The Stages of Writing a Story

[marycrawford]

I could add some disclaimer like "for me" but I suspect this experience is near-universal. Even though it always feels like everyone else has no problems with writing, I know they do, and I sure do.

Stage 1: yay story writing is fun!

Stage 2: NO IT IS NOT THAT WAS WRONG INFORMATION

Stage 3: everything is terrible

Stage 4: okay the first half is fine but the second half is GARBAGE

Stage 5: is it the end yet, even if nobody undressed or talked or had a feeling (that's good enough right)

Stage 6: is it the end NOW

Stage 7: now?

Stage 8: welp wtf even is this? Is it a story or a scarf for elephants?

Stage 9: (story goes out to a kind beta friend, with apologies for inflicting such trauma)

There are other stages after that, to do with beta and fixing and "oh hey actually maybe this is okay after all" and then finally posting the story and getting reader feedback (this is the GOLDEN HOUR), but this first cycle is just me alone.

And if you were guessing, yes, you were right, I'm currently in stage 3. :X

Comments

[marycrawford]

Awww I have encountered this stage as well but I try to skip it, because that never leads anywhere good if I give in...

[dorinda]

Yeah, hopefully if you are hitting this stage and you mention it to friends and betas, they will pummel you back into line! Lovingly.

[trobadora]

I wish I knew how to skip it. It happens to me at least half the time. (Any tips for how not to succumb? *g*)

[marycrawford]

The only tip I have, other than Dorinda's (i.e. outsource your angst!) is the Planes On the Runway model that astolat posted once upon a long ago:

"Every story CAN'T be better than the last. They're planes on a runway. Some of them are 747s and some of them are commuter jets and some of them are six-seater Cessnas with mechanical problems, and every once in a while you get the Concorde. But the Concorde can't take off until you've got the five commuter jets and the Cessna out of the way."

I find this a helpful mental image to let me focus on getting this STUPID CRAPPY PLANE OFF THE GD RUNWAY rather than try and install a new engine mid-flight, as it were.

[trobadora]

That's great analogy! Thank you for the link.