Overcoming Obstacles
When Writing a Book
by A.E. Albert
“The greater the obstacle, the more glory in overcoming it.” ― Molière
How Losing a Chapter Changed My Book For the Better!
I don't think there's a writer out there who hasn't experienced some kind of catastrophe during their writing journey. We lose notes, spill coffee on our keyboard (I've actually done that!), or lose an entire chapter.
It was late. My eyes were red and threatening to close. I saved my draft like I always did. I re-opened the document to ensure I had actually saved it. I went through this ritual expecting the outcome to be as any other day.
To my surprise and horror, an entire chapter was gone. I'm somewhat embarrassed to admit this, but I cried. I proceeded to upload every program I could find on the net designed to retrieve lost documents.
Nothing.
The Despair Set In
I stayed up til 5am, wasting hours with these useless programs. It wasn't even about time, I just didn't think there was any way that I had the energy to re write what I'd lost.
It's one thing to add to your story, but writing from scratch drains the energy right out of you. Finally, I went to bed, defeated and devastated.
The next morning I sat in my writer's chair as I did every day. I stared at my computer screen, sitting at a figurative crossroads, knowing I had a decision to make.
I had two options. One: I don't re-write the chapter, and my writing journey is over. Or, two: I just stop whining, embrace the trial and re-do the darn thing. Obviously, I chose the latter.
Illumination!
Almost instantly, the most amazing thing happened. The direction I was going in completely changed.
The role a character I had introduced in the lost chapter was totally re-created in the blink of an eye. His place, character and importance came together in that illuminating moment.
It's times like these that reaffirm my belief that some things are bigger than us. I sat there crying over my keyboard, snot running down my face. My self pity was almost palatable and I thought, 'Why me?'
The funny thing is, this character is now my absolute favorite and would never have manifested the way he did if it wasn't for that tiny little mishap late one night.
Read: 18 Challenges Writers Face and How to Overcome Them
What obstacles have you faced while writing your book? Leave a comment.
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The feeling's valid; many times, I've experienced eeriness, and the reaction that "reality's intervened" (for better, or for worse!)..
ReplyDeleteJust two days ago, walking, feeling low, I momentarily contemplated the Wes Craven film "Scream" (one of my favourite films): literally, just when on the verge of crossing the road, around this "same time", the van that was passing by featured the exact Ghostface mask in it!
Whether it's this, or whether it's your own experience, to do with the lost chapter, I suppose what should be taken from these kinds of experiences isn't if they're real (is reality intervening, or is it not?), but just that they help us..
Your experience helped you, as my own helped me. That's all that counts.
Absolutely. On my low days, I try to recall my experience for inspiration.
ReplyDeleteI thought the title sounded familiar.. I still remember that day; seeing the Ghostface mask, at the crossing, being distressed.
ReplyDeleteThe other day, Aimee, when you said "Power is definitely relative", you spoke a truth that couldn't be relevant enough for people to know.
Take that day, for instance, when I saw the Ghostface mask.. Suppose five to ten years from now, presuming I'm still alive, and that the global status quo is still the same, I manage to become a public figure in some capacity.. What if I referenced this day's experience, and were to include my mentioning it on this site from five to ten years prior, when publicly meant to be speaking about something that's "completely alien"?
Just 1%.. Person to person, age to age, country to country, vocation to vocation, just 1% of our total existences is all that actually gets shared with other people. Of all your own posts, on this site, from book reviews to book promotions to blogs about writing to author interviews, to the rest of humanity these communications from yourself will go unnoticed - the same applying to the vast majority of everyone else.
This is what I want to change.. to have the populace of this planet substantially have its existence known.
I believe we are all creative beings in some way. We should be appreciated and noticed for that spark in all of us.
ReplyDeleteHence the "public project" - people all across the world, being given the chance to give their fusion..
ReplyDeleteJon Stewart, the US political satirist. He has "lots and lots" of identity, doesn't he? As does Kris Jenner, and Bill O'Reilly, and Kirstie Allsopp and Hugh Jackman and David Dimbleby and so on.. Lots and lots and lots of identity!
The seesaw is imbalanced, grossly. For every Kirstie Allsopp, or Peter Andre, there's a thousand people who are just airstrike and employment statistics!
Everybody is everything, not just the 1% of people who control this planet.
And that is probably why so many people want to be famous. But for this system to work it has to be imbalanced. I agree with you. I'd like more people to be seen. Which is exactly why I run this site. I want as many writers as I can to get their share of the spotlight.
Delete
ReplyDeleteOf late, the movies Before Sunrise and Before Sunset have come to my attention.. To put it this way: I want for every person on this planet to be treated as a Jesse and as a Celine!
Soldiers, in the Middle East.. Villagers, in Kenya or in Niger.. The unemployed, in Detroit or in Blackpool.. The populace in Alaska.. The populace in the town of Colima. Not anymore as mass entities, to be defined as whole units by insular individuals such as a Nigel Farage, or a Mitch McConnell, or a Donald Trump - alternatively, each person a single all-encompassing entity!
I'm still waiting for a phone call, from the hospital.. Hopefully, my talking to them can be the gateway to getting this political tactic of fusing into the public sphere.