Here’s a secret about writing which I have discovered – some stories you write will not turn out the way you expected them to because they are meant to be improved and perfected by the future you.
The future you will one day turn the story you are struggling with into something better.
The future you will be able to see why your current thriller isn’t working.
The future you will be better equipped to deal with that troublesome character in your romance novel.
The future you will do big things with that draft book you have just shoved into drawer.
Sometimes we just need to get things down on paper, so that in the future we will have something to mould, sculpt and shape.
We put so much pressure on ourselves to make our stories work right now and if they don’t work today, we quickly shelve them.
We forget that in the future we might be better equipped to tackle our novel writing issues.
My recent attempt at a thriller has brought me to my knees with frustration. It doesn’t sound like the story in my head. I know there is something there but I can’t see it. I thought about ditching it but then I thought to myself – hang on a minute, there is someone who might be able to get this working. She just needs twelve more months of writing every day, reading more books, watching more films and life experience. That person is the future me.
Don’t despair if the sight of your draft novel makes you cry. The future you will be ready and waiting to correct that pile of literary wrongs.
The tricky part with this idea, is working on something, right now, which isn’t making your pulse race. Writing is hard at the best of times, but working on a story which feels like you are wading through mud, well….that can be soul destroying.
Things can get so bad you start considering shelving all your words and starting another story.
In this situation, I ask you to stop for a moment and consider this:
- Your future self will not thank you for giving up like this. They will have nothing to work with.
- How do you know your future self won’t do amazing things with this story?
So, here’s what you do.
Finish difficult draft, add post it note to the front and scribble, ‘Dear Future Me, here’s a little something I made earlier for you, enjoy xxx’
Stick in folder, smile and walk away. The future you will sort that out later.
Look at the future you as an extra writing resource!
Thinking like this has changed my entire outlook on writing. I love the future Lucy Mitchell.
Keep writing and smiling x
Love this Lucy!!! So true. The Future You has so.much potential!!!
Happy birthday lovely Ritu 😍😍😍
Thank you 😍
I completely agree!
There’s a story I started writing last year that I stopped working on because I hit a wall with it, however I recently looked back at it and was able to fix the problem after what I think of as an extra year’s worth of writing experience (and seeing it with a fresh pair of eyes!). At the time, it was an idea I loved but hitting that wall was a real setback, yet now I know exactly what to do to make it work. As soon as I finish my current work in progress, future me going to go back to it!
Aloma Writes
Yay! Thanks for reading my post 😍
Reblogged this on Chris The Story Reading Ape's Blog.
Thank you 😍
Welcome 😍
Reblogged this on It's Alex Oliver and commented:
Good advice if you’re tempted to give up.
So pleased you liked it. Thanks for the reblog 😍
Thank you for the motivation. Michael
So much good sense in this post! A few years ago I churned out about ten volumes of what felt like total garbage; I only carried on with it because it was so much fun to write. It had far too many problems to be publishable, but reading it back I found some good ideas among the garbage – gems I am now able to mine for my current WIP.
Thank you for reading my post 😍
Ohh my gosh this!! I have so many stories that I tried to start when I was younger that I feel I don’t yet know how to write or know now how to make better. It’s such a cool thing!
You do know, you just need a bit of confidence 😍
I have a folder of “future projects” because an idea will come to me from nowhere, but I have no clue how to finish it. The folder gives me hope that I have a lot of work to put out there. Thanks for the post–it speaks to the impatient side of me (read: all of me) that wants all the writing to be ready now!
Yes that folder will bring you great things. Treasure it 😍 Thank you for reading my post x
That’s a certain truth! I found myself being bad-prepared several years ago at the moment I’ve finished a chapter of a book, and after two years (is it sooo much, you know?) I reacted like “Well, now I’m ready to continue” reading my own scribbles.
Thank you for reading my post 😍
Ooh i like this! Nothing is wasted effort, just an investment for the future.
Thank you for reading and nope, nothing is wasted effort 😍
‘Dear Future Me, here’s a little something I made earlier for you, enjoy xxx’ Yes! Love this. ❤
Spot on. I couldn’t have written my current series even FIVE years ago, and I am really, really old!! Your brain never stops developing and learning. I thought of a book back in 2001 that I really wanted to write but couldn’t see how I would ever have the ‘equipment’ in my head. Now, I’m almost there, and may write it. Even a few years ago, writing histfic was but a fantasy. Now, it’s started to become possible. Well done you, for seeing this 🙂
Thank you Terry 😍