When Writing Research Face Plants #AmWriting #IWSG
[I wrote this post as a member of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group where we share our worries and also offer support and encouragement to each other on the first Wednesday of every month. If you’re a writer like me and you’re looking for a bit of support, you can click the link and sign up here
Happy IWSG Day!
I’m thrilled to be a host this month along with Olga Godim, Sandra Cox, Sarah Foster, and Chemist Ken!
Thank you to you, and thank you to the wonderful cohosts who are spreading the writing love this month.
I don’t know about you, but these past holiday weeks breezed by so fast, and yet I caught quite the sniffle making me so frustrated at not getting everything done I really wanted and meant to do. Oh well.
Writing Updates
I’ve been working on the highest plot point in my story. The point of no return and face falling movement closely thereafter. It’s a research-based plot where History meets science with sprinkles of magical possibility. I thought it was perfect. Three edits later I realize I’ve revealed nothing new.
So this is my frustration for the month. Sheer joy at the progress of writing, then submitting, then failing on my face after feedback.
What do you do? I guess you get back on the horse and try again.
How about you? Did you manage any writing goals this month? Did you fall on your face like me? That’s okay if you did. It’s worth a good chuckle and results in a fresh new beginning of creative possibility. Don’t stop. I’m not.
Really Great Quotes For The Month
Creativity requires input, and that’s what research is. You’re gathering material with which to build. ~Gene Luen Yang
And also;
After all, the ultimate goal of all research is not objectivity, but truth. ~ Helene Deutsch
Final Words
Happy IWSG Day! I decided to forego the optional question this month, but I’ll be jumping around various blogs all day to see what you all had to say 😉
Posted on January 5, 2022, in Uncategorized. Bookmark the permalink. 56 Comments.
Cloud Nine Girl 
I’m sure a fresh twist on that high point will come to you.
I was productive during the break because I had a very short list of what I wanted to do. And fortunately, ‘nothing’ was on that list!
Thanks for co-hosting today.
It’s been really fun. I appreciate your honest reflection Alex 🙂
Hi and Happy New Year!
Falling and getting back up again is a great way of getting a handle on what you’re trying to do. Researching a plot is like creating a plot that the reading can feel. They drift into it without recognizing it. I am sure you will succeed, just keep getting back up.
All the best and thank you for co-hosting.
Shalom aleichem,
Pat G @ EverythingMustChange
Happy New Year to you, Pat 🙂
I appreciate your confident and encouraging words 🙂
Happy New Year! Great quotes. I love research and plotting a little too much sometimes 😉 Thank you for co-hosting.
Best,
A
Thank you for stopping in Adrienne 🙂
Sometimes an edit or three is all it takes… sometimes it’s more. You’ll get there! Sorry to hear about the cold, that never helps. I’ve started the year with heaps of energy, we’ll see how long that lasts 😀 Good luck and good words, and thanks for co-hosting today 🙂
I’d love to have a spoonful of energy 😉 thank you for stopping in.
I’m struggling to write my climax scene, so I know the feeling. I’m sure you’ll figure out how to write your pivital chapter in a more compelling way. You’ve already written so many chapters to get there. It should give you confidence.
I appreciate that wisdom so much, Natalie 🙂
Love that quote on research. So true. I like your attitude toward getting right back up after your fall determined to do better. You go, GRRL! Thanks for co-hosting!
Thank you Janet. I really appreciate your expert advise 🙂
Step back from it for a bit. Let life get in the way to distract then go back to find a TaDa! moment waiting. Work on something else for a bit then go back with fresh eyes and ideas. Co-host a writers group for this month! That’s a good charm, too! Thanks for being there for us this month.
I appreciate all of these tips Nancy! Thank you.
Happy New Year! Try letting a trusted writer friend or two read your story. Sounds like what you need is an objective pair of eyes. Good luck! And thanks for co-hosting.
Thank you Melissa. I have a few folks willing to help me. I do appreciate your tips very much 🙂
The past month was hectic. Sounds like you need some space and new eyes. (If you don’t have any, poke me). But the ideas behind this one sound great!
I so understand the feeling of loss and defeat. That’s been my experience over the last few months. I’m positive solutions, new twists, and achievements are unfolding right now.
Thank you for co-hosting this month.
Thank you Lynn. I know I’ll find my way. I can feel it 🙂
Hi Erika, hope you nail your writing 🙂 Thanks for co-hosting this month.
Love the quote.
I’ve been where you are. Sometimes, the pages we write are needed for us to know what should happen next or to get to know our characters better. (At least, that’s what I tell myself.) Happy writing!
I set aside 2 wips because I’d gotten to the point you’re at and couldn’t figure out where to go. Now, I’m at work on one of them, starting at the beginning to see how I can fix the problem. Good luck to you. Thanks for cohosting this month.
Your story with history meeting science and being sprinkled with magical possibilities sound exciting as well as quite the challenge. Good luck with making it right.
“History meets science with sprinkles of magical possibility”–that sounds really good, Erika. It reminds me of Grace’s story, Einstein’s Compass. Best of luck with it!
Sorry to hear you faced frustration, but glad you’re climbing back onto the horse! I hope this year brings you better luck and less face-falling!
I agree so much with what you’re saying here. My writing classes in the past always emphasized writing “what you know” which is good advice, but it can also be very limiting. Research is important even when we are writing what we think we know because maybe we are wrong. And I’d rather not confine myself to my own experience when there is so much information out there about other things.
Good for you for not stopping!
Arlee Bird
Tossing It Out
Thanks for co-hosting! I think all writers know the feeling of putting a work aside in frustration, for whatever reason(s). The most important thing is eventually coming back to it and finishing it out stronger than ever.
I think so too 🙂 I really appreciate you stopping in today.
Hi! I fall on my face all the time. My goal right now is to edit edit edit. I’m a pantser with my writing outside of my writing inside my writing. If that makes sense! hehe
♥.•*¨Elizabeth Mueller¨*•.♥
I really appreciate your honesty Elizabeth 🙂
It’s not failing that matters. That is where our life lessons live. Getting up and learning from them is what it is all about.
I tend to take a little longer to get up these days, but I don’t stay down. Give yourself a bit of a rest. Something brilliant will pop, and you’ll surprise yourself and your critters next round.
Anna from elements of emaginette
Love the quote! If I only wrote what I “knew” it would be pretty dull. Half the fun of writing is learning new things through research.
This is a fresh year for me. I’m looking forward to approaching my writing from a fresh perspective, as well, in terms of just enjoying the journey.
Thanks for co-hosting today!
I’m sorry about the rude awakening, but you’ve got this! It’s good to find out about it early on.
The Warrior Muse
Sounds like you still have the makings of a good story. Sit back and thing about your story for a while. It’ll all come together.
Happy 2022! and thanks for co-hosting this month.
Thank you Ken. I appreciate your encouraging words 🙂
And a Happy IWSG Day to you, Erika. Thanks for hosting;)
Lovely quotes. [hand wave from a fellow host]
I think everything we do in our writing, even seemingly pointless exercises, lead to improvement in our writing, one way or another. It is only when we stop writing, we stop improving.
I admire your wisdom so much, Olga 🙂
Sometimes we have to go down the wrong road to find the right one. @samanthabwriter from
Balancing Act
Happy New Year and thanks for co-hosting this month. That sounds hard, and I admire your spirit of getting back on the horse and trying again. Better to find out beforehand, rather than after publishing 🙂
That’s a terrific point 🙂
You take a deep breath and get back on that horse.
Happy New Year, Erika!
History + science with sprinkles of magical possibility = I’m intrigued!
Thank you for co-hosting the blog hop this month!
Happy Writing!
I’m glad you didn’t answer the optional question, as you’ve told a more interesting (and inspiring) story. Thanks for co-hosting 🙂
Visiting from Fiction Can Be Fun
Thank you for your sweet honesty 🙂
I recently fell on my face after a rejection, and I haven’t gotten back up yet, but I will. In my own time. 🙂
Happy New Year!
I believe you will too Chrys:)
Thank you for sharing your post this month, and for being a co-host. You know how they say that it’s not the destination but the journey that counts? Probably the same is true – it’s the writing, not necessarily the end goal that matters. Be proud of yourself that you keep writing, and trying!
Thank you so much for your kind words of encouragement:)
Such a wonderful attitude is inspiring – I appreciate the reminder of how important believing in yourself really is. You and the Captain are on the same wavelength this month 😉
Thanks for co-hosting!
Time is flying for me also. I have so many things to do and am just now getting around to IWSG visiting. Sigh…
Sounds like a great plot! I love your quote about research!
Thanks for hosting, Erika! I want to cry and shout when I receive negative or meh feedback about my writing. After I wait a bit, I often can find some usefulness in the critique. Maybe there’s a way to make your idea more special. Or maybe it’s still special, even if it hasn’t been done before, because YOU wrote it, and it’s your unique take on things.
Not sure what you mean by realizing you revealed nothing new. Does this relate to plot, characters, storyline? Twists? Loved that image of a face plant because we really do charge right into a wall, or at least I do at some point in writing every story! Sometimes talking it out with someone you trust can help. And, this sounds a little off the wall, but it works! Try thinking about the story right before falling asleep. This lets your unconscious go to work all night long. Really. May you find the words you need. Persevere!
Happy new year, Erike and thanks for co-hosting this month. Interesting thought about research… I do tend to write what I know a little about (sometimes a lot), but then need to go and see whether my knowledge is up to date – or that I’ve remembered it right 🙂 Good luck with yours!
Thanks for co-hosting this month. Your story seems to have a fun premise. Glad you are making way with it even if you hit a few walls. For me, just getting any word count down in a month is an accomplishment.