Disenchantment is the third final D in my four big writing D’s series. We’ve covered Distraction, Derailment, Digression, and today, Disenchantment.
Being big on synonyms, I couldn’t resist a few other words for being disenchanted. Disillusioned, disheartened, dissatisfied, disappointed. All key words for when a writer falls out of love with their project.
It’s something I touch on during the Art of Writing in Florence. If you are planning an 80,000-to-100,000-word book project, make sure you are in love with the story. If you want to start a blog, or agree to write content for a blog, make sure you are passionate about the blog topic. If you want to write a Netflix series, be head over heels in love with the storyline.
By being enamored, I mean to be as sure as you can that your idea will sustain you. Because that writing project is going to suck a lot of your time - often years of your time. And sometimes, usually, after about 30,000 words, the plot idea can lose its allure. At this point, writers often shelve their stories because going back to it feels like pulling teeth. This is more than procrastination. You simply don’t know where to take the story anymore because you’re bored. In other words, you are disenchanted. Which is, to put it lightly, a major shame.
So! Why do writers become uninterested in a project that at one time enthralled them?
The biggest fault frequently lies with a lack of themes. Look carefully at your plot. What themes are coming through each plot point? What overall themes are you tackling in the story? Are you doing your best to highlight these themes? Are there theme areas you can develop and nurture to cultivate a renewed sense of inspiration? For me and many other writer friends, it’s when we successfully nail a theme that we get the biggest buzz. Securing a theme can give you the greatest shot of ‘I can do this!’ Or best of all ‘I like doing this!’
Plot is the development of a character's physical circumstances, while theme is the development of a character's intellectual, spiritual, or emotional circumstances.
Which brings me to telling too much. Have you told too much, rather than shown it? Often writers come to the Art of Writing with a story that’s stalled. Their narrative arc has run out of puff. Upon closer investigation it is revealed the writer has slabbed down a lot of telling. Lots of ‘this happened and then that happened.’ Or self-reflection or inner character reflection rather than scenes. They’ve ‘told’ the story rather than developed and milked scenes to show the story. Make sure every scene is fleshed out. No shortcuts.
To wind up with a last thought, writers sometimes become disenchanted with their stories because writing is hard. Bloody hard. So gird yourself. Be in love with your plot and themes and grind. Because a writer without a beloved story in the works is a disenfranchised creative - now there’s another big D.
A message from an Art of Writing blog reader:
Dear Lisa,
I’m loving your blogs and would like to add another D to the list - D for displacement activity. This afflicts me regularly before I start writing; everything from clearing out the fridge (necessary) to getting in the car and driving to the nearest garden centre to buy plants (unnecessary). That may be why it takes me five years to write a book!
Please feel free to drop me a line if you’d like to share your experiences. Honestly, we thrive on hearing from you. We love your voice.
If you’d like to learn more about how to handle your writing issues, come and join me next summer in Florence, Italy (or even in Brisbane, Australia!) for some heavy-duty writing classes. Check out the program dates for 2023 on the Art of Writing’s Schedule drop-down box.
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If you’d like to share any comments or thoughts, I’d be happy to hear from you. Email me directly at lisacliffordwriter@gmail.com.