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Over-Prewriting?

..Beyond

Cut your losses.
124
Posts
16
Years
    • Seen Aug 29, 2014
    Is there such a thing?

    I think this is what's putting a stop to a great deal of my writing. I just started a new fanfiction a while ago, and I have one prewritten through to the end (in addition to the unfinished Arcane Legends, which is prewritten through the end as well).

    Is there a remedy for this situation (besides not prewriting it, since I've already finished all that)?
     

    JX Valentine

    Your aquatic overlord
    3,277
    Posts
    19
    Years
  • I think the only time you actually over-prewrite is when you don't actually produce anything. Basically, you spend so much time working on a certain story that you lose interest in it and don't even bother posting it.

    That having been said, one remedy that I know of is, for future stories, tell yourself you're only going to prewrite up until a certain point. Then, no matter what you do, stop when you get to that point and switch to actual writing. Chances are, along the way, you're going to want to change a few details here and there, so it's okay if you go back and forth between your plans and your story every now and then, if that makes sense.

    Another idea is to just let yourself prewrite until you think you're done, then go to writing the story. As long as you're still interested in writing it, it never hurts to know what you want to write about. Some authors actually prefer laying down the story before actually writing it so they know what they want to say.

    So, really, it's just a matter of keeping yourself interested in your story. Rewrite elements of your plans every now and then to make it feel like something new when you go to write it. Whatever you do, don't let yourself feel as if it's starting to bore you.

    Hope I've understood the question and given you something you can work with. ^_^; Good luck!
     

    ..Beyond

    Cut your losses.
    124
    Posts
    16
    Years
    • Seen Aug 29, 2014
    That pretty much covers it. I managed to work my way around it for one of the stories I'm working on, and I ended up adding in things that I'd accidentally skipped. I'll post it soon, so people can read it.
     
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