I'm stuck. I'm at a crucial point in my WIP and can't figure out exactly how I want to wrestle this baby to the ground. I know what the ending will be, just not sure exactly how I'm going to handle the last part of getting there. I start down one path and then decide it's not exactly right. I'm frustrated. The writing isn't fun. In fact, it's damn difficult.
So, what do I do? Do I let WIP sit for awhile and hope it comes to me? Do I continue to write and push through, even if I'm not exactly sure where I'm going?
Does this ever happen to you? And if so, how do you handle it?
Yes! It happens to me often! My advice it to push it aside. I let 9:59 Rewind sit for months after re-writing it for the 3rd time, then all of the sudden I had a completely different idea from beginning to end, and now, here I am. And it's better than it's ever been.
ReplyDeleteI think distance from over-thinking the project helps. Go back to it when your clear and it will look completely different to you.
1. Talk over one problematic scene with someone to brainstorm - not the whole book, just the logjam.
ReplyDelete2. Tell yourself that, for every day you don't write for 30 minutes, you have to donate $10 to the political campaign of the party that is NOT your favorite.
I have just come out of that and I'm still only managing 300-500 words a day. A friend reminded me that every character has a weakness. Use it and make them suffer. Haha! That's when my idea struck and I've been able to move forward. I don't know why your stuck, but maybe this will help. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteGreat advice from all of you. Writing can be so tough sometimes, no?
ReplyDeleteI usually go back to the beginning to remind myself what the story was intended to be about. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI've found that brainstorming with someone else helps. Not just anyone though, I like the fact that my friend concentrates on the case and we start picking off what works and what doesn't from our ideas.
ReplyDeleteOther times, I go back to the beginning and read everything. So I get a better feel of which way is best to proceed.
I also write a lot of drafts. Sort of like what-could-happen scenarios, this way, I can see all the different ways the story can go. And in the end, usually one of them, or a combination, fits best.
Good Luck!