Hey all, and thanks for your interesting replies. First, I have to say that it feels very reassuring to see that many of us are in the same boat. I was starting to worry at my dwindling motivation, especially for a story I've been very much looking forward to write for the past three years.
Now on to the tips you offer.
Marns, I so know what you mean about getting interrupted and not finding the flow again. Then there's also getting the sudden urge to write exactly when you can't. I recently spent three weeks with no computer access and of course then I had those pulsions to grab a keyboard and type furiously. I had brought a pad with me but it's not the same, the ideas to flow onto the page in the same way, and when you want to tweak it's a nightmare.
Annie, LOL on the procrastinating techniques! See we use pretty much the same ones. For me it starts with checking email every 2 seconds, then reloading the boards, seeking a thread, going over to the archive and find something to read, grab the book I usually keep for bedtime, watch a stupid TV show, go find something to nibble in the fridge, and you know it's getting bad when I start changing the font on my WIP file. That's usually the very ominous sign that I cannot find any word to write.
Yvonne, yes, the temptation to write a scene that really perks up your interest is hard to resist. I let myself do that in the first few months. However, for some reason I feel the need to switch back to linear writing after a while, mostly because I'm terrified that the story I'm telling won't make sense otherwise. As I refuse to work with a full outline (did that once, which drove me to a complete dead end), I need to stick to some kind of Ariane thread, especially with the A plot.
Gerry, good luck with your story! I don't know about you, but this thread is helping me a great deal, if just because I got it off my chest and it showed me that other people encounter the same sort of problem.
Rat, ROTFL!! And yes, good idea.
Though once I find myself alone in front of the page, the problem returns. :p
Pam, I really like your idea to know exactly what's the purpose of the scene. I don't do that consciously often enough, and I think it leads me to running around in circles. This is why I had done a full outline on Fallen Angels, but you're right that I don't have to look very far ahead to know where I'm going. Thanks for the suggestion.
Missy, LOL! But I tried that once, and had to stop halfway through posting because I got stuck (that full outline thing, no doubt). I'm now determined not to post anything until it's finished. It doesn't mean I won't include suggestions by the readers! But at least I won't be pressured by this fear not to have the next part ready to post within deadline.
Samik, LOL! I'm usually the type of person who can concentrate on many things at the same time. I do need something when I write (inspiring music is particularly helpful... uh, as long as I don't feel compelled to sing along
). But sometimes it's hard to concentrate on writing when the TV's on and you're talking on IRC and checking the MBs and replying to email, all that in the same breath. [g]
Jude, I tried setting myself a given number of pages each day, too. 3. Not even 6 or 7. And yet 3 was already too much for me to keep up. It's like my mind perceives it as unbearable pressure, and so I end up filling blanks instead of writing something properly. I think long walks could be just the thing, though.
Anyway, I'd like to thank you all again for your interesting answers and useful tips. I'll certainly be trying them out and see if it makes a difference. This thread already helped a great deal, as I managed to write several pages over the past few days. However, as I've just become aware of a glitch in my A plot, I can already feel that it's going to slow me down, if not chase the Muse away. She hates glitches. [g]
Kaethel
(off to change the font of her file
)
