It has been twelve years since I penned this post, twelve years in which I completed and published all three volumes of the Awen trilogy, plus two prequels, The Druids of Marduk, Parts I & II.
Wow, what an amazing intervention by one of your characters! Truly a sign. Endings are rediculously hard. I think my first book suffers for the ending. I rewrote it dozens of times and even changed the antagonist mutliple times to try to get it right. My next book I think I landed the ending but time will tell going forward. I can't beleive some writers are lucky enough to start with their ending.
Right?! Thank you, HH! It was truly one of those "Holy mother, the Universe is speaking" moments. It energized me in a way that only my Muse could've imagined and I am grateful to this day. And I agree, endings ARE ridiculously hard. Even when we know how the story will end, there are a million and one ways to present that ending. My best seem to come when I've given up all hope of ever getting it right. Then there's a stroke of inspiration, when the Muse (or the character) reaches in and slaps me silly with a scene that I had not imagined. And when I can sit back, covered in goosebumps and grinning like a loon, KNOWING "yep, THAT is the perfect ending," I know I have done my job and listened well. And if the Muse got it wrong? Well, hell. That's a whole 'nuther issue.
Good luck with your own endings. We can do this, Hieronymous! And, btw, starting with an ending doesn't mean we landed it, OR that we won't have a saggy middle or a hard time getting there. It just is what it is. Until it's not. And what if, like everything else in life, our writing process is here to teach US something about ourselves and life? What if THAT is the whole point? Not views, reads, sales, or a finished book?
What if she/he is screaming but your life is so loud you can't hear them? It typically happens when I've given up and am no longer "thinking" about it. Usually in the middle of some mindless activity when the world and my thoughts are quiet and WHAM. There it is. I've also found that when it happens, I must be still and pay attention. Not try to direct it, remember it, record it, anything. Just let it unfold as if I'm watching a movie. And when it stops unfolding, THEN I can ponder and relive and write it down. Is that something you could maybe try?
I have tried going on walks or taking a shower and those both work great for brainstorming, but I think the epiphanies come when they want for me. Sometimes trying to sit quietly only makes it all louder. I’m glad it works for you. I’ll keep trying. 😉
LOL, I get it. But I don't think I elucidated my point well. I agree with you. Anytime I'm Trying... to sit, think, conjure, or anything else, I can't. Or don't. It's when I'm NOT trying and in some sort of receptive state (that I'm not sure how I achieve) that it comes. Does that make more sense?
Yes it does. I jsut don’t have a lot of that in my life right now. I am at home either writing or reading for the most part. Not too much mundane physical actvity that seems to allow the animal brain to do its thing. I am going back to work part time in December so maybe that will shake things up. I have started swimming regularly but I find that I spend a lot of that time trying to focus on my technique and not able to really relax yet. it will come I think.
Wow, what an amazing intervention by one of your characters! Truly a sign. Endings are rediculously hard. I think my first book suffers for the ending. I rewrote it dozens of times and even changed the antagonist mutliple times to try to get it right. My next book I think I landed the ending but time will tell going forward. I can't beleive some writers are lucky enough to start with their ending.
Right?! Thank you, HH! It was truly one of those "Holy mother, the Universe is speaking" moments. It energized me in a way that only my Muse could've imagined and I am grateful to this day. And I agree, endings ARE ridiculously hard. Even when we know how the story will end, there are a million and one ways to present that ending. My best seem to come when I've given up all hope of ever getting it right. Then there's a stroke of inspiration, when the Muse (or the character) reaches in and slaps me silly with a scene that I had not imagined. And when I can sit back, covered in goosebumps and grinning like a loon, KNOWING "yep, THAT is the perfect ending," I know I have done my job and listened well. And if the Muse got it wrong? Well, hell. That's a whole 'nuther issue.
Good luck with your own endings. We can do this, Hieronymous! And, btw, starting with an ending doesn't mean we landed it, OR that we won't have a saggy middle or a hard time getting there. It just is what it is. Until it's not. And what if, like everything else in life, our writing process is here to teach US something about ourselves and life? What if THAT is the whole point? Not views, reads, sales, or a finished book?
That’s wonderful. I have yet to have that happen. My muse is quiet way more than I would prefer.
What if she/he is screaming but your life is so loud you can't hear them? It typically happens when I've given up and am no longer "thinking" about it. Usually in the middle of some mindless activity when the world and my thoughts are quiet and WHAM. There it is. I've also found that when it happens, I must be still and pay attention. Not try to direct it, remember it, record it, anything. Just let it unfold as if I'm watching a movie. And when it stops unfolding, THEN I can ponder and relive and write it down. Is that something you could maybe try?
I have tried going on walks or taking a shower and those both work great for brainstorming, but I think the epiphanies come when they want for me. Sometimes trying to sit quietly only makes it all louder. I’m glad it works for you. I’ll keep trying. 😉
LOL, I get it. But I don't think I elucidated my point well. I agree with you. Anytime I'm Trying... to sit, think, conjure, or anything else, I can't. Or don't. It's when I'm NOT trying and in some sort of receptive state (that I'm not sure how I achieve) that it comes. Does that make more sense?
Yes it does. I jsut don’t have a lot of that in my life right now. I am at home either writing or reading for the most part. Not too much mundane physical actvity that seems to allow the animal brain to do its thing. I am going back to work part time in December so maybe that will shake things up. I have started swimming regularly but I find that I spend a lot of that time trying to focus on my technique and not able to really relax yet. it will come I think.