Ah, that moment when you start writing a short story (book, poem, screenplay...) and you don't know what to write next. What to do then?
I ran into this problem a lot during last year's NaNoWriMo. About every other day I had to rethink and (almost) literally beat my head against the wall.
(I was actually banging on the table because the walls were lined with shelves.)
And I know, my fellow writer, that this problem bothers you, at least sometimes. No, not a shelf problem. Ideas.
What to write when there are no thoughts?
I know I could write a long introduction here and introduce this as some crazy new principle, rule or whatever... But damn it.
Last year I had trouble thinking about what I wanted to write. This year I haven't woken up yet. For one simple thing.
I write what is fun to write.
By the way... is it fun?
Yes, it's fun. Not something that would fit very logically with the story already written. Not something I can easily sell. Not what my neighbors kid (or that kid's mom) likes.
I write what I enjoy and that is simply that.
What's fun for you? What do you like? Do you like what you write? If you like it, why did you stop?
…Maybe it's because you're afraid to write something that's FUN?
- Afraid to include Gnomes or something in your story about a couple in love?
- Afraid to write a chapter about chinchillas in a book about an elevator operator?
- Afraid to include an all-killing rabbit in a script about the Knights of Camelot and the Holy Grail?
Murakami, Škėma and the creative team of Monty python were not scared.
Although all these things were pulled out of the air in their stories, they are not logically connected to the rest of the story at all - what kind of nonsense is this? Didn't they have an iota of logic? The desire to present something deep, for which you would have received the prize of the Lithuanian Writers' Union???
Idiots.
All those writers and creators are idiots. Because they wrote what was fun for them.
…Well, forgive the sarcasm. 😉
But… But… But wait! After all, so-
Sha. No "buts" and "waits". You're trying to make excuses, aren't you? How can aliens from Venus be included in the history of medieval Europe? How can you do something crazy and so weird, right?
But I have a question for you:
Why would you want to write a book that is unpleasant to write?
Do you really believe that someone will enjoy reading a book that even its author (!) did not like to write? Someone will say that "wow, this book is so predictable and cliche, amazing!"?
…Well, if you believe that, then I have no right to interfere with your point of view.
Keep writing books that are unpleasant to write. Which are also unpleasant to read, edit and buy later. Which are not interesting and in which the authors do not put a single interesting thought, tinkle and hook.
But I won't.
I will write what is fun. As all great writers wrote. And for me, writing will be pleasant, and reading a written book will be even more pleasant.
Your choice. What do you choose?