September WIP Challenge Check-In, Day 22

[soldierwitch]

 

 

It's the middle of the week, writers, which means it's vent day! Typically, it's a positive affair here on writethisfanfic but, sometimes, everyone needs a moment to blow their top and exercise some frustrations. So for this check-in day if you have any grievances about your WIP or the writing process, let's talk about them. Here are our discussion prompts:

-How has your writing mood been so far in the WIP challenge? Has anything been frustrating you?

-Are you stuck in your WIP? Do you need help?

-What's your favorite way to blow off steam when writing has you down or twisted up?

-Repeated question from last check-in: Would you like Saturday's check-in to be a writing sprint? If yes, please state whether morning, afternoon, or evening Eastern Standard Time works for you and if you'd prefer a 30 minute sprint or an hour. If there's interest, we can start working out time intervals for at least three opportunities to write together.

Comments

[soldierwitch]

My writing mood has been great. Last week I had a setback with this WIP just in terms of my attention going to another fic. But I've almost reached my 1K writing goal for the week for the AU I'm working on for this challenge, so I'm pretty happy about that. What's frustrating me is time. There just seems not to be enough of it this week.

Busyness happens but that doesn't mean it's not incredibly frustrating when you're narrowing down what you can get accomplished in the little bit of personal time you've managed to scrape together for yourself.

As for blowing off steam...I dance. I queue up a jam and bop for the endorphin rush and the smile that comes to my face whenever I've got a favorite song blasting and I'm letting loose. Bonus if it's a song that I associate with the relationship or character that I'm writing about so I can return to positive feelings.

[xmarksthespotwhereistand]

No writing today, still tracking.
I think this current WIP is more frustrating than my other works but i don't know why...
To blow off steam? I write a different WIP? Not a sustainable habit.

[soldierwitch]

Is this WIP longer? Are you writing in a genre you don't often write in? Or focusing on characters you don't typically write? I've found that those things can produce frustration even when the idea you have is clear as day and you can see how to achieve it but the words still won't come.

lol I feel you on being like 'Fine, I'll just write another WIP' Not conducive to finishing anything but so cathartic when writing the replacement WIP is gong well.

[mistressofmuses]

While yesterday was the best writing day I've had in about two months... UGH, this WIP has been a STRUGGLE, and I kinda want to chuck the whole thing. (Except it was for a challenge, and I promised I wasn't going to flake on it... instead it's just been sitting there getting sad, incremental progress for months, ha.)

[soldierwitch]

Ugh the slog. Writing slumps like that can be so terrible. Congrats on having a good writing day though. I know it doesn't make up for all the struggle ones but at least it's a bright spot. Hopefully the struggle passes soon. Until then, incremental progress is still progress so we should count it as a win. Screw writing slumps! You got this!

[mistressofmuses]

Thank you! I'm hoping that at least the few words a day adds up before too long!

To smut or not to smut?

[undersweetpea]

I have a handful of WIPs but one in particular is giving me trouble. It may be just because I'm writing smut in the rest of them and not that one. Might just be a mood? It's a totally cute fic but I'm stuck! I suppose I could...work in some smut? That doesn't really fit the rest of it though. Hm...

Re: To smut or not to smut?

[soldierwitch]

Perhaps adding a spicier scene into your cute fic might help. Like not smut but a little taste of heat so your writing brain gets with the program. Maybe a kiss that goes from sweet to hot quicker than the characters anticipate and they break the kiss in surprise. Or a lingering touch that makes one of them get a little hot under the collar. It doesn't have to go anywhere, just a smidgen of fire like adding some spice to a dish lol.

Re: To smut or not to smut?

[undersweetpea]

THAT is a fabulous idea. I'm adding a sweet little bit o' spice. Thanks so much! ;)