Discussion Question: What do you dislike about the writing process?
What part of the writing process do you enjoy the least? Is there any part you hate?
Please discuss your responses to this question in the comments. Note: you can respond directly to other comments by clicking the “Reply” link in the bottom right corner of each comment.
(Credit for this discussion question goes to Amber.)
April 8th, 2009 at 4:51 am
Getting started is always difficult for me. This rings true with blogging, or writing a paper. Most people have no trouble starting, and I feel insanely jealous of them.
April 8th, 2009 at 7:43 am
I can get started writing, I have lots of ideas, but my problem is that I never finish them. I have a bunch of drafts in my blogger that only have a few paragraphs with incomplete thoughts. And I have a few notebooks with have finished stories. I think my problem is that I get bored and move on too quickly.
April 8th, 2009 at 8:50 am
Getting started is definitely the hardest for me. I always have the idea, but it can be difficult to get it written/planned out.
April 8th, 2009 at 9:07 am
it’s hard for me to get started.. as well as the brainstorming..
April 8th, 2009 at 9:26 am
I agree! Brainstorming is tough for me.
April 8th, 2009 at 10:45 am
I agree, I have trouble brainstorming ideas too. Once I have the idea I can usually write about it forever, coming up with the idea is a huge problem sometimes though!
April 8th, 2009 at 9:43 am
This might sound quite ridiculous, but I hate finishing a first draft. I find it dreadful. Revising I love. Embellishing, I love. Ending, I hate.
April 8th, 2009 at 11:22 am
For me (i agree with Jaime@FastTimes) ending is the hardest part!! I can start writing no problem and even if it’s slow going, once I’m on a roll I go back and make changes, but then I just keep writing and writing until I realize that it’s too much and I’m just rambling at that point and so I just abruptly stop and there’s no real ending.
April 8th, 2009 at 11:56 am
I don’t like writing from a prompt. I don’t like being told what to write about. This is the same with most aspects of my life. I have not had any fun in my painting class because I don’t want to paint glass bottles and plants. I want to paint from my imagination. I wasn’t to write from my imagination.
I suppose that’s why I haven’t gotten very involved with this project yet. I haven’t found something that makes me want to write. It’s nothing against the project, I love it and I read it all the time. It just hasn’t connected with my imagination yet. I’m still hoping!
April 8th, 2009 at 12:05 pm
I hate proofreading for 2 reasons. 1. I know what I wrote so I’m just reading it off my brain and not what I wrote. 2. I don’t see my grammar mistakes so I’m frustrated by not being able to correct it.
April 8th, 2009 at 12:32 pm
I definitely loathe proofreading, mainly because I’m not terribly good at it. Sometimes coming up with a main idea can be difficult but, with a little effort, I can usually get through that.
April 8th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
Depends on the circumstance. If I’m writing for work, I hate the approval process — especially if it goes through 3 layers of non-writers/communicators and they drain the piece of all spark or spunk.
When I’m writing on my own, I sometimes have trouble switching off my brain. I’ll keep generating ideas and topics while I’m in bed, making dinner, writing other pieces, etc. And though I do my best to at least capture the thoughts in notes, I’m always worried I forgot “the one.”
April 8th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
Unquestionably the forming of the thesis and final editing. In my mind, I find there are so many possibilities with picking a thesis, or a topic, and worry about choosing the wrong one. By the wrong one I mean that I could have used another with more support and foundation.
I hate editing though. So I’m calling this one a tie. Grammar and I do not get a along what-so-ever. Often times I feel like I’m a slave to grammar. Grammar is my master and I shall bow. But the two are equal in my mind.
April 8th, 2009 at 10:23 pm
I hate the deep edits that come in the second or third draft of a novel. By then you already know what works and what doesn’t, but you have to tease out the grey problems. Should you toss a character? One of the subplots? Is some of your language off? All very frustrating!!
April 8th, 2009 at 10:37 pm
I hate writing something that I initially think is awesome, stepping away from it, and coming back to realize it actually sort of sucks.
Totally makes me question myself.
April 13th, 2009 at 6:14 am
I hit the ground running with plenty of ideas buzzing around my head, and then I start to slow down, finally coming to a grinding halt. A rather specific form of writers block, I think.