Well, there’s nothing really to report in the writing area. NOTHING. I’m beginning to think I need to work on something else instead of my current WIP. Most of you know this is the story my husband thought of. In order to go on, I think I’m going to have to ask him for some more input. I know the basics of what is going to happen, but I don’t know what to do in between the main points. I thought it would be easy to write this story, but it has been really, really hard.
I have two more ideas in my head, one for a book, and one for a short story. I thought maybe I should work on the short story for awhile and see if that sparks my writing interest again. And I might even have to put the current WIP on hold and write the book that’s in my head, which is a ghost/murder mystery. I’m not sure what to do, but what I’m trying to do right now just isn’t working.
Another thing I need to do is get my office in order. We moved our old computer desk (with computer) in there, and there’s still a Bowflex, a treadmill, and another thing my mother-in-law gave us (I have no idea what it’s called). I have to get this exercise equipment out of my office. Oh, and the cats’ litter box is in there, too, but there’s not much I can do about that. That’s the room they get locked up in when we aren’t at home. Which is much better than outside in their cage. I’m surprised hubby agreed to that. Well, he didn’t really agree. It just happened that way. 🙂 Anyway, I think fixing my office up to look nicer would help make the atmosphere more conducive to writing. I wish I could rip out the carpet and put down some other kind of floor, but one thing at a time.
I hope everyone else is doing better than me!
lauralynnelliott.com 
Maybe working on something else for a while will help. Maybe it will get the creative juices flowing.
I’ve been working on my office too. I have big pieces of furniture in there that need to go somewhere else but don’t know where to put them. Sigh….
I think if I work on something else for awhile and get my office in order, I’ll start WANTING to write again. I really got out of the habit when I wasn’t feeling good because of my blood sugar levels. So I need to get that habit going again.
I don’t think most people are capable of writing someone else’s story easily. Because it’s not THEIRS. Writing is too much hard work to add the complication of it not being yours to begin with. I say pass some craft books on to hubby and let him write it if he cares that much and go write whatever YOU want to write. It’s what I did when my hubs came up with stuff!
I’m beginning to think you’re right, Kait. I actually asked him today if he would be hurt if i worked on something else for awhile. He said no, of course not. I told him if I DID write it, he was going to have to give me a more extensive outline. I don’t mind writing the words if he gives me step by step what’s supposed to happen. But it’s really looking like I’m going to have to go with my own ideas right now.
Good luck!
Thanks, Kat!
I’m interested in how this WIP plays out. My own husband has a number of good ideas and I have toyed with the idea of writing one that I found to be particularly engaging. Then I wondered if we would end up killing each other over it. I keep encouraging him to write it, and have done what Kait suggested, but so far a no go for him. Kind of want to kick him. Good luck with the office redesign too…I’m sitting in one of those minus the kitty box…but I am considering replacing my desk chair with the recumbent bike. Write…get stuck…pedal…repeat.
I honestly don’t think we would argue over this story. I just need more information. A LOT of information. LOL. I don’t think my husband could write a book, but I might be surprised. Not everyone can do it. But he has great ideas. Sometimes I brainstorm with him when I’m stuck on my own WIP.
I like your recumbent bike idea. 🙂
I have to agree with Kait. If you weren’t in love with the characters, especially hard when it’s not your story idea, it’s just that much harder to write. Write something you want to write or get to know these characters better. Best of luck.
I’m starting to agree, too. I do feel for the two main characters, but I do need to know them better. And I need to know what HAPPENS between the major plot points. It’s time to move on, at least for awhile.
I’m with Kait on this one, too–and sista really knows her stuff. At this point, it’s not your story–not yet. It sounds as though there’s some serious developement, plot and character-wise, that needs to be done. Ideas are the easy part–it’s execution that’s the rub!
You’re so right about the ideas being the easy part, Cate! Even in my own stories, the ideas come easy, but actually making a story out of it is the real challenge. I might come back to this later, but hubby is going to have to put some more into it first.
Work on something else like you say and you can always go back to your husband’s story when the mood strikes you.
Emma, I think if I DON’T work on something else, I’ll stop enjoying the writing process. That’s not acceptable because writing is what I want to do.
I’m with everyone else on this. I couldn’t write someone else’s story, but I could write it with them, a collaborative event. Maybe see if he’ll write down the outline, you two work on the character’s together, and go from there. But again that’s just me and I can be a bit solipsistic at times.
As always, do what you what you want, it makes things so much more fun.
I never have understood how two people can write a book. Each writer has a unique voice, so wouldn’t the book seem kind of mixed up? Writers do it all the time, but I don’t understand it.
Yep, hubby needs to do a more extensive outlining. For now, I’m going to work on something else.
Even if you put your WIP away for a little while, it’s not as if your brain will stop working on it. Somewhere deep in your subconscious, your mind will still be tinkering with ideas and whatnots. So work on something else, and give yourself permission to forget about it. Then when you’re ready to have another go at your husband’s idea, things will probably go a lot smoother.
Good advice, Juli. Sometimes you just have to step away for awhile. More ideas may come, plus if hubby gives me some more input, that will help, too.
Good luck on getting your office in order. I’m on the side of writing your own stories. Write to your passion, always. That’s when the words really flow.
Totally off on a tangent here, but have you ever noticed that when you tell people you write they immediately say, “You know I always wanted to write. I have this great idea for a story…” and then they tell you in GREAT detail what said story is. And then they tell you, “you can have that one, if you want.” No? Why does it always seem to happen to me?
Anyway… Write that short story that’s taking up space in your brain. Get those creative juices flowing!
Kate, I think I am going to write my own story. Either the short story or the book. Maybe start with the short story, like you said, and maybe that will jump start things.
You know, people don’t tell me they have ideas for stories. I think it’s because most of my friends wouldn’t even think about writing a book, although I have one friend who has such a great sense of humor, I think she could write a romantic comedy or a children’s book. I guess my husband is the only one that has told me he has an idea. And, you know, it didn’t really start out with him wanting me to write his story. He was just saying “hey, wouldn’t this be cool”. It was kind of my idea to write it. So I stepped in the crap all by myself. LOL
I hate that lull between point A and point B where you need to put something there to link them. It’s during those times when I slow down. I think working on something else might help. It’s helped me.
I’m also going through the dry spell with writing. It sucks. I wrote a post on the self-publishing authors blog to get ideas on how to combat it. LOL Otherwise, I keep going in circles. I guess as a writer, we need to write things down.
Good luck with completing your husband’s story. Hopefully, he’ll give you more ideas to go on and it can get written when it’s ready. I’ve had a couple stories on hold for two years now. I still want to write them. Sometimes stories taken longer to get done. I blame the characters. They should be talking more. 😉
I think what’s really bugging me is that I feel like I failed with this story. I feel like I failed, not only myself, but my husband. He’s the light of my life, and I really wanted to do this for him. I think I still can some other time, but I’m not ready to do it yet. And he needs to give me more input.
So I guess I’ll start fresh and work on another idea. And I need to get a more comfortable chair!