Things that Drive Me Crazy When Writing Fiction
By: Samantha Tran
Tags: Frustration, Relatable, Fiction, Writing, Fiction Writing

Time to be somewhat relatable.

Photo by JESHOOTS.COM on Unsplash

Us writers always are struggling in different ways, and even though we love writing… some things just drive us insane.

Here are some of those things that I have no patience for:

Creating a Whole New World/Universe

Okay yes, this is supposed to be the fun part, when you get imagine whatever you want, because it’s whole new world that doesn’t have to make sense to our world. And actually, it’s not so bad when it’s kind of just an alternate universe where everyone speaks the same language as we do here, and humans are still humans. The only hard thing when it comes to stories like that, is sometimes the history and possibly the hierarchy.

But when it comes to fantasy? Sometimes you’re creating a whole new species with a whole new language, plus history and hierarchy. There have been so many times I’ve tried to create a new universe, and going crazy over the amount of details that must go into the making. I’ve discussed them with friends and family, and while trying to explain it, gotten confused.

Nothing makes sense anymore after trying to make a universe that’s completely new.

Choosing Names for Characters

It’s like naming a baby. But not at the same time. I already have an image of what the character looks like in my head, and I need a name that suits that image. Also, if foreshadowing is something I want to do with their name, I also have to find a name that means something significant to the plot.

For example, if the girl in my mind develops water powers later on in the story, her name might want to mean something to do with water.

Choosing the perfect name is so difficult (especially if the name is in a different language), going through the baby name sites or searching up

“what name means _______?”

That Sentence that Just Sounds a Bit Off

So, I’m proof-reading a chapter, and I stop at this one sentence that just doesn’t sound right. It’s weird, because everyone else says it’s perfectly fine when asked, but when you read the sentences surrounding it, something is just… off.

It may just be the perfectionist in me, but I could stare at that one sentence for hours wondering why it doesn’t fit in. Plus, every time I rewrite it a different way, or change the sentence completely, it’s still weird in my mind.

Please tell me this isn’t only me.

Choosing a Title

Similar to choosing character names. The title is super important when it comes to the attraction of a reader. If the title is cheesy, then everyone who sees the title will assume it’s cheesy. If the title doesn’t resonate well with what the book is about, it doesn’t seem right.

There are many, many books out there and I’ve honestly stopped caring if there’s already a book with that title, because there are good chances that no matter what you choose… there will be someone else who thought of it too.

For me, the title of the book is like the cherry on top. It never feels complete until the perfect title is chosen.

Researching Sketchy Topics

Ever have a character that is going to die a certain way… but you’re not sure how much it takes for them to die, realistically. For example, overdose. Thank god for history clearing, because I don’t want people to know I searched:

“How many pills does it take to overdose?”

“What type of poisons kill slowly?”

“How long can someone last in a cold cellar?”

Those type of things sound really sketchy, and sometimes I wonder if Google thinks I’m a murderer, but as writers know- it’s just research to make our books more realistic and accurate.