The end is nigh!!
Sorry, Churchill you were wrong. This IS the beginning of the end.
The beginning of the end of my novel’s plot that is…or so I thought.
Now I like endings, to me the ending is the most important part of a novel. I’m sure I’ve mentioned this in another post somewhere on this site, but bugger me if I’m not too damned lazy to look for it. But that’s ok; because it’s important I can repeat myself.
Endings are VERY important.
I’m at the point in my novel where things are wrapping up. Every character has been introduced, the plot has almost turned full circle, the protagonist is suitably perturbed and about to open a can of whoop ass on the conflicts that have been pecking away at him during the story, and a sex scene has even taken place!
The trouble is I seem to have ground to a halt.
My MC has just metaphorically, and literally, kicked the door down to the antagonists ‘house’ and is about to realise he is all out of chewing gum (good job he came here to do two things then).
But…nothing.
- Name that film…?
The words don’t want to flow like they did in other parts of the book. Obviously the rest of the novel didn’t appear from nowhere, it was bloody hard work – some bits more than others – but this blockage seems to be a bit more than that.
Maybe I don’t know my characters as well as I thought I did? Maybe I’m too close to the story? Could it be my subconscious knows the ending I have planned is terrible and it’s stopping me from making a dreadful mistake? Has anyone else come across such difficult ‘end blockage?
I’ll rephrase that, I don’t fancy a lot of piles jokes clogging up my blog.
Does anyone else find that writing an ending sometimes leaves you wordless and pulling your hair out in frustration?
If so, what the hell do you do to overcome this annoying bloody problem?
Maybe I need to write out the plot I have so far? If I have a detailed synopsis then it may become clear what the characters would do in such a situation. After all I have been writing this damn thing since last November, maybe I’m not keeping track of certain nuances in the plot or useful traits my characters have to offer.
Either way inspiration or verbal abuse to help me on my way is appreciated as always.
- Bugger…
Oh and speaking of endings, my attempt to complete this year’s CampNaNohas failed miserably. Very, very miserably – I didn’t even reach the halfway point! I’m blaming a lot of things that have gone wrong this month. The Gods of Fate, not satisfied with one crappy event seem to have thrown everything they can at me in the past few weeks just to ensure I would fail the challenge. That’s what it feels like anyway! Congratulations to everyone who has already passed the finish line and good luck to those who hope to finish tomorrow. You can do it!!
Bring on original November NaNo!! I’m hoping the inspiration of real life people from the weekly meet ups will keep me on track like it did last year.
(Regular readers may have noticed I’ve totally neglected to mention the fact I promised to have not only 100k plus by the end of August but also a finished first draft of my novel…shhh, I don’t think anybody else has noticed)
-FIN-
Have you listed the plot points? I mean actually made a bullet list of each link. Do you have a drawn out arc on a sheet of paper?
I guess a lot of what is happening is psychological, the finish line in site syndrome. Your nerves may be rattled by this sight of approaching conclusion, hoping you could just carry on or too scared to say you’ve arrived.
My advice, not that I’m qualified to give it, is to keep going until the end. Even if you write the rest of it like a school kid making a list of what they did in the summer holidays. At least you’ll get there and the sight of the finish line will be in your mind’s rear-view mirror rather than growing ever larger in the windshield of your eyes with each new sentence.
Good luck with it and I envy you for reaching so far toward the end of your novel.
I printed out what I have so far so I can go through it and make a list of plot points and useful info about characters but I just end up regurgitating the whole book! It’s very hard for me to summarise because I think everything is important!
I think some part of it is nerves, Tony. If this were a film I’d be second guessing the plot, shouting out what I think would happen next and hoping for certain conclusions that I think would make the story perfect. But when its my story and I can actually write what happens next….piff – the ideas are all gone.
I guess I need to be a bit stricter when it comes to summarising the plot. Red pen in hand with a notebook should see me through most of the problem, then its just a matter of asking what my characters think they should do.
Dammit! I left the bloody printed manuscript at work! No working on that tonight then…
You can work on your manuscript at work??? Lucky dog.
Don’t be silly, of course I’m not working on my novel at work…
*shifty eyes*
Ste: “Did they buy it?”
Me: “Did who buy it? And who are you talking too?”
Ste: “Erm, me…?”
Me: “Crazy bastard”
It might help to get each character to write a witness statement telling their version of what happens. It’s really just an exercise in rethinking it from different view points but it might turn up some problems or new ideas.
I like that idea, Sandra! I’ve just spent a little while this morning going through what I have so far and noting down all the characters that appear, so your idea complements this perfectly. I’ll give it a try.
I found a tip that started me off on a few pieces; Begin at the end.
It’s quite invigorating to get one of the trickiest parts of writing written down first, all that’s left is to write up to that bit. The end is all figured out, you’ve lit your own light at the end of the tunnel & you can then begin your trek towards it.