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Gaining Confidence Through Experience

February 8, 2019 / Motivation and the Writing Life, Uncategorized / 16 COMMENTS

 

by Elizabeth S. Craig, @elizabethscraig

I have a lot of sympathy for writers who get great ideas for other projects (known as SNI…Shiny New Ideas) while working on a book.  When you’re in the daily slog of writing a novel, it’s very tempting to jump ship and start working on a new book that seems more like a sure thing.

But it worries me when I read blog posts by writers who are having trouble finishing any of the books they’re working on.  There’s a lot to be said for finishing a project.  That’s because, after you’ve finished one, you know you can do it.  You know that, no matter what kind of shape that manuscript is in, you have the ability to work your way all the way through to The End.

There are other benefits to having lots of experience writing (whether on one book or multiple books).   It gives you confidence when you face a problem with your story.  I know that, with probably every other book I write, there’s going to be some point when I run into an issue.  It could be a plot hole or a character that seems flat or any number of other problems.

But, when I run into an issue, I always feel so much calmer when I realize: I’ve been here before.  I don’t think there’s a problem that I haven’t encountered at this point.  And it keeps me from getting stressed to know that I’ve handled other roadblocks that have sprung up and turned out a decent book afterward.

Life is sort of like that, too.  With years comes experience and the experiences…good and bad…help us to know how to handle problems when they pop up.

Establishing a writing habit and finishing projects are two ways of gaining this experience as writers.  You’ll just need to find out what works best for you: writing in the morning? At lunch? In the evening? At home? At the library or coffeehouse? At work during a break?  Then make sure the goals you set (as I’ve mentioned before) are reasonable and something that you can easily meet.  It doesn’t help to set goals that make us discouraged.

For more tips for setting up a writing habit and for finishing a book see: 

12 Tips to Get Unstuck and Finish Writing Your Book by Lorna Faith

How to Develop a Rock-Solid Writing Habit by Daphne Gray-Grant

5 Hacks to Create a Good Writing Habit by Joe Bunting

It’s a nice bonus that a writing habit leads, not only to a finished book, but to more experience to handle future projects (frequently in less time).

Have you run into roadblocks with your books that you’ve realized you can work through?  Do you ever have trouble finishing a book?

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  2. That experience helps when going over submissions and manuscripts. I can see how it can be fixed even though the writer doesn’t realize anything is wrong.

  3. Recently, I started writing a book I was pretty sure I wouldn’t finish. I needed to do it, though, because I was in such a writing slump I had to do something to shake it up. I got to a point where I was writing right along in it, got the muscles working again, and then set it aside so I could work on something I had already started and needed to finish. I don’t usually work this way. I usually start at the beginning and write straight through to THE END. With that little strange unfinished project, I got the wheels back on track.

    But yeah, I don’t recommend starting projects in the middle of other projects. Start it, finish it. ;o)

    1. I think your story is an important example of trying different things to move through a block/slump. Really glad that worked for you! And you’ve already finished gobs of projects…you don’t have anything to prove to yourself anymore. You *know* you can do it and your confidence in your writing helped you find a way to get back to your usual routine. :)

  4. You’re quite right, Elizabeth. There’s nothing quite like that feeling of having finished a book. I know for myself, I prefer to finish one book before I start the next. It doesn’t always happen that way, but it really is a confidence-booster to finish Book A before moving to Book B. And it helps me focus better, too.

  5. Great point, Elizabeth! “I’ve been here before.” Definitely. It’s funny how surprised I find myself when I first encounter it, though. Kind of like childbirth – you forget how much it hurts…intellectually, you know it will…and then it’s like: “YIKES, what made me want to do this AGAIN??” LOL.

  6. As the kids say, “I feel seen!” I get SNI after I’m done with the first draft and I’ve received feedback. Then my brain convinces me that the hard work to come is TOO hard, and the project gets shelved. I have two books in this limbo right now! I think I will review your goal setting posts and see if I can ROD (revisit old drafts) instead! :) Thank you!

    1. I’m actually addressing revisions in a post soon! I like using lists. :)

      Revision, since I don’t find it particularly creative, can be tough in regard to procrastination. I’d say, set a revision goal at 15 minutes a day, if it seems 100% doable and just check things off on your list as you go. Good luck with it!

  7. I finish the drafts just fine … and then I decide something else needs to be fixed … and off I go again. I have to find a way to ‘finish’

    1. Maybe we’re really not ever finished? I just went in and made a couple of changes to a book that came out in 2009, ha. I think that’s okay, too, as long as we put them out there.

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