IWSG: How I Keep Writing Even Through the Rough Stages

It's the first Wednesday of the month and so it’s time for another Insecure Writer’s Support Group (IWSG) post! In an IWSG post, we writers bring our writing challenges and problems out into the open to share with each other and try to offer solutions. 

We’re getting into summer and that means hot weather for many of us but it also means hot books to read and hot movies to watch in a nice AC’d movie theatre. So, I’m planning to come up with my own reading list for the summer here at the Fantastic Site soon, but I already have a summer movie list up. So feel free to take a look at it. But let me forewarn you, since my blog emphasises science fiction and fantasy reading, writing and viewing, this list mostly covers movies in those genres. But even if you’re not a speculative fiction fan, you might find on the list that rare film that works for all audiences regardless of a person’s genre preference. Now let’s move on to the IWSG question of the month!

IWSG Question of the Month

The IWSG question of the month, is: When the going gets tough writing the story, how do you keep yourself writing to the end? If have not started the writing yet, why do you think that is and what do you think could help you find your groove and start? If things get tough while I'm writing a story, I keep myself writing in several different ways depending on what level of the work I’m on. If I’m on the first or rough draft level, then I'll stop and work on another story. Or I'll brainstorm for a solution to the problem or whatever's causing my writers' block. I was kind of in that situation last week. The story didn't seem to be going anywhere and so I put it aside for a few days and worked on another story. Then when I went back to it, I discovered the problem may have been with the supporting character. So, I decided to switch that character with a more minor female character and make her serve the supporting role. So far I've only developed her character in a character profile and so haven't worked her into the story as the supporting character yet, but I'm hoping it will develop the story better and lead the protagonist to resolve the conflict in a way that’s satisfying to the reader. 

If I’m at the revision stage of writing a story when I come to a difficult point, then I may work on another task within the story. I'll either put it aside and work on another story or some other writing project. or I'll brainstorm for a solution. I may even do something else such as research certain elements of the story that I may not be presenting convincingly. For example, if I’m writing a horror story that involves a corpse that’s been lying in a cellar for several weeks, in order to make its description convincing I’ll research the length of time it takes for it to rot in such an environment. Then, eventually, I'll go back to the problem I was stuck on, usually a day or more later, and try to work through it again. But whatever I do I make sure I either keep writing or work in something related to the writing. 

Current Writing Status, Guest Bloggers Wanted

It's been a long week. So, I've been behind in some writing projects. I'm especially running behind with my author newsletter. I'll admit, I haven't started anything yet, except maybe some brainstorming for ideas on what to put in the newsletter. If you haven't signed up for my author newsletter then you can do so for free here! I’m also still looking for guest bloggers, so if you’re into speculative fiction whether writing, reading or watching, let me know in the comments box or email me at SArellanoRose@gmail.com and we can decide on a day for you to post.  

So, how do you handle those rough moments in your writing? Today’s IWSG is brought to you by these super co-hosts:  SE White, Cathrina Constantine, Natalie Aguire, Joylene Nowell Butler, and Jacqui Murray! IWSG was founded by awesome author Alex Cavanaugh, writer of the Cassa Series of novels! 

Until next time . . .