I feel like I’ve written myself into a corner. The next time I have a bright idea about writing horror, someone just please slap me. I’m coming to the end of my book, and it’s not going to be long enough. But that’s not the end of the world, it will just be a long novella instead of a short novel. My biggest problem is a showdown between two witches. This book wasn’t even supposed to HAVE witches, but somehow they sprang forth into the story. Now I’m trying to figure out the best way to have a weaker witch win over a stronger witch. My husband says it has to be with trickery. That’s probably true. So then I have to figure out the trick. There are some other timing issues that I need to figure out concerning something else that’s happening in the book, because the two scenes have to come together at some point. This is making my head hurt.
I have good things to finally report about exercise. I went bicycle riding Thursday and Friday. By Friday evening, my body was so sore I could barely move. I expected my legs to be sore, but not my back, shoulders, arms, and hands. I had a little trouble getting out of bed Saturday morning. Unfortunately, it rained Saturday and it’s supposed to rain today. So the next time I get to ride, I’ll probably be sore again. We haven’t had more than a couple of sunny days in a row for months! Okay, okay, I know…I can walk on the treadmill when I can’t ride. And I can lift weights. No excuses. LOL
Anybody else having problems with their WIP or is everything going smoothly?
lauralynnelliott.com 
I’m seriously considering ditching my almost finished WIP completely, so don’t feel too bad. 🙂
Let it rest for a week or so, do something else, and come back to it. Maybe read something similar-ish to see if it gives you any ideas.
I’ve never ditched a project before. I put this one off once before because of family things . I must journey on. Lol. I just need to do some thinking for awhile
Hang in there. I think you are going in the right direction so far. Like Clair said…just take some time off from it for a little bit and come back. Not as long as last time though. 🙂
Have you read all of what I sent you? I just have to work out some things.
The key is finishing it. You might be able to look at it afterwards and see how to turn into a novel. It’s only the first draft after all 😉 Let the story be as long as it needs to be and fix it later. Good luck on figuring out the puzzle. Maybe the weaker witch has a strength the other doesn’t. Perhaps she can use the stronger witch’s strength against her. Either way, you can do it. I know you can.
I know it’s a first draft but I’ve been doing this long enough that I’m used to having a pretty clean first draft. Fight scenes aren’t my strength so I’m struggling with this last one. I know I’ll get it. I’m just frustrated right now. Thanks so much for your encouragement and your suggestions!
Hi – first time round these parts – Fellow rower and new follower here – How about the weaker witch uses cunning, where the stronger witch relies on her strengths to her detriment. She sets up a trap, but the strong witch goes in all powers basing. But the weaker witches plan finishes her off. I dunno 0 You’ll work it off. Sometimes a few days away, the a read though will present the answers as if they’ve always been there.
I’ve had my own issues on my WIP which I sent out an SOS call for in the week. Got lots of great advise from writers. You could do that. 🙂
Good look and hello 😀 X
Shah, I apologize, but your comment got stuck in my spam filter. I just realized recently that some of the legitimate comments were going there, so I need to check that more often.
Sometimes an SOS is something we need to send out. There are always wonderful ROW80ers there to help! 🙂
Oh, I’m so intrigued by the showdown! Don’t give it up…if you had two witches suddenly appear, then I’m sure the ending will appear as well 🙂
I’m not even going to comment on your exersice goals, because then I’ll feel like a big couch potato!
I’m not going to give up. I’ve put too much into this story to abandon it. I’ll get this witch thing worked out.
Let’s just hope I keep the exercise thing up. That’s my biggest challenge.
Just keep on pushing through, I’m sure something will come to you.
Tanya, I’ll eventually get it. I’m just not used to having these kinds of problems. Thanks for your support!
I’m not sure I have any tips, LOL. I’m having to move around scenes and deal with the consistency upheaval. Best of luck!
Hi Raelyn. So you’re having a few troubles, too? I’m not alone? I hope you get your consistency problems worked out.
If you need some inspiration for a showdown with witchery and trickery, I would suggest watching a couple of movies; Witches of Eastwick, and Practical Magic.
You know, I think I have Practical Magic queued up on Netflix. Maybe I should check that out. Thanks!
It is truly amazing how many small muscles work to support our larger activities, like bike riding or walking. Keep on with it, those little muscles that are complaining right now come around fairly quick and it is normal when heading back into exercise. Went through it recently.
On your “horror project” that seems to be a turning into a personal horror I am wondering if somehow you became side tracked. You said no witches but in the finale are two witches? Syd Field (“Screenplay” and others) suggests that knowing the ending is the key to the entire work. Not that having things change during the course of a story is a bad thing, but perhaps there are two stories there instead of one? Just a thought.
Have a great week, Lauralynn 🙂
I used to be a member at a gym, and I remember all those muscles aching. LOL. But I used to always feel kind of good about it because it meant I was DOING something. 🙂
The whole idea of the gnome was how it actually came to life, which DID involve a witch, but the witch wasn’t really going to be in the story. Later, I changed the reason for the whole thing. The second witch was a total surprise to me, but it solved a problem I had of how someone was going to get out of something. I always know the ending of my stories, at least loosely, but this one kind of changed on me. I think the fighting between the two witches is what I’m really struggling with now. I need the weaker witch to win, but I’m not sure how I’m going to do it. And I do need to go back into earlier parts of my story and insert some hints of the second witch, otherwise it will look like I just stuck her in there to solve the problem. LOL
Hah, I have also been having the feeling of painting myself in a corner with my decision to write a murder mystery.
I have all these scenes, and every time I think I’ve figured out what’s happening, it just doesn’t work, or something… Ugh. It is so very frustrating.
But seriously, it sounds like you might just need to let this stew a bit, and perhaps the idea will fall into place. Otherwise, though, you are approaching the finish line, so congrats!
Thanks, Lena! Murder mysteries are hard, too, because you have to work out the mystery. But if we keep plugging along, I think we’ll get it. 🙂
Hope you figure out your trickery. I always think of witches as sneaky and underhanded (the bad ones moreso), so you could have a lot of fun with it. Usually it’s spell-based, too. I wish you much luck with figuring it out.
My biggest WIP problem is trying to get back into it. I had a couple of weeks of crazy and the muse ran terrified in the other direction. I’m trying to coax her back. Wish me luck! 😉
I think I’ve got everything just about figured out now. It took a little brainstorming with a friend, but I think what we’ve come up with is doable.
Tia, have you tried reading back over what you have written already to get yourself back into the story? There are so many reasons that it’s sometimes hard to get back into writing. Try sitting down with everything quiet around you (if that’s remotely possible), take a deep breath, and dive in! 🙂
I think you are right. I need to get back into the heart of the story, and reading it only helps. I’m such an editor at heart, sometimes re-reads are difficult, but a little editing won’t hurt either!
Awesome job with the exercising! I need to get in a workout this morning myself.
As for the WIP…I started the next read-through. The ending still needs a bit more, but my hero is giving me a hard time. I need the perfect solution to his feelings of inadequacy…and I believe I have just the scene to to it. Unfortunately, I have to write those feelings into his character in the meanwhile…and I can’t seem to capture that emotion without making him sound whiny. Sigh.
I was laughing out loud with your, ‘There weren’t even supposed to be any witches…’. Too funny.
Thanks, Nadja! I walked on the treadmill Sunday, and I’m going walking today. I was going to ride again, but I have a friend who needs to talk, and that’s hard to do while riding a bike.
Men’s emotions are a little harder to write than women’s. You want your guys to be strong, but they also need to be flawed and have some emotions. If only it were easy….