Whattup WN forums.

So it is I, another one of the millions of authors out there on the internet and I'm sure someone else out there suffers through this specific problem.

Writer's block is common, we all go through it.

But lately, I've been stuck because of I'm scared of my main characters overlapping. Since I'm writing two main novels at the same time, I think I'm beginning to blur the two works as I write my drafts. Which is silly because they're two very different novels and very different MCs personality-wise. But bc they both come from my head- there are too many parts that sound or feel the same.

Their inner voices are beginning to sound too much like one another- like two different colors being tinted.

Understandably they came from the same creator, so some of that's unavoidable. Maybe they were more alike since the very beginning.

"Am I falling for same face syndrome in my main characters? Am I not being creative or original enough? Maybe my MCs are beginning to feel the same to me bc I'm not writing proper characters but using my own voice." These are the kinds of thoughts that keep bothering me as I try to write my super slow novels.

So to other authors: how do you go about separating your works? Maybe it's no problem for you or maybe you only noticed this after you publish. Either way, what sort of issues do you face writing two or more works at the same time? Do your readers notice and compare?

To readers: Do you notice when you read multiple works from the same author? Do you feel annoyed or as if the author is recycling? Or maybe you like that bc that's why you're seeking the same author, for similar works?

Sincerely- another person going through writer's block and insecurity.

    CCmei i honestly has not had that problem. i have had more than 20 novels already and while a few did not arrive at chapter 20 but the rest had like 150 chapters or more. right now, from those lot, i have 4 active novels. pretty easy for me to distinguish my mcs. the trick is to paint a picture of your characters, mc, enemy or cannon fodder and stick to it. for exp, i have a good mc, an evil mc, a stupid mc, a funny mc, etc. while they may grow and change a little bit as the novel expands but the core element of what they were intended to be written remains. i hope this helps you a little, glhf writing!

      CCmei I have 5 novels. But they are all a continuation of one novel, only at different times.

      I realized that updating everything at once is impossible. Therefore, I update one novel every day and the second weekly 3 chapters.

      Soon I’m finishing one novel, to start a new one I need to finish the old ones, if readers see a lot of unfinished novels, they are already suspicious of the author.

          I've seen like 4 novels contracted at the same time, I wonder how that Author is holding up. I wonder how much they've made though I doubt it was a lot

            CCmei I definitely had that question run through my head before, but I never really focused on it too much. Usually, when I start a story, there’s some plot reason/eventual end which was the purpose for which I made that story for, so the MC takes on the role of completing that end. Oftentimes, this requires a different sort of person each time. But instead of blending, I find that they drift further apart and come into their own from other MC’s I made. It’s like the idea of a character coming to life and developing in different ways because their circumstances in the story are different. Those characters end up taking you on the journey rather than you leading/”hard-coding” them.

            So it’s really the differences between story plots, progressions, settings, and genres that might affect similarity in characters. I find that within the same story, I’m more concerned with them ending up the same! If the genres are very different, then I find the characters are also different from another story of mine. But if they’re similar, then I can see how two MC’s might end up being similar, kinda like how cultivation novel MLs feel like cookie cutters of one another. Also, two stories being fantasy don’t mean it’s similar. I mean like an Eastern Cultivation story or CEO modern romance one, more narrow “genres.” Because the circumstances or “formulas” are roughly the same, the MC’s feel too alike.

            I suppose it’s different for all writers. This is just my personal experience and thoughts I’m sharing. I really liked how you explained your concern though. It was very well-said and a valid question for any serious author.

                Gourmet_DAO

                AH then my readers are definitely already suspicious of me.

                There's like 5 novels but I'm only actively updating two of them. I feel like I just don't have enough time. Since writing isn't by day job or school, I can only do so when I have free time. (and even then that takes awhile). IDK maybe I just need to make a better writing schedule and stick to it. sigh

                Dude idk how you can update so much- all the more power to you.

                I feel like if it was the same world I wouldn't have this same issue . But bc they're obviously different, I got worried when I began to see some core similarities. The world is different, the characters are different, but maybe bc it's coming out of my own projection- their inner voice is blurring.

                IDK myabe I just need to ride out this block/fear.

                    ThyUnknownSaint

                    Oh damn, hard to say if it's worth it. Honestly knowing WN contracts, unless they one of the big ones from Asia I doubt they can make enough for it to be worth it. I feel my gut hurting already just imagining being contracted so much.

                        CCmei Dude, on the other hand, is your world, your characters, you can do time management, allocate time correctly and allocate it to write a novel. For example, while you are going to work, or to school. At break, if you have more than 40 minutes of change at school

                        You can write updates to 2 chapters every day, 1500-2000 words per day. The trick is. that this is raw material + one check on a program evaluating the correct spelling of a grammar. I always and almost always get conditional “satisfactory” from her, but not “good” or “excellent”.

                        If I checked the text block twice, was engaged in editing, polishing, then I would hardly have time to write and check 2 chapters per week.

                        This is your world, you can always, for example, finish a novel, and then start writing a second novel, a sequel.

                        Personally, when I take a break for 1 week, I leave 3-7 subscribers, when I start updating 2-3 chapters and sometimes 1 6 chapters a week, 4-5 again come. But still it’s minus 2 subscribers. That is, if you leave the novel for a long time without updating, then the subscribers will leave. If this does not bother you, then of course there are no special problems.

                            Gourmet_DAO

                            I see

                            That's a no go method for me then. I'm a really slow writer and the only thing keeping my subscriber base is that they know to expect a certain level of quality from me. My subscriber rate is also slow I can say they're solid (the ones that stick around are in for the long ride).

                            I do really need to work on just getting the drafts done- but I suuuuuuck at it. But hey to each their own strengths and weaknesses. Amazing how you can churn out so setly.

                            It also does not help that most of my chapters after the initial 12 are around 3k-6 words. Again another of the few redeeming features I have. I make the readers wait so I better deliver. At least that's how it goes with my little band of subscribers.

                                CCmei Lucky! What subscribers are waiting for your updates!

                                Honestly, in the fourth week of writing - 2 chapters a day, I began to run out of breath. every day it is becoming increasingly difficult to maintain such a pace of publications.

                                By the way, an interesting topic, maybe you didn’t read it - https://forum.webnovel.com/d/34886-how-long-does-it-take-to-reach-a-million-views-for-an-original- novel / 35

                                there are generally amazing people who can write 8 chapters a day ?! It is fantastic!

                                    Chryiss

                                    Ending huh? I suppose that can happen to me given enough time, it just hasn't been an issue yet. I do recognize that I like ambiguous endings or endings that come back to the start. But for the most part I either like my endings too much or just haven't had any issues with that.

                                    I suppose it's the inverse of the character situation. I have a clear ending mind and it gets even more developed and distinctive to it's storyline.

                                    For my characters, they are different and designed differently due to their genres and ages. However there are ceretain points that are begining to look 'shared' to me. I know a part of it is because I must have designed them that way in my head, bc I try to make complex dimensional characters and I overly focus on fleshing them out .That's why I can't follow an above poster's advice very well.

                                    My slice of life heroine has her cruel vicious sides.

                                    My horror/thriller heroine has her hidden gentle nature.

                                    They're both still very different and good characters can be multi-faced (should be). But I freeze at the draft with my brain going "What am I doing? Have I been writing the same character all along? "

                                    It's just a really specific sort of writers' block rn. Thanks for answering seriously. It is a vulnerable issue for writers T_T

                                      CCmei

                                      If your still having this problem you should know its not that bad and can happen pretty easily.
                                      However its just as easy to fix, you simply need to come up with a questionnaire of sorts or even just use the Proust questionnaire, you then fill one out for each character answering the questions as if you were the character rather than yourself. This is a tool used to help you figure out exactly how your characters are different and then you should inflate there differences and imagine scenarios that they'd react differently in, this should give you ideas for your stories that should hopefully drift apart rather than overlap. Overlapping itself isn't always a bad thing either though, if you love writing something than you should just keep writing it, even if its similar to something else you've already done, likewise if someone loves reading something there probably going to read other stories that are similar too it that's why there are always huge lists when you google anime/books/movies that are like XXXXX.

                                        That's actually a really good suggestion and I tried it out- thanks for that. The quizzes help put some things out in the clear.

                                        Similar stories are a whole different but no less troublesome issue. It's hard to be original but technically everything is an imitation or inspiration of something else.

                                          I put my ideas on my phone as soon as I think of it, it's pretty much random
                                          I also write because I'm bored
                                          Sometimes I play video games(1-2 hours) then write again
                                          An engineer always working late
                                          I do stock market to keep my mind going and pretty much worried
                                          And eventually, you'll get used to it and write

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