Unfinished Pieces of Writing

 

Do you love to start new writing projects? Most writers do. In the beginning, we're inspired and eager to put our idea into words. 

Sometimes, however, we get bogged down in the middle or can't come up with what we hope is a good conclusion. So, what do we do? The easy way out is to stop, put the unfinished piece in a file, and move on to something new.

There are writers who like to begin but seldom finish. What happens? Is it boredom? Or an inability to persevere from beginning to end? Or fear of finishing and then being criticized? Or a lack of self-confidence? Any one of these can be the reason a project is left dangling like the heroine in a silent movie who is holding onto a rope over the side of a tall building. Don't let your story dangle. Rescue it.

Is it always wrong to place an unfinished piece of writing in a file and move on to something else? No. When you get stuck for whatever reason, it can be beneficial to put your writing aside. What you do want to do is go back to it in a reasonable amount of time and continue to work on the story, essay, or poem. You might be able to see more clearly how to solve a problem or what kind of ending will work best. 

Keep a file with unfinished work, and periodically check that file and see if you can find something in there to work on again. Having the file is worthwhile but letting it gather dust for a long time is fruitless. 

You might make a goal to work on one unfinished piece each month. Do that, and you've got twelve completed projects tht you can start submitting.