The Most Difficult Part of Writing
The Most Difficult Part of Writing
The most difficult part of writing for me right now is just sitting down and writing. I have no real inclination to write fiction, and I find it hard to focus on a long project.
Iām sure the desire will come back, probably when I stop spending so much time on the Internet.Ā Here are some responses from other authors about the easiest and hardest parts of the writing process. The comments are taken from interviews posted at Pat Bertram Introduces . . .
From an interview with J J Dare, Author of False Positive and False World
From an interview with J J Dare, Author of False Positive and False WorldThe hardest part of the writing process is an inspiration. When itās not there, it canāt be faked. Constipated writing can be unbearable.
From an interview with Dale Cozort, Author of āExchange
The most difficult part is the last five percent of the editing process, the part that gets you from almost the right words to exactly the right words. For me, that takes more time than writing the rough draft.
From an interview with A. F. Stewart, Author of Once Upon a Dark and Eerie
The most difficult part is writing the middle section of the plot. Iām great at churning out beginnings and endings, but I always have to work at writing the stuff in between.
From an interview with Alan Place, Author of āPat Canella: The Dockland Murdersā
The hardest part of writing for me is to stop thinking of new stories. I have about 20-30 just waiting to be written but I need to go back and edit others. Editing is the second hardest as my grammar is bad.
I have so many ideas, I had to devise an ideas file on my laptop. I had a great story once but life got in the way. When I tried to go back a day or two later I couldnāt think of it, that is when I chose to use a file.
From an interview with Polly Iyer, Author of āHookedā
Getting the story to gel. Iām not an outliner or plotter. I write by the seat of my pants and never really know where the story is going. I know where I want to wind up, but getting there is an experience. I love it.
So, for you, What is the easiest part of the writing process, and what is the most difficult?
Writers have to turn the world off around us long enough to let inspiration take hold of us. I follow the three A rules when composing: a subject gets my attention, appreciation and affection when I follow through on an article. I have to give myself trhese three to and then my article writes itself in mysterious ways.
Depending on the story – unless I consult my notes I can suddenly find I’ve left a vital character out of a particular section of the story. Plus, if your story returns to a previous location as happens in The Forgotten Age, remembering exactly how you got there in the first place can be a problem, unless you made a note of it. š
I never lack ideas for my stories or novels, for me the key element would be – discipline: to get up early and to make a big pot of a strong black tea and disconnect phones. Discipline and repetition lay ground to my creative endevours (I often dislike both of those elements!)
Thanks Pat for your insightful article and may your creative river flow freely again.