It's one of those scenes

Discussion in 'Authors' Hangout' started by Gambio, Sep 28, 2023.

  1. Gambio

    Gambio CHYOA Guru

    You know that feeling when you have to write a particular scene for plot progression. You know what you want out of it, it even sounds pretty good in your head but the writing just doesn't want to flow?

    Currently experiencing that lol

    How do you handle it?

    Do you skip forward? Write that bitch down, regardless if it's absolute garbage? Procrastinate by writing forum posts about it?

    God damnit you stupid scene, start working already!
     
    TheLowKing likes this.
  2. TheLowKing

    TheLowKing Really Really Experienced

    In my experience, if a scene demotivates me, that's a sign the story is going the wrong direction. Only if I have really awesome ideas for afterwards, and the 'bad' scene is absolutely necessary, will I grin and bear it. Even then, there might be small, local changes you can implement that make the scene more enjoyable to write.

    Definitely don't skip over it. If you're anything like me, you'll never return to it. (Also, my condolences)
     
    Gambio likes this.
  3. Gambio

    Gambio CHYOA Guru

    Oh yeah, that's always an option. The particular scene I am talking about is actually already a course correction, so I'm getting there it's just very, very slowly.

    My main modus operandi is usually to just vomit whatever I can on to the paper and then polish it up via dozens of revisions. It works way better then it should.

    The good news is that it's a branch from the main path, so I can take my time with it. branches are kinda my weakness in that story, but I guess that's still better then having the main branch be the weakness lol
     
    Zingiber, TheLowKing and chris_brown like this.
  4. Zeebop

    Zeebop CHYOA Guru

    Yeah. I've done different things when that happens.

    One thing I find is that if you never write it, the flow never comes. So sometimes you have to start writing something. A detail. A sensation. An image. You can wax poetic on the shape of the cock that's stretching an asshole to its uttermost point of imminent collapse. Or have the character think back to how this all started, the torturous path and decisions that led to this very moment. Sometimes it's just flashes of things - the dilation of an eyes, the rubbery hardness of a nipple, a drop of sweat that falls on the tongue and stings - and you start to get into the groove of it, the emotions, the sensations, the physics of the whole thing.

    Doesn't always work. Sometimes you have to get up, take a piss, watch some porn, do something else. Let it percolate in the background. But when you know you have to write it, and the words won't come...sometimes writing anything can help break the dam. Even if you end up erasing half of it. Even if it's imperfect. As long as you put the words on the page, you can chisel away at it, shape it, mold it, try something else.
     
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  5. Dissonant Soundtrack

    Dissonant Soundtrack Really Really Experienced

    Focus on the specific thing you need the scene to accomplish and then try to come up with a different way to get there. Stripping the scene to its basics might open up an alternate way of presenting it. My current story uses pretty rigid 1 POV at a time structure, so sometimes I try it from another character's perspective and see if that helps.
     
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  6. Gambio

    Gambio CHYOA Guru

    Well, damn.

    Changing the POV might actually just be the thing that I need. The main issue I have with the scene is a sort of detachment to it, because the protagonist isn't particularly relevant in it.

    I have plenty of POV changes in the story, so no idea why that didn't occur to me lol.
     
  7. RicoLouis

    RicoLouis Really Really Experienced

    I generally write ahead if I am stuck so if I know where I want it to go maybe I can come back and make it work. Had a scene recently I wrote four times before I got something i liked so I know the feeling.
     
    Gambio likes this.