Wednesday, March 4, 2015

IWSG: Change Everything.

Three weeks ago, I made a call that changed my life.

I'm not exaggerating or being metaphorical here.  That call was what got me the apartment I'm now sitting in.  That call led me to driving over 1400 miles across six states, a three-day journey that took a lot out of me.  I forcibly pulled myself out of my old life and into something that I hope will be better.

Granted, I'm writing this while sitting on a chair made out of a pillow, two lamp boxes, and the boxed-up keyboard that stopped functioning the morning before I moved, but nothing's perfect.

The point of this is that sometimes it's necessary to make massive changes.  As I said last entry, I wasn't happy in Albuquerque, and it was time to move on.  I've been here for a few hours' short of three days, which is too little time for me to say whether or not this was a good idea, as things have been crazy and I'm still getting used to everything.  (The way they name and number streets here is weird as hell, for one thing.)  And my stuff hasn't arrived yet, hence the improvised chair.

But I hope, once the dust settles, this will turn out to be one of the best things I could have done for myself.

I think it's clear how this relates to writing.  I know I've gotten stuck on the same ideas over and over again; I've blogged about it before.  Sometimes those ideas are really hard to shake, especially when you still like them despite how many times you've tried to make them work and seen it all come crashing down.  There's a reason I wrote three different versions of a story, all with the same title, and plotted at least three or four other versions of that same story.

I would really like to think that, somehow, there's a way to make everything work, that there's no such thing as a story that can't be told.  But when you hit that wall, the only thing to do is figure out why the wall's there.  And most of the time, if not always, that means something has to change.

No, I'm not saying you should move across the country just because a story's not working out.  :P  And I don't yet know if moving will help make me a better writer.  But I know that doing the same thing over and over isn't going to make anything better.

So, are you stuck on something?  Figure out what needs to change.  Is the main character too old, too young, the wrong gender?  Does the antagonist need a larger role, a better motivation, a morality pet?  Is the setting keeping you from getting to the heart of the story?  Have you spent upwards of seventeen thousand words describing food?

It's all words.  Finding the right words isn't always easy, but there are always other words.  And that means we, as writers, can always find new words if the old ones don't work.  Even if that means changing every single one.

24 comments:

  1. It's tough to abandon an idea. But a better one might be just around the corner.
    Glad you arrived safe. Hope your belongings join you soon.

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    1. If the movers are right, my belongings won't be here 'till next week. >_< But I borrowed a chair from my uncle, so that's gotten better.

      And yeah, I've abandoned enough ideas to know how hard it is; I think many (if not all) writers have. But it's better than struggling with something that just doesn't work.

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  2. Good lord, if I moved across the country every time I got stuck, I'd never have a home. I'd just be bouncing between coasts like a ping pong ball.

    Welcome home, my friend :) I hope you love it there.

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    1. Yeah, no kidding; I'd have lived in every single state by now. Twice. >_<

      And thank you. ^_^ I'm still settling in and figuring this place out, but I think I'm going to be okay.

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  3. Change can be very stressful--even if it's a GOOD change--so be sure to give yourself time to adjust. Sometimes throwing us back into writing is the best thing we can do for ourselves, though! Our stories bring us consistency.

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    1. That's what I'm hoping for. Granted, I've got two plots I'm having a lot of trouble with, but with any luck, when I can get some serious work going on them, things will start going well.

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  4. Wow.That IS a massive change. I hope whatever the reason, you're safe and happy now and in a better place. I actually despise change (in the center core of me) but I'm learning to embrace it as opportunity rather than a difficulty. In regards to writing, I'm veering toward the end-ish of my novel and I realize that I've been writing my characters all wrong. They've only now revealed themselves to me, which would be a massive re-write, right? More or less. And that should scare me but it's all about going with the flow. Work with the tide, not against it. Anyway, good luck to you in life and your writing goals!

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    1. Oog, I hear you there - I once wrote a book and realized there was a massive plot hole and the villain was done all wrong on the very last day of writing it. >_< I've never trunked something so fast before. (That's not entirely true, but still.)

      But you're right - it's always best to go with how things are going, even if that way takes us by surprise, than to fight against it. And thanks. ^_^

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  5. I know how hard it is to drop an idea. I have a story that I'm thinking about putting into the queue for a shot at being published, and I've been writing and rewriting it for the last six years. And if that wasn't enough, I have an idea on how to completely revamp it into something else entirely. Ah, writing, the clay is never set, and there is always time to change--even in the "final" edit.

    I am glad you moved. ABQ wasn't really working for you in a long term kind of way, and I'm glad you picked up and moved along. I hope seatle is better to you.

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    1. Well, the first five days here have been kind of rough, but I think I'll adjust eventually. If nothing else, it's not as dry. :P

      And yeah, it's never easy to figure out just what to do with an idea, especially when it's something that you can see happening a dozen different ways. Even more so when you've actually been working on it for years and years in those many different ways. But at least we can always try new ways, and if one doesn't work, try another.

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  6. I hope the move turns out to be a good thing. Sounds like it will.
    I do hope your stuff gets there soon.

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    1. The stuff's scheduled to arrive this weekend, which is a reasonable definition of "soon". And things are slowly getting better/easier here. ^_^

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  7. This post caught my eye because it reminds me of the flipside of my motto "try anything". Yours is all about replacing what doesn't work with what does, and mine is about not being afraid to do something you've never done before. I'd say moving across states is a pretty big 'try anything' move. Sometimes for a new perspective you need a change of scenery. Plus, I hear Seattle's a great place for the creative. Here's hoping you feel at home soon and your ideas blossom. Have you already tried bouncing them off a CP?

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    1. "Try anything" works well too - sometimes it's the crazier ideas that turn out to work better than everything else. Especially if it's something new, like you said.

      As for bouncing ideas off a CP, I do that some with friends and fellow writers, but I tend to discuss things less and less as I get more into them.

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  8. I AM stuck on something right now, and I am coming to the realization that I haven't considered tackling it from a different angle, throwing in something I never thought of before, adding a conflict that wasn't part of my original plan. No plans to move across the country yet -- but I may move my characters in an unexpected direction.

    Good luck in your new home!

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    1. It's interesting how well that works - no matter where you are in a story, it's always possible to realize that you've missed something and need to make a change. This can be really disheartening when you're deep into something, but it's better than losing it all.

      And thanks! ^_^

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  9. I'm stuck every once in a while. That's the time to do either one of two options (or both). Put the manuscript away for a while. I did that for a whole year. The second option is to join a critique group and have fresh, objective, honest eyes review the problem area. Good luck. Blessings.

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    1. I haven't had the best luck with critique groups, but setting a work aside for a while often does a lot of good. I'm currently doing that with several plots in various stages of development.

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  10. Somebody once said doing the same thing and hoping for a different outcome was akin to insanity -- so kudos to you for breaking the vicious cycle. Glad you got out of Albuquerque, and here's to a brighter year ahead.

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    1. I first heard that quote back in college, and while I'm good with some insanity from time to time, it's not helpful when the time comes to get things done. ^_^ But thanks, and yeah, here's hoping things go well from here on out.

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  11. I know this move will bring new perspective to your life and to the things that your write. Sometimes, change is just what we need. Good luck!

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    1. Being somewhere new has already helped a bit - I've got a writeup of the plot basics for a story I've been working on, just typed that up last night. Tonight will tell if it holds up to more development. ^_^

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  12. Wow. You are a brave person. I was just discussing the topic of moving with my husband the other night. What if he got a job on the east coast? Would I be okay with moving? I had a lot of stipulations. He'd have to make twice as much as I do, for one. I don't like to be without security. It makes me start shaking. But then, we are happy where we are, unlike how you were unhappy where you were.

    I hope this new path brings with it a bright future. Woot for changing everything!

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    1. Thank you. Making this move was one of the most difficult things I've ever done, but I knew I couldn't just stay where I wasn't happy. The shaking sounds familiar, though. O_o

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