Just wondering....

[dustinzgirl]

Ok, how do writers find other people in the writing community to help them finish something? Like, how do you find people who would collaborate with you on a project? Let me explain, I have reached a point in my novel, at 75 thousand words, where I am unsure of where to go and how to proceed to the ending. I'm sure this happens to a lot of people...its not the plot and conclusion, it is really the writing of it....I guess.

I know a lot of writers work together on things, but I have a few problems with this...1. I dont know anybody. and 2. I dont go anywhere.

I work at home, I live a million miles from where anything ever happens, and I have no friends that are into writing, or even science fiction and fantasy...Im sort of the oddball in my little community, and happily so.

I can not afford an editor, that is just way, way out of my price range...I know this because I have sent off for a bijillion editor quotes and the ones I could afford had the writing capability of my 7 year old son---and that is giving them credit! And the ones I wanted I could afford if I sold my husband into white slavery, but he doesn't cook or clean so that probably wouldn't work out too well.

So from this point, if you don't know anybody, and you can't afford anybody, but you are stuck, where do you go? Any ideas out there? I was thinking of just putting an add at craigslist, but god only knows what kind of freak would respond.

[John Jarrold]

Hmm. I think mostly authors co-write from the beginning of a project, rather than one coming in towards the end - but I may be wrong there, and I'm sure others will know.

It's difficult to know just what to suggest, other than being 100% sure of the ending and taking more time to work out your plotlines in between where you are now and where you need to be at the novel's denouement. I'm not sure there is any easier way to proceed...

[Paradox 99]

Originally Posted by dustinzgirl

Ok, how do writers find other people in the writing community to help them finish something? Like, how do you find people who would collaborate with you on a project? Let me explain, I have reached a point in my novel, at 75 thousand words, where I am unsure of where to go and how to proceed to the ending. I'm sure this happens to a lot of people...its not the plot and conclusion, it is really the writing of it....I guess.

Is there anyone here you could approach?
It sounds like you have the main stuff worked out, but you just need a creative nudge in the right direction by someone like-minded.
There are plenty here that may want to help you. I know this from experience as I've helped/had help from a number of people here through PMs and e-mail.

[dwndrgn]

Yes, Paradox is right, have someone here (confer with Mark Robson on who, he has a couple 'on staff' ) read your manuscript and offer suggestions/ideas/thoughts or whatever. Regardless of whether they can help you actually write the finish, you never know what kind of help a little suggestion here or there may be. One little idea from someone who isn't attached to the story could be the spur that puts your pen to paper and gets it done. If nothing else, at the least you'll get an idea how it reads, whether you've gotten accross what you wished and perhaps there'll be some spelling or grammar issues that were missed before.

Best of luck!!

[SJAB]

Originally Posted by dustinzgirl

Ok, how do writers find other people in the writing community to help them finish something? Like, how do you find people who would collaborate with you on a project? Let me explain, I have reached a point in my novel, at 75 thousand words, where I am unsure of where to go and how to proceed to the ending. I'm sure this happens to a lot of people...its not the plot and conclusion, it is really the writing of it....I guess.

The thing is if you ask some one to help you write the last section, (if someone does take you up on the idea) their ideas of how the story should go will creep in. Do you want that?

Maybe it would be better to ask someone to read it and maybe give you some suggestions on how to approach this last hurdle.

I have always found writing the last third of of a novel the hardest part. It becomes a job, you must get the characters to the conclusion. So I set aside a small part of the day just to work on the "novel" even if it is just getting half a page down, it helps.

You could also set it aside for a couple of weeks, then return to it when your mind is not clogged.

I have written a number of short stories with a friend. These were for fun, mainly, we spent a lot of time trying to "wrong foot", or surprise each other with the sections we wrote. This is fun, challenging and stretches you as a writer when it's not serious, if you get my meaning. It would be damn annoying to spend half the time arguing about how a scene was written, if it was totally my idea/plot line. Because most writers I know are very possessive of their creations, almost to the extent of them being "their children". They will fight for them tooth and claw.

[dustinzgirl]

Thank you all for your replies!

I don't really know anyone that I want to bug with this, so I guess I'm kind of silly there. My husband keeps telling me that since I write for a living, this should be easy...which, it's not, because I am a statistician and write about math and stuff. So, thats like, so different. And, I'm not even good at math, just really good at programs.

[Marky Lazer]

dustinzgirl: You're happy to be living in the Age of the Internet...

[j. d. worthington]

Originally Posted by SJAB

Because most writers I know are very possessive of their creations, almost to the extent of them being "their children"....

What do you mean "almost"???!!! Sorry, but to me, even that idiot child off in the corner, you know, the story that absolutely refuses to go anywhere and frustrates the hell out of me, that is my child (at odd moments, my favorite of the bunch).

As for it being easy to write fiction (or poetry, or anything of that sort) because you "write for a living" -- yes, friends and family seem to have trouble understanding that each is quite literally a different type of thinking, darn near with a different part of your brain (if they actually did imaging, they might find that is exactly what's going on). It doesn't always translate well from one to another....

[the_faery_queen]

fantasy writers.org when its up (which isn't now) they've been invaluable to me. helped with editing, helped when i got stuck (which was very often) been a good place to rant and to discuss fantasy writing crap in general. i use here for my fantasy book discussion and there for my writing and it all works out nicely

[I, Brian]

Throw some ideas into the community - read the suggestions - see if anything inspires you.

[PenDragon]

You need encouragement not input.

In general I would say never show an incomplete draft to anyone and ask for input as this will mess with your crative process. You need to finsish your story before anyone can have an opinion. Otherwise someone elses input might skew your own vision.

In fact I think at this stage input from a writer/critter/friend would be as damaging as editing a 1st draft while you're still writing it.

I'm guessing you're just suffering from the jitters, the usual 1st draft self doubt, perhaps a little fear (of success, failure, actually finishing take yer pick) or general story fatigue.

75K is a lot of words and if this is heading for 100K (the general standard for Fantasy) then those 75K should have your story more or less at the begining of the final act/resolution. You've done the hard part (the troublesome middle) now it's just the race for the finish line. You need to just push on, get it finished and not worry about any problems (thats for rewriting and 2nd drafts).

Sounds like you know what you want to happen in your ending, but sometimes knowing makes it hard to actually get it written, there isn't much help here you just have to get butt in chair and write.

In short my advice is don't show it to anyone or ask for input, but if you're really stuck pinpoint what the sticking point is and then ask for opinions on how to solve the problems here or in other writing forums (Absolute Write Water Cooler is a good forum for advice). Hope this helps and is enocuraging (which is my intent) I'm sure you'll nail it!