So last time I wrote one of these, I was around 14,000 words into my book. Now, I've been travelling/working at my actual job like crazy for the past few weeks. That translates to not having a ton of time to write. So at this moment, I'm hovering at just south of 15,000 words... now granted, I went back and revised and removed some sections I wasn't thrilled with. But even still, my progress has slowed pretty significantly. I'm trying my best not to let that get me down.

Either way, I know where I want my story to go, but I'm having issues finding a way to connect where I am now to where it needs to wind up. On top of that, I'm second guessing some of my previous work. It's all a bit frustrating. I figured that maybe writing this would force me to put it out there and maybe get me some level of motivation. I just wish it was coming as easily as it was before.

Anyway, as usual, the book can be read in my Google Doc here.

Hint: Stop writing or even thinking about it for about two or three days, then jump back onto it with a fresh mind.

@believer258: The problem is my schedule forced me to step away and stop writing for a couple of weeks and it's like the momentum I had slipped away. Maybe I just need to wait until I get into another slow period for my job/life.

@ztiworoh said:

@believer258: The problem is my schedule forced me to step away and stop writing for a couple of weeks and it's like the momentum I had slipped away. Maybe I just need to wait until I get into another slow period for my job/life.

No, waiting for too long of a time will make you lose interest period and you'll never finish.

I have no advice for you, I just thought it ironic that I am currently playing through Alan Wake for the first time. And although I haven't finished the game yet, I would suggest not going too Bright Falls, it isn't really working out for Alan.

I know how you feel buddy.

Except for the 15,000 words thing. I haven't gotten there yet.

Everybody has a different cure for writers block, so I can't help you there. However I would absolutely recommend ignoring your misgivings about the earlier work in the story. There is always time for clean up once the novels done, and if you spend too much time analyzing all of the work you did up to this point without adding anything else, it will never get done.

I know how that is. Let the words flow. Don't let fear creep in, and cast doubt into your creative process. Relax, write one word at a time.

I read the first few chapters and while I'm not too big a fan of that genre, there were definitely some cool ideas in there. I don't know how helpful this advice is, but you should make sure to write something every day. Even just 100 words a day is fine because in a week your story will be in a new place. There are very few excuses for not being able to write 100 words a day.

If you're really disinterested in where your book is right now, start something else. All work is progress, so even if you never add another word to this particular project, the work you've put in on it so far will absolutely be meaningful to whatever you write afterwards, whether it seems that way or not.

We all know you are just re-writing that dream where Jeff eats Ryan. We know the ending already!

Just write. The first draft of anything is shit, according to Ernest Hemingway. Get the ideas on the page and go back and do whatever editing needs to be done.

One thing I know for a certain fact. DO NOT START REVISING IN THE MIDDLE!!!!

You WILL get stuck in an endless loop of writing and revising from which there is no escape!

@ztiworoh:

Better than I assumed it to be. I'm getting a really weird setting and time frame conflict from the descriptions though, you may want to solidify the setting in stone. The terminology being used is a little too varied and slightly confusing. Also be careful with throwing around too much of your lore terminology you create a weight that becomes hard to escape.

Also this sentence reads really weird... "Though busting small time crooks preying on tourists and the requisite paperwork that followed had added a bit of a paunch to Marsh’s silhouette in recent years." I think it may be fragmented... not sure though. Would read better I think like "Busting small time crooks preying on tourists and the requisite paperwork that followed had, however, added a bit of a paunch to Marsh’s silhouette in recent years."

I dunno though it's late so take it for what it's worth and then take it with a grain of salt on top of that.