Good evening;
I need some advice. I started a story yesterday, and by page seven realized that I had written myself into a continuous loop, and I can't come up with a plausible way to get back on track.
For now, I am going to go on to some other projects, but I need solutions for when it happens when I go back to the story
All help is greatly appreciated
I had written myself into a continuous loop, and I can't come up with a plausible way to get back on track.
Sorry, but I have no idea what that means.
Do you have an ending in mind? If so, write toward that ending. It will keep you moving forward (rather than in a loop).
Turn it into a story that uses the Groundhog Day trope?
Has that been done enough to qualify as a trope?
Alas, as others indicated, that problem is usually specific, depending on how you ended up there (i.e. what specifically is 'looping').
I take it that you have a particular plot point that never get resolved, so it keeps arising again and again (ex: MC meets a new girl, they don't hit it off, he then meets another, repeat ad infinitum β¦).
If that's the issue, or it's something similar, then you'll need to double back and resolve the first issue, rather than dodging it. Plot is all about encountering and resolving conflicts. So an extended story is about addressing several conflicts, leading up to finally resolving the final story conflict. However, if you have a particular conflict that never gets explored, and thus is never resolved, the entire story will continually spin in place, much as the water in a flushing toilet does.
So, either identify what causing your looping, or let either Remus 2 or Ernest identify the specific issue for you.
As a general solution - assuming the introductory page was on track toward the story's ending, find the last point that was on track and delete the remainder. Save it in another file if you think it might be salvaged.
If the content went off track immediately, rethink what you intended to write as a story.
Thank you all for your input, I have decided to try REP's advice and delete the veering and circling parts.
One would hope it's a Writing Circle rather than eg a Knitting Circle or Sewing Circle.
AJ
One would hope it's a Writing Circle rather than eg a Knitting Circle or Sewing Circle.
The OP described it as a continuous loop. Maybe he accidentally started writing The Song That Never Ends.
One would hope it's a Writing Circle rather than eg a Knitting Circle or Sewing Circle.
Though those are just as disconcerting, and not nearly as helpful!
If he wrote himself into a Magic Circle, that could be tricky.
If he wrote himself into a Crop Circle, that could be corny.
AJ
Well in spite of the well-meaning but terrible jokes, I took REP's advice and the story is finished. Nor while it marinates in my finished but unedited file for a week or two, I will right some more.
Congratulations. I hope it is received with the approval merited by the amount of thought and effort you put into it.
AJ
If guys write themselves into a circle, can't they just jerk themselves out..?
If guys write themselves into a circle, can't they just jerk themselves out..?
No. You need at least two guys for a circle jerk.
You need at least two guys for a circle jerk.
I'm not sure that just two guys would be enough to qualify as a circle.
Also, using circle jerk in its non literal sense, it often devolves into a clusterfuck.
it often devolves into a clusterfuck.
A clusterfuck would require either gay men or at least one woman.
A clusterfuck would require either gay men or at least one woman.
Having served in the military, I have to disagree.
clusterfuck
"clusΒ·terΒ·fuck
/ΛklΙstΙrΛfΙk/
nounVULGAR SLANGβ’US
a disastrously mishandled situation or undertaking."
Little Big Horn
Is "Little Big Horn" an oxymoron, or a particularly stupid bison..??
Is "Little Big Horn" an oxymoron, or a particularly stupid bison..??
It's smaller than the Big Horn but bigger than the Little Horn, I suppose you could call it the Medium Horn.
It's the Big Big Horn post-ejaculation ;-)
..Sigh.. I should have seen that coming... :)
You should have seen it cumming. :)
Unlike you, I wasn't born before June of 1876.
And since you tossed it out there, why is it called "cumming" when it is actually the climax or act of completion..? It ought to be called "going".
:)
why is it called "cumming" when it is actually the climax or act of completion..? It ought to be called "going".
I do not know. No argument.
I kind of like the French euphemism, the little death, or is that only for female orgasm?
On a related note, when we do #2, we call it taking a dump, but we are making a deposit, not a withdrawal, so shouldn't we be giving a shit?
So Apple owns sex now? No wonder there are so many incels.
Latest news is that Apple has halted production on their new bike.
That's right, they've frozen the iCycle...
Also Apple's first product to enter the adult market won't be released anytime soon.
An inside source stated that the new iCock is proving to be harder than they anticipated.
Rumours about the Apple partnership with a Python are true.
They are forecasting a high demand for "Mac 'n Cleese"
So Apple owns sex now?
Since Apple products are designed to be replaced every two years, that means people will have to have a new sex every two years: male, female, pan, toaster ... um ... struggling ;-)
AJ
Since Apple products are designed to be replaced every two years, that means people will have to have a new sex every two years:
Which means for a change you'll get sex every two years, plus you can make unlimited bookings with the 'Genius Bar' for one-on-one sessions... :)
No need to change sex, just update your hardware.
You folks are fortunate you don't live near me.
I have to tell people every so often that I'm going to Cumming (GA), a town about 30 miles away, to do a job.
Imagine walking into the office and have a secretary ask you "Have you finished Cumming already?"
I no longer go as far as Climax (GA). I used to do that frequently, but at my age it's a hard drive. I try to stop in Between (GA) which is about halfway.
You folks are fortunate you don't live near me.
Perhaps you should consider Intercourse, Pennsylvania.
Perhaps you should consider Intercourse, Pennsylvania.
or
Fucking, near Tarsdorf, Austria.
Hooker, Oklahoma.
Wankum, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany
Sandy Balls, Hampshire, UK
Sexbierum, Franekeradeel, Netherlands
Dildo, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada
Come on up to Troy, Michigan on I75
Use exit 69 - Big Beaver Rd
Just internet search I75 exit 69 for proof and pictures.
Come on up to Troy, Michigan on I75
What would be funny is if they re-named the road at the exit for Hell, Michigan to either Handbasket or Good Intentions.
HEHE that would be good and yes I've been to Hell many times and yes it does freeze over.
I've been to Hell many times and yes it does freeze over.
Well of course it does, it's in Michigan. The wonder is that it ever manages to thaw out.
Michigan
It was supposed to be spelled Miss Shagrin, after my sister.
They also misspelled Shagrin Falls and the Shagrin River, too. How embarrassing.
Hey Michigan has four seasons. Just because 4 months out of the year we have all four seasons in 1 day. I mean doesn't everyone plant fields/ gardens in 80f (26.5c) on May 8 then shovel snow on May 10 in shorts and a T-shirt I just thought that was normal.
Hey Michigan has four seasons.
Snow
Freezing Rain
Slush
Hey it warmed up for a few minutes, everybody run for the beach before it freezes again
Have you tried swimming in Lake Michigan?
Not personally, but I know of groups that do it on Jan 1 every year.
Lake Michigan is nothing try swimming in Lake Superior where you feel like you can do the polar bears swim (polar bear swim is swimming in a lake or river on Jan 1 in the northern hemisphere) year round. Lake Superior is an extremely cold lake where if you go diving ship wrecks better think twice (if you can get a license) because the lake doesn't give up its dead. The most famous is Old Whitey from the wreck of the SS Kamloops. Just google him and then late at night turn out the lights and watch some movies like (1980) The Fog.
Writing yourself into a continuous loop sounds like an obsessive compulsive disorder. I'm sure there are medications for this.
If I could be serious for a second, how does one write themselves into a loop/circle/line that connects end to end?
I would just leave the story.
After a bit, you can mine it for fragments and just change the names.
