry spell I have work that I can do just cleaning up the files and do clerical organization on the story Ideas.
This is working for me so far so good. But as Mark Twain put it, My habits protect my health, but they would probably assassinate you.
Huggles
Michele
With those with open eyes the world reads like a book
Well, you could always try
Writing, it seems to make my muse flee...
Hugs,
Diana
A perpetual problem
I am always doing exactly the same.
What I have found works to some extent is that you need to get to the point in a story where you are really committed to it, and don't want to be distracted. As soon as that weed of a new idea starts to pop up, immediately write a brief synopsis, save it and get back to your story. I find that committing it to paper (or more accurately, computer memory), means I can put it out of my mind and get on with the other one.