Expert: Cathy Clamp - 1/28/2008

Question
QUESTION: Dear Cathy, I'm a published writer here in Indonesia. I'm currently on the making of my second novel, and I have a serious problem I can't solve alone. It's about the idea incubation.

So here I've incubate my idea for nearly 5 months. I think it's too long, really. I usually incubate my idea for 1 week or so. But this is a special case. I haven't got my final idea until now!

My criteria of "final idea", is something that could make me write non-stop, full with exploding enthusiasm, and hence, with that kind of spirit, usually the story will reach the finish line. So I usually choose not to start writing until I get the final idea.

Now, when I don't have that final idea, I can't write my second novel, and it's frustrating. People told me that it's writer's block. But I have tried many ways to overcome writer's block--reading, watching TV/movies, talk to people, but still I failed to get the final idea.

I read a book that said, "Let the idea incubate itself. Don't push yourself to write until the idea reach the final form."

But it has been too long, don't you think? What should I do? Should I keep waiting, or should I write anything I have on my head, even those ideas couldn't give me the exploding enthusiasm?

Oh yes, and P.S, I just accepted a prestigious writing award recently in Indonesia, so you can tell that my name's kinda hot now, and my readers always plead me to release my second novel ASAP! I'm in deadline here! Thank you for the answer.

ANSWER: Hi, Farida!

I know exactly what you mean about needing that inspiration to really get enthused about writing. The book I just finished was like that. I normally write a book in about 45-60 days, but this one drug on and on. My problem was that I had too many ideas, but couldn't figure out how to braid them together. I kept wandering down what I call "primrose paths" of a plot thread or character goal and wound up at a dead end. I knew the overall plot, but just couldn't figure out how to get my characters from point A to point Z. Individual scenes were easy, but none of them flowed.

One of the big problems is what you already stated---when you're suddenly EXPECTED to produce the book in "X" time, then every day that passes makes you insane because it's no longer a "whenever you get to it" thing. It's ticking time off the clock of your popularity, of the editor's calendar needs, of the reader's future boredom, etc.

I feel your pain.

Now, what got ME unstuck was to sit down with my co-author and actually ADMIT that I was stuck. See, we write really unusually in that one author is the LEAD author. We talk out the idea, the characters, the plotline and then one person writes the book. Then the other person, the secondary author, edits it. To not step on toes, the secondary author usually doesn't get involved in the creation process. But this time I needed help, and it might be that you do too. What I would suggest is to sit down with a friend who already enjoys your books and TALK about the book---like you're discussing a book you both recently read. It would help if you find a person who's pretty creative, because what you're looking for is the hole in the plot you're not seeing. SOMETHING about what you've done in your mind is stuck and sometimes it's the "Why?" from a listener that makes you blink and say, "Um . . . I don't KNOW why." That's then your sticking point.

Tell the person you REALLY want them to understand every aspect, even if it won't appear on the page. It might be the backstory that's killing you---a character's background hiding in your brain that makes it impossible to do the thing you need them to do in the book. It might be the timeline that's impossible, like asking them to travel from Indonesia to New York in 22 minutes because it's necessary for the plot. It can be just a tiny little something that has you stymied and once that little bitty thing is unstuck, the ideas will flow again. Heck, you might even find yourself a new critique partner or beta reader in the process.

A lot of people subscribe to the "BIC" concept (butt in chair) that says that if you write something . . . ANYTHING, it can be later edited. That's fine for those who do multiple drafts of a book, but I don't. And it sounds like you don't either if you do "on deadline" scrambles. I'm betting you write in final form in one shot, which is what I do. So to tell me to sit down and write is actually counterproductive, because I don't edit.  However, if you DO make multiple edit passes, then it might be wise to sit down and just write something. Play with it on the page and don't worry what it looks like at first. But if you can't, then I'd recommend a session with a friend who already loves your work. Plan on a LOOONG conversation. It will do no good to have to interrupt in 30 minutes, or even an hour. It might take a whole afternoon to give the detail you'll need to see where you're stuck.

Hope that helps a little. Let me know if I can answer anything else, and GOOD LUCK! :)

Cathy

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: It's really comforting to know that I'm not the only one who suffered this problem. Thank you for the ideas, I'll try some. But can I ask you one more question?

So here, I really want to be a professional writer, someone who dedicate herself truly to writing. And I thought professional writer is a productive one. But look at me now. What, 5 months thinking about one idea? I'm in college, I was busy back there, but I thought that's not a good enough reason not to finish just one more novel.

I always mad at myself, why can't I be productive? I mean, why? Oh my, I'm sorry for being a little emotional here. But, could you suggest some tips for me being more productive?

Answer
Don't worry. You'll get over it. I felt the same way when I started this. I was producing about the same amount of work when I was working full time as when I started to write full time. I finally figured out what it was and then it didn't bother me anymore. See, when you're working full time, or going to school full time, you tend to fit your "incubation" into what time you can---while driving or walking, when eating and even in the bathroom. But when you start full time, all that changes. You can suddenly spread things out and have "down time" when you used to fill up that time with writing.

What helped me was to think of writing just like your "job." You have to fit in your research and plotting, writing and all the marketing aspects into your day. Not everything will happen in the same day, though, because nature abhors a vacuum. You'll find that the house needs cleaning and . . . well, you're not writing anyway so why not clean it? Or the dog needs a bath, or the grocery shopping won't do itself. Suddenly, the day's gone and you didn't "accomplish" anything (at least to your frustrated mind.) But you DID accomplish things, just not writing things, so don't beat yourself up.

What I did was change my routine and give myself an "office" inside the house. Only writing can happen in that place, so when I go in there, writing is my focus. I keep all my research there, and notes about the characters and the plot. Even if they're not fully developed. Sometimes, when you're SURROUNDED by the book, on papers stuck to the walls and the door and scattered on the table, it starts to flow and gets you back in the mood to write.

Don't know if that'll help, but it worked for me.  Good luck and remember---don't beat yourself up! :)

Cathy