‘Quiet’ by elycefeliz on Flickr
On Tuesday when I posted my Romance Weekly post, I had to ask my readers not to read that post at all.
Why? I hear you ask. Well, I shall tell you 😀
I hold back any details I possibly can about my stories and books from my readers and people in general whilst writing. I do this because I find it helps motivate me to keep going, because I have that constant excitement about what they will think of the book, and can’t wait to talk to them about it when it’s done.
It keeps me writing.
By the time they have read the book, I’m about ready to burst with the need to discuss it! But, for me, it’s the best decision. I think if I talked about the book whilst writing, I might lose interest in actually getting it down onto paper because I’d already talked it into the ground (which I can do, trust me, I can chat for hours!).
Also, I find that if I give my readers no knowledge at all about the book, then the editing and comments are better for it. If I told them what the book was about, or details on it, then they might understand things in the book due to prior knowledge, where as those scenes might appear complicated to another reader who doesn’t have that prior knowledge.
Though I do have to admit, I talk to my dog about the story and use her as a platform for talking problems out. She’s a good listener, sometimes, when she’s in the mood!
So, if you ever wondered why I am so tight-lipped on the subject of my books whilst writing them, that’s why 😀
What keeps you motivated to write your story until the very end? Do you like to discuss your books whilst writing them?
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Progress Report
Status of Third Manuscript: With my readers. 1 out of 3 copies back.
April E-Book Review: Book read. Review ready.
A Writer's Life For Me. 
That is such a great idea! I, too, can talk my stories to death, and I never considered the effect that might have on my beta-readers.
Of course, since I only have 1 of them lined up so far, I don’t think I have to worry too much. 😛
Most of what keeps me motivated is my writing partner. We pester each other about what happens next. That’s why I find NaNo so helpful for stuff she doesn’t work on with me. Having set word count goals and a place to track that progress really helps for me.
I think it is great when you have someone to talk to (why I end up talking to my dog :D), it’s a useful thing to just get ideas out of your head and aloud to work on them.
But yeah, I try not to do it with my readers, as I hope they can go into the book with no preconceptions and no prior knowledge, I think it helps.
Thank you for reading and commenting 🙂
Girlfriend and I talk to each other like a lot of people talk to their pets. When it’s not “important”, we don’t mind if the other tunes out and just let’s the other rattle on to their heart’s content- no for everyone, but it works for us.
I’m the same about discussing a WIP. I don’t mind sharing an opening, but I dislike talking about the story or the characters. They have to remain secret and protected until I know they have finished their journey. Thanks for sharing this. I enjoy reading about how you write.
I think it really is good to keep it hushed up until the end, definitely is one way to really keep me writing 😀
Glad you enjoyed the post. Thank you for reading and commenting, always very appreciative 🙂
Nice post. I tend to bore one friend. Run a few things past one of
my daughters if I have two ways to turn and obvi if the question comes up in a blog question I will spill a tiny bit.
But otherwise I keep the actual main details of it under wraps till it’s sold.
I think sometimes it’s good to give teasers, I just forget to do it, because I keep everything so tight-lipped when it comes to my stuff 😀
Your next WIP sound amazing, glad you hinted at that!
Thank you for reading and commenting 🙂
I talk about my story with my proof-reader, when she has questions about the chapters she is reading and my friends at my writing group only as much as they need to know. My motivation is because I want to know what will happen next. I have an idea but as you know your character can throw a spanner in the works and take you off in another direction you haven’t even thought of yet.
Very true, characters have a habit of doing that. I think I must have had a good amount of scenes planned out for my last book that changed completely when the characters went in a completely different direction. But the scenes turned out better for it 😀
Thank you for reading and commenting 🙂
I try not to talk about it as much as possible although I’m dying to. 😀 I agree that “talking it out” drains something from the story and the writing (unless you want feeback or to bounce ideas). There’s also that fear of just giving the whole story away, which as you said, is definitely not good if you want to see whether they “understood” your writng or not.
I do think that holding it back helps to contain that excitement, and helps push me to finish writing it 😀
Thank you for reading and commenting 🙂
This is a good idea. I like talking too. I have a sprinting partner we sometimes Hash out ideas we are stuck on. My dog gets an earful too. Great post
When my readers have finally read it, I do tend to just chat for agggges about it then 😀 All that bottled up excitement is unleashed in a very quick sudden wave!
Thank you for reading and commenting 🙂
I do the same; I don’t like talking about a WIP. I think it’s largely because I like the free feeling of being able to take the story in any direction it needs to go without feeling restricted by expectations of other people 🙂
That’s a good point, if you tell people what it’s gonna be, you can get stuck if the story is going in another direction.
Thank you for reading and commenting 🙂
I should try this with my next WIP. I can hardly contain myself. I get stuck and ask my blogger friends for help to iron out details. Especially when my characters take me somewhere unintended. But it does water down the story and sap my motivation sometimes talking about it.
Everyone has to decide the best way they work, but I do find it takes the excitement from the story when I’ve talked about it to everyone who will listen 😀 I get rather excited!
Thank you for reading and commenting 🙂
I’ll discuss my books, but usually only with those who are my beta readers or those who know what I’m working on. Other than that, people’s eyes sometimes glaze over, so I wind up telling them something general like, “Oh, I’m working on a fantasy book.”
Every writer is different, I know a writer who talks about her stuff all the time and still maintains that level of excitement all the way through to the end 😀 I guess everyone has to find what works for them.
Thank you for reading and commenting 🙂
My experience has been, “The pot boils better with the lid on.”
Exactly 😀
Thank your for reading and commenting 🙂
Love that you talk to your dog.
She’s far too cute not to talk to 😀 Though I don’t think she appreciates it much…
Thank you for reading and commenting 🙂
I’m pretty tight lipped about my stories until they’re sold. But I do use my critique partner as well as my Golden Retrievers to bounce ideas off. Have you ever thought that you know about 37 writers now, one of those might be happy to be a sounding board if you needed it.
That’s a good point, I have connected with so many writers that are all so supportive, I’m pretty sure none would mind just spending a bit of time having a chat if I can’t work some things out 😀
Thank you for reading and commenting 🙂
I agree. I don’t like to talk too much about current WIPs either. But my cats and bunny do enjoy hearing me tell them my ideas. 😉
It’s nice to have animals who don’t mind us chatting to them, it’s very useful for getting ideas out without having people talk back! 😀
Thank you for reading and commenting 🙂
LOL!
My stories nag at me until they are written, if they don’t nag then I don’t have any reason to write them (if that makes sense). I don’t like talking about my manuscripts whilst writing them either. It’s because I am always adding things and taking things out. Not to mention that, sometimes, I am not all to sure what it’s about (especially with first drafts). They have to come to me by their own will….it’s like they have minds of their own lol!
Know the feeling Desiree. My stories nag at me as well.
I know exactly how you feel 😀 Sometimes the stories just won’t go away until they are full down on paper!
Thank you for reading and commenting 🙂
I used to be very tight-lipped, then I let one or two people into the inner sanctum and now I’ll bounce things off them on occasion just to see their expression when I say it. Yes, that first reaction is what I’m going for usually and even if it isn’t one I favour, their initial input makes me look at the story through their eyes for those moments. Overall though, I prefer to just write and only really talk if I’m trying to make a new arc clearer in my head.
As for what makes me keep going? It’s the feeling that these characters’ stories need to be told. It’s the excitement of thinking ‘wow, this is a really cool arc or, I love the way that guy just died and he had no clue it was about to happen’ lol, it’s a multitude of things, but in the end I keep going because I love it and I love them and want others to share and see the ideas, people and creatures (haha) that skip about in my head ^_^.
That’s a good idea, having someone to talk to ideas about and get their immediate reaction and see if the scene or idea would work.
The stories are such amazing motivation, and having to tell about a certain character’s tale is such a powerful thing! 😀
Thank you for reading and commenting, and for having me as your featured blogger on your blog this month! Still smiling 🙂
I unload my ideas on my poor wife. It’s o.k., she’s the main editor anyway.
It’s useful when you have family who are willing to be supportive and help out 😀
Thank you for reading and commenting 🙂
I tend to tell people things – that’s just who I am. When it comes to my writing though, I keep some of the plot back from people. Otherwise, obviously, they’re gonna know what happens in my story before I publish it, so what’s the point?! 🙂
It is more fun when they don’t know the whole story, so as they can enjoy what happens without knowing 😀
Thank you for reading and commenting 🙂
Cool strategy. I have so little time to write, my savior is discipline. I may not do a lot of word count on a daily basis but I write every morning, until a story ends and then start the new one.
That sounds like a good plan, it’s all about getting that writing down and finding the time to do it!
Thank you for reading and commenting 🙂
I like that you talk to your dog. I can picture that in my head and it makes me smile. I talk about my work, but usually only to family and I don’t give too many specifics. It’s not that I fear talking about a project, it’s more a selfish need to spend a little more time with the characters before I share them! Plus, and I don’t know if you find this to be true, but people struggle to understand the process – if they don’t write that is.
Yeah, those who don’t write do tend to find the process a little confusing. It’s easier to talk to them about it, and how a story is evolving, otherwise sometimes they think it’s as easy as jotting down notes 😀
Thank you for reading and commenting 🙂
Every writer has a different process, I guess.