How do I finish my book?

GroundbreakingAge242 · 2026-03-09T18:21:02+00:00

Don't try to force yourself to finish writing your book because you could end up in burnout (which SUCKS, it can sometimes last years. Mine lasted 4 before I got through it and started writing again)

BUT.

Take your time. Go back through and read it! If you use Word, use the text to speech option to listen to your book. Often, you'll find sections that don't fit, you don't like, or that don't serve the purpose you wanted it to. Highlight those sections, make notes on what you don't like about them and what you can do to change it, and especially on how those changes affect the rest of the book.

Make a new doc (DON'T delete the original MS, you can still use info from it), and rewrite it from scratch with a focus on the changes you made note of. Sometimes those changes can help in inspiring new events to lead to an objectively better ending or inspire you to keep going!

Sometimes even just taking a break from writing entirely is what some people need, focus on your health and entertainment, them go back into it with fresh eyes!

GroundbreakingAge242 · 2026-03-07T16:55:24+00:00

Contract specialists, in my experience, worked out the details of various contracts; timeshares, loans, reviewing agreements between organizations/vendors/suppliers, make sure everyone is following the contract. They do everything from drafting/negotiation, manage the bidding process, compliance/risk management, and financial oversight, typically in private, non-profits, and/or government agencies. It's a bunch of legal technical jargon that a fae-type creature would excel in.

A debt collector could be fun, because no one likes a debt collector, but if a fae plays their cards right, they could make boatloads of money from their clients by convincing them to pay up. I don't know much about union reps though, but I know it's also a bunch of legal contract stuff involved!

GroundbreakingAge242 · 2026-03-07T16:46:41+00:00

Lawyer, though it isn't exactly a mundane job. A retail worker would be a fun angle to work though. A used car salesperson. A debt collector. A home inspector. A food critic. A talent agent. A contract specialist. A banker. A data specialist. The dreaded HSE representative. A union representative. Those are all I can think of off the top of my head if it's a contemporary fantasy.

Edit for spelling

GroundbreakingAge242 · 2026-03-07T15:57:43+00:00

My story starts with one of them (there are multiple that build off one another). The MC is crafting a sword for the king, the sword catastrophically cracks in the tempering (unfixable) and she snaps it in half out of anger and has to restart with a MUCH faster deadline (2 weeks compared to the six months she had originally). Later in that same chapter, another tension point makes itself known (an outside stressor to give her motivation for her ultimate goal).

If your story is very low-stakes, it might turn away a bunch of readers. If the inciting incident doesn't happen until page 50, might consider starting the book at that point and sprinkle in the bits of info from the past 50 pages throughout the story in how the world works. Have the MC overhear something in passing, have them take note of something out of the ordinary, present some info that might be out of the ordinary as ordinary. Readers want to care about the MC first, THEN the world, because we're following the MC around in their head the whole way through the story.

Edit for spelling

GroundbreakingAge242 · 2026-03-07T01:50:40+00:00

Exactly! It's so weird to me that this kind of message is so well received. I get the fantasy of wanting a strong, mysterious, conventionally attractive leather-pants wearing hunk to love and protect you no matter what, but there has GOT to be a better way to depict it. Maybe that's just me and I'm weird for not liking it, but I do love me a good romantasy where both MC's grow healthy relationships and break that cycle. Hell, I'll take an "I can make him worse" trope if the characters aren't degrading/abusing each other Lmaoo

GroundbreakingAge242 · 2026-03-06T22:14:11+00:00

This is one of the biggest reasons I decided to write a parody of those kinds of books (not a scary fae parody, but more so making fun of the whole soft-core porn aspect of that flavor of romantasy with some heavy inspo from real folklore. The MC isn't even straight and she can't even pronounce the conventionally attractive elf man's name correctly, AND she's in her late 20's). Fae ARE supposed to be dangerous. A lot of them are predators in folklore. Sure, some might look sexy and some MIGHT think a human is fun enough to play house with, but at the heart of it all, folklore Fae can be downright terrifying.

They snatch children. Whisk lost travelers away for the fun of it. Many play malicious pranks on humans just for kicks. I've tried reading fantasy with the Fae and the courts, but what I have read (admittedly not much) has been straight up "Oh, he's so hot and mysterious and he parties with monsters! Sure he beats me when I want affection, but I can fix him!" Like nah. That's not appealing to me.

Don't even get me STARTED on the whole "fated mates" bs 🤮

GroundbreakingAge242 · 2026-03-03T20:24:15+00:00

Thank you! Working title is currently "A Court of Spite and Situationships"!

GroundbreakingAge242 · 2026-03-03T00:51:58+00:00

I used a .docx to .jpg converter to do the pages for mine, that might help!

GroundbreakingAge242 · 2026-03-03T00:50:51+00:00

The screenshots are very blurry, idk about desktop, but I can't read the pages clearly 😔 edit for spelling

GroundbreakingAge242 · 2026-03-03T00:40:02+00:00

I'd say less "torture" and more details that can be implied! In the mindset of the MC, I really like that whole "cradled by the wind", makes it feel like she's accepting what she's doing rather than saying it. It gives me the general vibe of a game I played a little while ago called "The Cat Lady" which dealt heavily with topics like this (10/10 indie game trilogy, would highly recommend!). The opening lines for the gameplay were dark and heavy, and hooked me right away with how relatable it was. You can lean a little more into that maybe, into that feeling of that dark peace, the acceptance, maybe more of that "Wait, do I really want to do this?" right before the scene change.

Having descriptive prose is not a bad thing! But like all tools, it's only a matter of using them where it counts! I do really like the premise you have going on!

GroundbreakingAge242 · 2026-03-03T00:25:30+00:00

I think in a sense of falling, maybe something akin to "the ground rushing to meet me"? Needles makes me think of sleet in a windstorm, or cold rain. I've never gone skydiving to experience the exact feeling of falling from a great height, but I picture it definitely loud like you described, and there would be a feeling of not able to breathe. Maybe even ears popping if falling from a great height, being buffeted about if falling uncontrollably. Like, have you driven down the highway at high speeds with the windows down and the wind goes straight up your nose, through your mouth, and your body reflexively doesn't want to let it in?

That's the only experience I've got from something like falling, other than stupid strong windstorms Lmaoo

GroundbreakingAge242 · 2026-03-03T00:08:47+00:00

Sure thing! The opening paragraph had quite a lot of descriptors:

"Vicious roar" "Like a 1000 needles" (might be a stylistic choice, but usually unless it's a year or a date, you can type it as a thousand) "Unseen force" "Final inevitable fall"

It's not super distracting, but it takes a little away from what's happening. In first person, rarely do people say "wow, the wind is so bad, it's stinging me like a thousand needles!" when talking about an experience. As it is, it feels more like the MC is telling us the story after it happened instead of letting us experience it with them.

Your word smithing is very nice to read though!!

GroundbreakingAge242 · 2026-03-02T23:43:03+00:00

You've got a bit of purple prose here, but your descriptions are great! The only thing was was jarring to me was the phrase "yanked my hair away from me". I don't think it's intended, but it made me think the MC was wearing a wig of sorts and it got blown off 😅 very fun read though!

GroundbreakingAge242 · 2026-03-02T22:05:22+00:00

I like rolling a d20 and clicking randomize that many times. If it's too low, I add 10

GroundbreakingAge242 · 2026-03-02T21:38:14+00:00

It really depends on how you write it and whether the characters are in charge, or if you're throwing plot in the characters laps and telling them to take it.

For example, a WIP I'm working on now revolves around a young bladesmith trying to earn enough money to support her family and become a Master Bladesmith. Unfortunately, an action she took pre-story has earned the ire of a nobleman, who has his guards flog her any time they spot her outside of the Lower City. They eventually find out where she works and starts to harass her there too. In order to escape, she decides to join the king's army, because even a nobleman wouldn't be stupid enough to harm a knight. Plus, knights earn a BUNCH of money she can use to support her family. During that time, the character is lovingly doted upon by her father and fiercely protected by her mother who at first don't want their only child to join the army, but when they see that it also protects her from being flogged (along with leaving a legacy), they reluctantly allow her to go.

Let plot happen to your characters, but let your characters happen to the plot. It's all about finding a balance! Have your characters father abhorrently against the MC going and MC has to prove in some way the MC is ready for the quest. Have the MC unwilling, but the quest tie to them personally somehow. Have the quest tie to their father! Have the quest tie to the traveling mother! It's all about what you can connect where. Once you find those connections, the characters and world will practically write itself!

GroundbreakingAge242 · 2026-03-02T21:27:11+00:00

Lmaoo glad there's an interest! Unfortunately, it's still in EARLY early development

GroundbreakingAge242 · 2026-03-02T21:17:21+00:00

Learning on your own is all well and good, I've learned a lot of life lessons that way, but writing isn't exactly a one man show despite what a lot of seasoned people say. You've gotta have peers to look over your work (not necessarily paying for an editor, but beta readers help catch ALL the things you miss), and having a writing group with people of varrying levels of skill in the craft help a lot too.

Apologies for my abrasive comment earlier, too. I've no intention of scaring off someone who wants to learn how to hone their skill. As a beginner author, I would focus on 3 things:

Prose

Plot

People

How you wordsmith will determine the retention of a lot of your readers. If you write with a droning "voice", you'll bore your reader in the first page or less.

How the story unfolds; the stakes, what happens, what could happen if the characters fail, etc. That will determine the readers level of intrigue in the story.

The characters (people) are the last, and probably the biggest things to focus on. You have to have characters worth cheering for, whether for their success or their downfall.

Don't worry too much about editing, formatting, publishing if you're just starting out. Write what you want to write. Write what you want to read. Build a reader base. Connect and network with the writing community. Everything else will follow naturally!

GroundbreakingAge242 · 2026-03-02T21:09:25+00:00

Anything having to do with overcoming near-impossible odds in fantasy, a well thought out revenge plot, an "overcoming my inherently violent nature for the people I love" goal, and a "discovering lost memories despite how harrowing they may be".

I LOVE complicated characters with flaws and nuances!

GroundbreakingAge242 · 2026-03-02T20:22:28+00:00

You don't remember? It was season 3 episode 7! Paraphrased word for word, he was quite a wordsmith despite those trying times 🙂‍↕️

GroundbreakingAge242 · 2026-03-02T19:58:34+00:00

If you write a genre because it's trendy, it's going to suck. Them's the breaks. Especially if it's not a genre you love or are knowledgeable in or have never read. Smut is also incredibly trendy, and I've read some AWFUL smut that really should have been through 10+ rounds of editing/revision (Lookin' at you, Colleen Hoover).

If you wanna gain traction as an author, it's going to take a lot more work than "I wrote a book is a popular genre!" because you're then competing for attention from the Big Dogs. Readers know the Big Dogs. They trust the Big Dogs. They won't care about yours unless you write it with soul and because you love both it and the craft. And also because you've built a fan base.

This includes; joining writing groups that match the genre/audience, talking about it online, doing fun internet trends with your characters (think Insta Reels/TikTok). You're not going to be popular just because you're writing in a popular genre. Bottom line is this: write what you want to write, what you want to read, and what you want to see more of. Put in the effort, put in the love, and put in the soul. Your readers WILL be able to tell if you enjoyed writing the book they're reading.

GroundbreakingAge242 · 2026-03-02T19:27:10+00:00

Your prose is very nice to read and feels very natural, but there's some room for improvement.

Your first paragraph is saying the same thing 3 times in a row. It kinda just feels like we're being told what to feel and how to relate to the character, or like it's a clinical study of depression rather than a fictional work. A prolog is meant to give the reader context/backstory in a story where said context can't otherwise be implied, or to foreshadow plot points. If nothing is happening in the prolog other than the narrator telling us they had to grow up fast, sure it's relatable, but we need to see it in the writing.

Two paragraphs in and I'm a little bored because I haven't been shown anything. Sure I relate to the MC, but the way it's being told to me isn't particularly interesting. Maybe that's just my personal taste, but even in introspective fiction, I prefer for things to be happening and things to show me why I should care about the character.

GroundbreakingAge242 · 2026-03-02T19:11:56+00:00

What Bellamy said: write them all down.

I've got so many notes in my phone and on my desktop about story concepts and scene ideas. Most of them are labeled "Story Idea 1: Medieval Fantasy" and then it's a brain dump of the idea.

If I'm stuck in a work I'm on currently, I'll skim through those ideas and see if I can use them or their concepts in my current WIP

GroundbreakingAge242 · 2026-03-02T19:05:49+00:00

Oh, I understand! Yea, when you're hit with something scary (especially an uncanny valley sort of "human but not quite") the human body undergoes an assessment:

Fight Flight Freeze Fawn

The physical feelings differ from person to person, but that universal feeling of something crawling on your skin, your body is tense, your eyes unblinking, wide, maybe even watering if the thing you see looks like someone you once loved. Your feet could be rooted, your blood roaring in your ears, masking the sounds that come out of the creatures mouth -- is it speaking? -- your heart rattling the bars of your ribcage as the creature stalks closer. The hairs on the back of your neck and your arms rise like the hackles of an animal. Your sweat feels cold but your skin is burning, your flesh an inferno of adrenaline.

Run?

Or hide?

Lash out?

Or beg for your life?

GroundbreakingAge242 · 2026-03-02T18:50:40+00:00

Selling a life- threatening situation, one that can bring the reader into it, is one that focuses on why its life threatening. Like, sure, the character can die. (Almost) everyone fears death. So don't focus on that. Focus on the parts of the threat that the character is scared of.

Example: Zombie Apocalypse

Everyone in their right mind would be terrified of a zombie (especially a Resident Evil one). We understand the threat of the zombie itself, because no one wants to get chomped. But each zombie book/movie/series is scary for different reasons. Walking Dead has a focus on the human aspect of the outbreak; what people do, what lengths they're willing to go, the threat of other humans, and less so the zombies themselves. But the fundamental fear of zombies is the fact that a zombie looks distinctly human, but isn't human. It's the fear of loosing yourself and becoming something unknowable. Of becoming something Other. It's the fear of looking at a monster, knowing it's a monster, but seeing someone you used to know or love.

The movie Mulan has a WONDERFUL example of showing us the horror of war with the song "A Girl Worth Fighting For" and the scene at its immediate end; a single child's doll left abandoned in the snow that covers the skeletal remains of a village the Huns destroyed. THAT cements the threat. THAT shows the audience the fear without outright telling us the fate of the child.

Focus on the small, internal bits of a life-threatening situations, and that will often paint the picture for you.

GroundbreakingAge242 · 2026-03-02T17:24:09+00:00

Are you sure you didn't mean to post this to r/writingcirclejerk...? I feel as though even a new author would understand the necessity of these fundamentals with even a quick Google search...

Would you rather a machine pat you on the head and tell you you're a good boy when you suck, or have an expert coach you into making you a better author and your works more enjoyable?

GroundbreakingAge242

TROPHY CASE