Pick a Plot

[delphinapterus.livejournal.com]

I'm hoping for some advice. I've started and discarded four plots now. It's getting downright silly. Last year I wrote most of the fic before deciding I hated it with a passion and scrapped it completely. I really don't want to do that again. This year I can't seem to pick one idea and stick with it. What's your advice for picking a plot and sticking to it?

Comments

[rosenskimmer.livejournal.com]

My personal choice is to never, ever scrap a first draft. No matter what. As an author, often I'm so close to the work that I have no idea what's good and what's shit. A first draft is the party draft...don't worry about what's good or bad, just get it out. There's always going to be ups and downs during writing, especially in a longer work.

Stick with it, even if you're not having fun. Make a wild plot change if you have to--during a first draft, you should tell the story you want. Get it out, then let it sit for a while. Do something else, if you can. Only then can you judge your work with an objective eye.

Did you completely delete your old story? How many words have you gotten out? If you're over ten thousand, I'd say see it through to the end. Then, only when you're ready, let someone whose judgment you trust read your work and find the holes for you.

Good luck! Don't give up. I'm certain you're being super hard on yourself--writers usually are.

[delphinapterus.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

I never completely delete anything so no problem there but even with it at about the 12k mark when I reread it I still think is horrible. I know I've had other stories where I've thought they were terrible but once I finished them out they've been alright. This doesn't have that feel... I don't know to explain that better.