When is it the Right Time to Write a Story?
It's a question I've mulled over before. I often get all these ideas for stories and I'll map them out, either inside of my head or in an empty word document but never get to the actual writing. Life interrupts all the time and other responsibilities or other priorities will interfere. I'll make the notes to make sure I don't forget that plot-line or bite of dialogue but more often than not that information will just end up long forgotten.
It's inevitable that at some point something will get in the way of you writing. In my case, it's mostly because my ideas come in complex storylines, which can't be told without approaching novel length, at least if I was to be satisfied with them. And writing that many words takes time, even without having to consider responsibilities interfering or motivation wavering. I'll be motivated as hell one night, dishing out over 5,000 words "effortlessly" but the next week, I've had a new idea pulling my focus.
I still love the other story and I want to finish it but I'll often feel myself pulled between ideas. And the effort and time I know will go into writing it scares me a bit too. It's so much of my creative energy that goes into writing stories. I write best in a certain mindset but usually, if I force myself to sit down at the computer and write, I can push myself to that stage.
But if I'm pushing, does that mean that what I'm producing isn't on par with what I wrote before? Should I put this idea on hold for a more suitable time? I have a tendency to spread myself thin over several long and complex stories at the same time, which makes me worried that I'm messing up my beloved characters. But I also have a sinking feeling if I abandon an good idea and never put it into writing.
Who knew what that could turn out to be? Will it go to die, forgotten as a momentary thought and never brought to its full potential?
I'm trying my best to get better at writing shorter stories with simpler plots. Works that I can finish within a reasonable timeline and stories I won't have to carry around with me for more than a year. I love having my characters with me in a way, even if they push for dominance within my head, but it's pretty crammed in there to begin with. And I don't want to get half-way through a 100,000 word story to abandon it either.
It probably doesn't come as a surprise that posting my stories online has helped push me to create more. I have been fortunate enough that quite a few people have stumbled across my stories and liked them. With every lovely comment, I am reminded why I bleed at the keyboard. I'm not doing this for them - I'm still doing it for me - but they see my writing in an untainted light. I've been working on some of those stories for hours and hours on end and I lose sight amongst all the words. I'm balancing what I've written and what I plan to write while knowing I don't have total control over where the story goes. I've written many of my favourite scenes or details by accident, simply because my characters took me where I didn't know I needed to go.
So I asked a question as the title of this blog post and so far I've talked more about how I write and try to both welcome new ideas without abandoning the works already in progress. But my writing process influences how I feel about that question a lot. You could maybe argue that the question is stupid.
And it's the same with writing and when to write an idea you had. You should write it because you're passionate about it, because you can't leave it alone, because no one else will write that story like you will. When an idea pops into your head, jot it down in a note. I have a note on my phone for that exact purpose but now comes the tricky part. Don't let the list get too long. Make sure to put your favourite ideas into actual writing and discard the ones you don't like along the way. Make your characters have a voice and let their story be heard (or read to be more accurate).
Writing moods likely do exists but like with any creative endeavour you really want to happen you can't just sit and twiddle your thumbs until the grand inspiration and divine motivation strikes at the same time. You have to sit your butt down and get working. If you write something, you can always go back and change it. But now you have something to start with. At the very least, a line here or there will be okay. Or maybe you'll find that pushing yourself into a creating mode did the job like a charm and your fingers are flying over the keyboard.
Like everything in life, it's about prioritising the things that are important to you. Writing is important to me, so it will stay a high priority, even if I don't know if I'll ever be able to officially publish anything. It's a passion of mine and therefore, I devote time to do it. When I have an idea I like, I will get to writing it before I forget about it and when my huge works in progress threaten to overwhelm me with their complexity, I will take a steadying breath and then get back to writing.
You dictate when it's the right time to start writing a story you need to tell. But word of advice: Don't wait too long or you risk abandoning your idea and everything it could be. Wouldn't that be a shame?
It's inevitable that at some point something will get in the way of you writing. In my case, it's mostly because my ideas come in complex storylines, which can't be told without approaching novel length, at least if I was to be satisfied with them. And writing that many words takes time, even without having to consider responsibilities interfering or motivation wavering. I'll be motivated as hell one night, dishing out over 5,000 words "effortlessly" but the next week, I've had a new idea pulling my focus.
I still love the other story and I want to finish it but I'll often feel myself pulled between ideas. And the effort and time I know will go into writing it scares me a bit too. It's so much of my creative energy that goes into writing stories. I write best in a certain mindset but usually, if I force myself to sit down at the computer and write, I can push myself to that stage.
But if I'm pushing, does that mean that what I'm producing isn't on par with what I wrote before? Should I put this idea on hold for a more suitable time? I have a tendency to spread myself thin over several long and complex stories at the same time, which makes me worried that I'm messing up my beloved characters. But I also have a sinking feeling if I abandon an good idea and never put it into writing.
Who knew what that could turn out to be? Will it go to die, forgotten as a momentary thought and never brought to its full potential?
I'm trying my best to get better at writing shorter stories with simpler plots. Works that I can finish within a reasonable timeline and stories I won't have to carry around with me for more than a year. I love having my characters with me in a way, even if they push for dominance within my head, but it's pretty crammed in there to begin with. And I don't want to get half-way through a 100,000 word story to abandon it either.
It probably doesn't come as a surprise that posting my stories online has helped push me to create more. I have been fortunate enough that quite a few people have stumbled across my stories and liked them. With every lovely comment, I am reminded why I bleed at the keyboard. I'm not doing this for them - I'm still doing it for me - but they see my writing in an untainted light. I've been working on some of those stories for hours and hours on end and I lose sight amongst all the words. I'm balancing what I've written and what I plan to write while knowing I don't have total control over where the story goes. I've written many of my favourite scenes or details by accident, simply because my characters took me where I didn't know I needed to go.
So I asked a question as the title of this blog post and so far I've talked more about how I write and try to both welcome new ideas without abandoning the works already in progress. But my writing process influences how I feel about that question a lot. You could maybe argue that the question is stupid.
When is "the right time" for anything? The right time is when you make time for it.
By a Girl who Loves to Write aka Me
And it's the same with writing and when to write an idea you had. You should write it because you're passionate about it, because you can't leave it alone, because no one else will write that story like you will. When an idea pops into your head, jot it down in a note. I have a note on my phone for that exact purpose but now comes the tricky part. Don't let the list get too long. Make sure to put your favourite ideas into actual writing and discard the ones you don't like along the way. Make your characters have a voice and let their story be heard (or read to be more accurate).
Writing moods likely do exists but like with any creative endeavour you really want to happen you can't just sit and twiddle your thumbs until the grand inspiration and divine motivation strikes at the same time. You have to sit your butt down and get working. If you write something, you can always go back and change it. But now you have something to start with. At the very least, a line here or there will be okay. Or maybe you'll find that pushing yourself into a creating mode did the job like a charm and your fingers are flying over the keyboard.
Like everything in life, it's about prioritising the things that are important to you. Writing is important to me, so it will stay a high priority, even if I don't know if I'll ever be able to officially publish anything. It's a passion of mine and therefore, I devote time to do it. When I have an idea I like, I will get to writing it before I forget about it and when my huge works in progress threaten to overwhelm me with their complexity, I will take a steadying breath and then get back to writing.
You dictate when it's the right time to start writing a story you need to tell. But word of advice: Don't wait too long or you risk abandoning your idea and everything it could be. Wouldn't that be a shame?
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