Hello,
Recently i had some difficulties writing a few chapters. My outline is done, but there's some chapters that i find boring to write.

When i actually write them, i'm not necessary slow as i know what i'm supposed to write but i still find them boring and uninteresting (transition chapters for example). In the end, they are as good as the other chapters when i reread them, so it's mostly in my head i guess.

How do you deal with these chapters when you know you had to write them despite how uninteresting they are for you?

Another question: I try to write 1500 words and release one chapter each day, and i have a hard time to calibrate the lenght of my chapters. I kinda succeded for now, but i don't think it's sustainable in the long run. Should i just write my chapter first and cut it arbitrarily in shorter chapters, or should i just write as it comes, publishing whatever i write at the end of the day?

    Arkinslize From my personal experience, writing down keywords and trying to connect them makes it easier to write transition chapters. It’s like a game that (slightly) relieves the feeling of tediousness when trying to write them. Also, it’s better to space out your updates if you can’t manage daily updates. Stock up your chapters first until you feel it’s safe and good enough to start doing dailies.

    I'm a strange writer who loves challenges and...boring chapters are one of them. I try to make them a little more interesting if I can. I find writing to be fun anyway because I never plan (except for the big and important events). Planning chapters puts too many restrictions and I do not like following rules. I like to be surprised by what my imagination can spin on the spot and if the plot is too slow or seems boring, I try to find interesting things to write.

    In your case, I can't really help because our writing habits seem to be extremely different. If you write chapters that seem boring, just remember that they are necessary. Write because you want to, not because you have to. I know that's cheesy and overused, but I write with this mindset. Planning is great if you want to update daily, but I can't imagine doing it myself.

    Whatever you do, good luck!

    I legit drink a few beers and just type, the words just come together continuing my story line... that's just how I write lol

    Arkinslize

    I know it's hard. We cannot always directly jump to the climax. Sometimes a little filler or some conversations that lead to the main plot are necessary to take the story forward. And they are really booooring!!! We can't always show the main leads in the scene. Conversations and reactions of the side characters is so annoying 😑

    I also feel frustrated writing such scenes. It's like 'when will it get over?' 'i can't wait to write the main action scene' and all.

    I usually try to write such scenes as quickly as possible and finish them. The more you drag or postpone the more you will get bored and lose your interest in writing further.

    So in the ends, there is no miracle. Just need to write as fast as possible to be done with it. Keywords are a thing i use too, but it doesn't make it pleasant, just smoother to right.

    Avoid post-poning? Indeed, i have the bad habit to post-pone things i don't like, making it even worse as i often do them close to the deadline in the end. I can surely improve on this aspect.

      Arkinslize Honestly, as an writer you must take your gut feeling into consideration. if you feel like a certain chapter is uninteresting to you then think of a way to make it sound interesting. add in some spice or whatever. there are only methods and ways you haven't thought of. for me, i always begin my writing after reading a chapter of my favourite book (Reverend Insanity). after that, i try a couple methods in my head (and also experiment my styles each chapter) to make my chapter sound interesting. trying to make each chapter interesting, even when only background info is being introduced is one of the joys of being an author. Our job description is to make our readers addicted with our plot and fantasise about living in it. hope this helps (might have trailed off topic haha)

        Arkinslize

        If your not interested in the chapter, it might be the same way for the reader, I'd consider triming down the content as much as possible. But, there is a thing where writing can become a slog, to be honest, you sorta have to push past it.

        But, to be honest, a boring chapter should not be written. Assuming your writing fiction, your job is to entertain, if you can't do that, think of why and fix it.

        ---Please don' like this post.

          Arkinslize I could not keep up the set pace in 2 chapters per day for 2800 words in total. Exhausted for 5 weeks.

          It seems to me that you should write an interesting chapter without looking back at the number of words. How much will turn out, the path will be a cool chapter! Than to dilute a cool chapter with water filler. IMHO.

            Overlord_Venus

            The thing is that the chapter is not necessary uninteresting by itself, it's just that it is the part i don't like to write. Some of these chapters turned out good in the end. Sometimes what is boring for me is to work 3-4h on one of these chapters, but reading it in 5 min would have been pleasant instead.

            And yes, i understand what you mean. I try to read a few chapters of my favorites stories before writing.

            Acutelittletrap

            I'm trying my best, but it is hard to be fair with his own work. A chapter that i struggled to write could be enjoyable for the readers while a pleasant chapter for me could be boring instead.

            I'm still in my testing phase anyway. My english is still improving, so there will probably be a big difference between the first chapters and the more recent ones as i keep writing more and more.

            And yeah, pushing through these chapters seems to be the only way.

              Arkinslize Well, at the end of the day, it's a learning process. We learn and write. Personally, for me, I like to write action scenes because I can continuously write it without interruption and finish a chapter in 2-3 hours. But for a detailed chapter, I would need to do background research that takes time and then to make sure that info is inserted into the plot in an interesting way takes me approx 7-8 hours.

              Arkinslize I got sometimes too. I just read novels then my hands will be itchy to write. Sometimes I watched movies or dramas. That helps me.

                Arkinslize I got sometimes too. I just read novels then my hands will be itchy to write. Sometimes I watched movies or dramas. That helps me.

                  Write for yourself, don't write for other people. Your work will find its audience, that's what grand dad said. If you're writing a scene that's boring and it's making the process difficult, step back, rethink your ideas, and approach it in a different way. Your first, second, or third idea for a scene isn't the only way it has to be. Whatever is exciting or interesting for you is right, not what you think other people will like.

                  Thinking like this helps when you're working every day. Writing can be hard for a thousand reasons, it can often be difficult and it can feel physically and emotionally exhausting. You don't need to force yourself to do something you don't enjoy on top of that, it only leads to burn out faster.

                  In my conversations with authors, 2k words a day is a good, healthy, and achievable goal. If you do more, great! If you do less, don't worry about it. A scene is done when it's done. If it's only 1,500 words, fine.

                  Don't do write what you don't want to, don't write more than you need to.

                  Generally speaking, if the chapter is boring what happens in it is as obvious to the reader as to you--skip it.

                    Arkinslize It depends on what type of writer you are. Personally, outlining is not my thing. I would rather plan out basic goals in my head for my story and let the words come out on a page. Yes, this means I have to switch from a creative writing session to an editing one, but I find it helpful when trying to get through tough chapters. Chances are its boring because you have already outlined it to death. It might be easier to just write straight to the interesting part to get the chapter out.

                    Being bored during a chapter just means that you would not read that. It's ok to be a different writer then what you would read yourself. As long as your keeping the same quality through chapters you will make it.

                    So far I just make each chapter interesting in itself, if that makes sense? Each is like a little story and is usually based around an element I am interested in writing about. If you have to get your story from A to C, then just make up something cool for B to make the writing easier.
                    Your readers will thank you for it!

                    Thanks for all your answers. It helps a lot.

                    I will first try to write when i'm not stressed. I realized it parasitizes my writing when i have the wrong mindset.

                    Indeed the fact that my story is clearly outlined had killed a part of the fun for me. The creative moments are always the best. Trying to add a few twists in there to keep the fun could be a solution.

                      Arkinslize

                      That sounds unlikely. The aspects that you enjoy about your novel are what should draw readers, each writer has a style or in different words a taste. Some write what many consider smut, but others would consider them works of art.

                      But do you really find those chapters boring? Or are you worried your readers will? Because those are two different things. I find it hard to create something I abhore unless it's my intent in doing do.

                      Be true to the story, the narrator and to your own heart. What works for others won't work for you and the reverse is also true. Some writers like to isolate themselves, another might write in public. Some write for an hour and then watch a tv show before writing for another hour.

                      We are all different and work in different ways. Experiment and find the best way for you.

                      Don't like this post thanks <3

                        Arkinslize

                        1. I took a peek at your story. It's Sci-fi, so that story requires a lot of imagination for the world-building, and it might probably tire you. That's why you are feeling bored because it becomes a chore.

                        Or, you probably wrote a non-engaging section of your story, (filler parts, conversation, side characters, a pointless action scene, world-building, background, or so on), which might explain why you felt bored when you wrote that. In long stories, authors will experience it eventually, including me.

                        1. Others have already advised you about author's instinct, so I won't comment on that. But in the case that the boring part was necessary for your story, I have a suggestion.

                        For getting back on your feet or getting your motivation back, connect the boring parts with the main story in your outlines, or go back to your outlines and add that section into the big picture. Make it influence a decision of your characters or events in the future as if they were a foreshadow of something. That way, you subconsciously interact with your own story, and you will have fun as you write.

                        If it doesn't help, add comedy. Have fun trolling readers with some of your silly jokes. UwU

                        1. As for 1500 words a day, it depends on your writing style, experience, and your flow in your story. Sometimes, you planned an outline for 1,500 words, but you can only write 1,000 words. Then, the word management gets tough.

                        There are many ways to correct this, though. Try to write everything you have planned and finish it first. If the word count is not enough, you can bypass it by adding a description of the environment, thoughts of characters, background noise, or expression of the characters to fill in the quota. If they are too long, it's up to you if you want to cut it to parts or reward readers with a long chapter.

                        1. Lastly, be careful when you are pushing through your author's block. Sometimes, you come up with something similar to a nightmare to readers if you write something unplanned. I experienced this first-handed, and I don't want new authors to follow my footsteps.

                        Take it slow and don't push it too hard. Control the pace and remember that you're writing for what purpose, for readers? for money? for yourself? The answer will give you a different result since it changes your stories and your plots. WN readers like wish-fullfiling stories. Romance makes the most money. Anything else takes time and effort to be recognized.

                          DamnPlotArmor

                          Thanks for your good advices.

                          Paradoxically, the world-building is not the hard part for me. Making it interesting is.

                          Another aspect that can tire me is that english is not my native language. If i just write, i will keep doing the same mistakes. So generally, i read and analyze chapters from native writers before or learn a few grammar rules or word usages i'm not familiar with. So, if you add my day at work to this, sometimes i'm already tired or stressed before even beginning to write.

                          It can be frustrating when I'm confident that I could write at a professional level in my main language whereas i can lose readers here because of mistakes not even a high school student would do. But it is meaningful, as i can see real improvements day by day.

                            Arkinslize No plan survives encounter with the enemy. Some writers do better with detailed outlines and thought-through plans. I think through the whole story in one pass, get a grasp of the emotional arc, and then render it in more detail along the way. In my opinion, writing is like jungle warfare, low visibility and crowded by ideas like trees. Expect ambushes, expect resistance; know when to power through and when to use the terrain.

                            My novel uses some advanced techniques in both its structure and prose. If you're looking for ideas you can always stop by, and if you ever want specific help with something, such as a synonym or turn of phrase, I'm often available to lend a hand with crafting. Talking shop is one of my favorite activities.

                              Write a Reply...
                              Web Novel Novel Ask