Biting Off More Than I Can Chew

[Dragon Child]

Hi, my name is DC, and I like world building.

In fact, I think I probably even enjoy the world building more than actually writing. The problem is that I want to do it all. Once I start working on one aspect, I get an idea for something else and get completely sidetracked until I realize I haven't gotten anywhere with anything! What makes things worse is that I tend to get hung up on little details too.

I've heard a lot of people say that the best thing to do is to just work with what is related to the story, but what if you're world building just for the sake of world building? So I guess the question is really just, how can I get myself to stay focused on one thing and, hopefully, actually accomplish something?

DC

p.s. This is my first topic and to tell you the truth, I'm a little nervous. Who knew you get social anxiety online too.

[onions]

Hi Dragon Child.

Social anxiety exists everywhere. It's a curse, I tell ya.

As to your question, I usually have the opposite problem. I'm so eager to start writing that I just invent the details as I go along and hope they'll come together at some point...an attitude that's rewarded with lots and lots of revision afterwards.

I would imagine that worldbuilding (writing notes) and writing (writing plot) is so different that you can recognise that you're doing one or the other.
It's a matter of will power, isn't it? Actually sitting down and saying "no, I shall not start drawing pictures of this particular national costume, I'll start writing my first chapter."
What you could do is spend one day doing world building and spend the next writing - alternatively
Then you just need to be self assured enough to say that if you come across any missing facts during your writing you can deal with it on your worldbuilding day. - now you will not let yourself be distracted.

The main question I hear in this is: Do you actually WANT to write?
Or are you scared of it and content to build at your world that no one else will see and criticise?

Good luck.
onions

[Reginald Gordon]

One suggestion that comes to mind is to find someone that you trust that actually prefers the writing aspect to storytelling, and perhaps make a collaborative work. I'm more like onions, I prefer to just write, and make things make sense at a later time. I also don't mind doing revisions as I go, but that may just be me. I love to fine-tune things, I have been a programmer for about half my life, so it's in my nature to 'debug' flaws as I find them.

Not sure if that part of my personality is more counterproductive than helpful, but I guess no one will know until I'm dead.

[Dragon Child]

Thanks for the help guys.

Reginald, I really like your idea about makink a collaborative work, although I can't really think of anyone who might want to at the moment. Still a good idea.

The main question I hear in this is: Do you actually WANT to write?
Or are you scared of it and content to build at your world that no one else will see and criticise?

That one took me a bit by surprise. To tell you the truth, I'm just not so sure anymore what I really want to do. At one point I loved writing more than anything, but now the interest seems to have disipated. I just don't know.

Anyways, thanks again.

[Reginald Gordon]

Thanks for the help guys.

Reginald, I really like your idea about makink a collaborative work, although I can't really think of anyone who might want to at the moment. Still a good idea.



That one took me a bit by surprise. To tell you the truth, I'm just not so sure anymore what I really want to do. At one point I loved writing more than anything, but now the interest seems to have disipated. I just don't know.

Anyways, thanks again.

My wife loves books to death. She loves to read, can crank out books by the dozen on a weekly basis. However, she works in retail selling books and she has come to realize how much she hates retail. Sometimes, it's not a matter of what you're doing, just the aspect of it that you are currently involved in. It's very obvious that you want to weave stories, but you are more interested in the technical aspect of it.

If you can't find another author to work with, perhaps you should look at getting into other forms of design work, where you are creating universes that are later shaped into stories. Video games come directly to mind.

Whatever you decide to do, I wish you the best with it.