Wednesday 17 July 2013

So many ideas... so little oomph!

Some of you may be aware that I have a favourite bridge. Well, this is another picture of it, taken from a completely different angle to all the others I've posted.

On Friday, a friend dragged me away from my WIP for a walk. I think it helped, because when I got home I zoomed through the rest of the re-writes and wrote 'The End' on Sunday!

I didn't make quite as many changes as I thought I would - if you read my post The Ending you'll understand what I'm referring to - but I did correct things that weren't right. For example - trying to not give the end away - I killed a few people off by shooting them, but completely forgot that I'd also set a fire going and that wasn't affecting anyone. I also realised that I'd actually killed off more people than were actually involved in the scene and had more people escaping!

So, after unkilling a few people, and making the fire bigger, I think the scene works a bit better. I'm still unsure about the very last chapter - have I gone far enough? Should I make it more blatant? Would that be out of step with the rest of the story so far?

For some reason though - despite having ideas for two new stories and needing to get the novel ready for some possible readers - I'm lacking the oomph:

  • It's too hot
  • Cat and The Dreamer has just slid down under the one million mark in the rankings (actually a vertical drop on the lovely Amazon Central chart I checked)
  • I'm getting far too negative for my own good.

Here's another picture from my walk last week,
just so I don't finish this post on a downer.



56 comments:

  1. I don't have much oomph right now either. Between the heat and the antics at my day job, I am just way too cranky for anything creative.

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    1. The heat can make everything more difficult. Hope your day job improves!

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  2. I don't have a ton of oomph either but doing Camp NaNo and having a daily word count - even though it's kind of a small one - are keeping me moving forward at least, even if it's at a tortoise's pace. (Although the torts are pretty fast when they want to be....) :)

    Hang in there!

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    1. I think it's because I finished and either need to start again or start something new. My head takes a while to get back on track, which is annoying. Good luck with Camp NaNo :-)

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  3. We also have a heat wave over here, so no oomph on this side of the Atlantic either!
    And I love the photo of the bridge, with a bit of fog. Almost give me an idea for a short story... What bridge is it?

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    1. It's a railway viaduct near my house. There are several of them in close proximity, but this one is where I end up most frequently. It inspired a trilogy of novellas which I'm hoping will be out by the end of the year.

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  4. I don't know about OOMPH. What I have right now is TIME to write. What I'm lacking is a PLOT that works to tie all my ideas for the next book together. What I did late last night was write a first page of a completely different story -- AND I have no idea how the plot of that one is supposed to work out either.

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    1. Time is good - who needs plot anyway?? I hope the ideas come flooding in soon :-)

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  5. Lol, I love revisions. Glad unkilling people helped fix things up. ;)

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    1. Lol, thanks. The scene looks much tidier now, and makes sense :-)

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  6. Hi Annalisa .. I love those viaducts ... they always take me back to earlier days ..

    and this heat is sapping - even though where we are it's not so bad - by the sea ..

    Cheers - all will be well anon - Hilary

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    1. Hubby has a photo that he took of the same bridge when he was in the 6th form and a helicopter came to school. I can't remember the reason... quite strange now I come to think of it. I stayed well away - huge fear of heights!

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  7. If you're unsure about the last chapter maybe you could write an "alternate ending" and see which one works; I've seen enough alternate endings in movies to know that filmmakers and screenwriters aren't always sure about what to write either.

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    1. It's a kind of epilogue, so all the main events have happened, it's just the fallout. I'm just not sure how much info should fall out. I might try writing it a couple of different ways, though, it's a good idea :-)

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  8. Book sales always fall in summer. I got that from a valuable source.

    The numbers thing depresses the hell out of me...I just stop looking. Unless a friend says, "Hey look they're good."

    You have uber amounts of talent and a new royal baby to watch for, so cheer up :)

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    1. That's interesting to know, about the sales. I'm going to quote you on 'uber amounts' :-)

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  9. My oomph is gone for now. It will be back after my holiday. This weather is made for mooching - we don't get much summer, it's not a crime to make the most of it. The writing will be there all through the long winter!

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    1. Hmm, I probably should be enjoying the sun more than I am - sitting inside, trying to find a cool spot is my current plan of action! In winter, I'm far too busy wearing woolly tights and drinking hot chocolate :-)

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  10. We'll always have moments when things will put us down. Cheer up, Annalisa. You are a heck of a writer so you'll definitely get over this slump.
    Nutschell
    www.thewritingnut.com

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    1. Thanks Nutschell. I think I've just got to have more confidence in the story I want to tell.

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  11. Build a bigger fire - that's always the answer.
    Don't worry about the drop in rankings. I think a lot of books have dropped this summer, mine included.

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    1. It's getting bigger - who knows how big it'll grow by the next draft :-)

      I think I'll blame JK Rowling for my slump actually!

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  12. Oomph is in short supply right now. I'm trying to come up with a way to supercharge my motivation. It used to be that I would go for a walk and then I'd be ready to go, but lately, I go for a walk... and then I watch Sherlock. Good luck kicking the doldrums.

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    1. Mmmm, but Sherlock is good. And such a great script which will surely inspire great words from you... It's a win-win!

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  13. I am so oomph-less, too. My big accomplishment today is clean sheets on my bed. Go me!
    Tina @ Life is Good

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    1. I feel better about my own lack of oomph, but I hope we both find it again soon. Although clean sheets are wonderful, so enjoy!

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  14. OK so you're lacking oooomph - but you're also unkilling people which is powerful stuff.

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    1. I'm definitely feeling very powerful at the moment, in a lazy kind of way :-)

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  15. Sounds like you're still managing to chip away at your book, but I'm with you in the "lacking oomph" department. It's summer, life-stuff is getting in the way, blah blah blah-- I'm trying to go easy on myself, feed my creativity (reading, being outside) and take a deep breath. I'll get back on track.

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    1. Slowing down is what the summer is all about, I guess. But we're having such hot weather we're not used to, it's very draining. There should be rain! I might follow your suggestion and head outside with a book though :-)

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  16. You'll get more oomph when that next book comes out. Besides, I want to read it. :)

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    1. There's definitely a slump period between the excitement of launching a new book, isn't there? Perhaps it's as simple as that!

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  17. Just embrace being an oompa-loompa with no oomph. We're all with you, and indeed - don't look at numbers. Let your son pour another glass of wine for you (!). In regards to creativity - you are killing it, girl - I can tell if you look back at blogposts and FB posts, you've made tons of progress. It's all good!! You have lots of supporters.

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    1. Thanks for such lovely words, Joanne :-) I know I shouldn't look at the numbers - I try hard not to, but I have some OCD tendency that way. I'll make sure the wine keeps coming :-)

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  18. I can relate to the lack of oomph, although I am finally outlining my paranormal romance stories. Finally!

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    1. Yay, well done. That 'finally' speaks a thousand words - it's such a relief when you get going again, isn't it?

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  19. I don't have any oomph either, trying to re-read my first draft and gearing up to write the second one.

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    1. I tried to re-read mine last night too, and gave up pretty quickly when I found something interesting to watch on TV. Have a couple of days off and you'll be raring to go :-)

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  20. Glad your edits went well.
    That bridge looks like a good place for a walk. :)

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  21. "unkilling a few people" now THAT'S a plot twist :)

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    1. Oh, if I could find a way to do it within the novel, I'd be all over it. Hard to do in contemporary fiction.

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  22. Heat is seriously terrible for motivation, I know how that goes. Best of luck! And that is indeed a gorgeous bridge.

    Sarah Allen
    (From Sarah, with Joy)

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    1. We seem to be forecast a proper summer, so I'd better get used to it :-)

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  23. I get like this sometimes. It's been raining a lot, which is affecting my mood.

    I have two favorite bridges. One I've walked across and the other I haven't yet.

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  24. Gorgeous pics! I'd love to have some place in walking distance like that. As for the lack of oomph, I sympathize. The summer is usually the lowest point in my year for creativity. Heat and I don't mix well. Plus, the kid's off for the summer.

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    1. I know, I'm so lucky. My kids both finish school on Friday for six weeks. I haven't even thought how my writing will fit into that :-(

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  25. That's a gorgeous setting.
    I've been looking for my oomph for several years. It still hasn't shown up.

    xoRobyn

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    1. Years!? I hope you find it soon. Have you checked under the sofa? :-)

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  26. Hi Annalisa,

    Apologies if I make any tippos, sorry, typos. It's so humid my fingers are slipping on the keeeeyboard....

    It seems your "oomph" is coming along nicely. As for mine, it keeps slipping on the keeeeyboard.....

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  27. Wonderful pictures!
    Don't look at those ranking charts - just don't! I only let myself look at the numbers once a month, and lately that's still depressing, but if I don't look often, I can keep my momentum.
    I hope you get your "oomph" back soon - take a few more of those lovely walks, and write for you.

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    1. I know, I know... But sometimes, my fingers log on without consulting my head :-( More walks may just be the answer!

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  28. I'm feeling the same way in the oomph department. I have a bunch of ideas I keep saying I'm going to start working on and yet the weeks go by and I never do.

    Love the bridge photo, I can see why that is your favorite bridge.

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    1. At least you've got the ideas ready for when your oomph comes back!

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