When you first start working on a new book, everything feels great. But then somewhere along the way, something changes. You begin to struggle. You’re not sure what the next scene should be. Characters start acting in ways you didn’t expect, or maybe the pacing slows down.
What do you do then?
If you’re like the majority of writers, you start to doubt yourself. You wonder if this story is any good. You may begin to think it’s no longer worth the effort.
Then out of the blue, you get another idea. A much better idea. You think perhaps you should abandon the story you’ve been working on and try the new idea instead. Just the thought of doing that makes you feel better.
Watch out! This type of thinking is dangerous and could have long-lasting negative effects on your career.
Writers Watch Out for the Shiny Object Syndrome
Writers are creative people. We love thinking about new ideas.
Unfortunately, there’s a dark side to this part of our personalities. We can fall victim to a condition called the shiny object syndrome. This is the tendency for a writer to chase after a new idea rather than stay focused on what she’s already working on.
Picture a child playing with bubbles. He will run after one shiny bubble until it pops, and then another and another, constantly changing his focus and direction. It’s fun, but it doesn’t accomplish much.
A writer is afflicted with shiny object syndrome if she abandons a project into which she’s invested considerable time to chase after another idea she thinks is better.
This syndrome is extremely dangerous to a writer’s career. I know from personal experience.
How Shiny Object Syndrome Hurts a Writer’s Career
I spent many years writing novel-length manuscripts before I finally got one published. During that time, I abandoned many manuscripts because I fell victim to shiny object syndrome.
I would get about halfway through the book and start to struggle. I know now it’s perfectly normal to have difficulties in the middle of a book, but I didn’t know that then. I assumed if I was having trouble, something was wrong with the story idea.
Right when my struggle was greatest, shiny object syndrome would appear. I would start to think of other ideas I could pursue, and those other ideas would sound better than the one I was working on. Soon I would succumb to the syndrome, abandon the story I was working on, and start over with a new one.
What this process got me was a lot of years of writing manuscripts I never finished. Finally, it became clear what was going on. My story ideas weren’t bad at all. I just didn’t have the skills I needed to complete them.
7 Ways to Defeat Shiny Object Syndrome and Finish Your Book
How can you tell if you’ve fallen victim to shiny object syndrome? Ask yourself if any of these sound familiar to you:
· You have a long list of story ideas but none of those stories have been completed.
· You constantly start new stories but don’t finish them.
· Your computer or desk is full of unfinished manuscripts.
· You like to start new stories, but you rarely have a plan for how you’re going to finish them.
· You’ve been working on one story for years, but can’t seem to finish it.
If any of these statements seem to apply to you, try the following tips.
1. Write it down: When a new idea occurs to you, write it down and store it in an idea box or on a file on your computer or cell phone. Don’t jump ship to pursue it until the project you’re working on is completed.
2. Understand that “new” isn’t “better”: Understand that any idea you have for a book is just an idea. What matters is your ability to execute that idea in a novel-length manuscript. That’s where the real challenge is.
3. Commit to your story: Any book or even a short story takes a significant investment of your time and energy. Make sure you’re in love with the idea and you have a powerful motivation to write it before you begin, then commit to finishing it.
4. Keep quiet: Talking with other writers can be fun, but if you leak your story idea before you finish the book, watch out! Other writers will chime in. “You could set the story in this location!” they might say, or, “How about so-and-so for an antagonist?” These new ideas may seem better to you, throwing you off course.
5. Realize that getting stuck is normal: Most writers experience a struggle in the middle of a story. It’s normal. So when you reach that point, don’t despair. Get help if you need to, and keep writing.
6. Keep going: Writers must keep going no matter how tough the story gets. Take stock of what you’ve done so far. Create an outline of the chapters you’ve completed. Brainstorm solutions to whatever problems you’re facing. Turn to craft books and mentors when needed. Keep trying while learning to live with the discomfort. Eventually, you will find a way through!
7. Understand the value of having completed projects:Remember that success as a writer is based entirely on those projects you complete and publish. We can often fool ourselves into thinking that the ideas in our heads are completed ideas, but you can’t build a career on your thoughts. Completed stories are what matters. Focus on finishing no matter what.
Note: For more guidance on how to finish the creative projects you start—including the 5 things you must have to complete your book—get Colleen’s FREE mini-course here !
Colleen M. Story inspires writers to overcome modern-day challenges and find creative fulfillment in their work. Her latest release, Writer Get Noticed!, was the gold-medal winner in the Reader’s Favorite Book Awards (Writing/Publishing 2019). Overwhelmed Writer Rescue was named Book by Book Publicity’s Best Writing/Publishing Book in 2018, and her novel, Loreena’s Gift, was a Foreword Reviews’ INDIES Book of the Year Awards winner, among others. Find more at these sites:
www.colleenmstory.com
www.writingandwellness.com
www.writerceo.com
Twitter: @colleen_m_story
