Monday, April 19, 2010

Getting unstuck

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?

6 comments:

  1. 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.

    I think distance from over-thinking the project helps. Go back to it when your clear and it will look completely different to you.

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  2. 1. Talk over one problematic scene with someone to brainstorm - not the whole book, just the logjam.

    2. 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.

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  3. 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!

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  4. Great advice from all of you. Writing can be so tough sometimes, no?

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  5. I usually go back to the beginning to remind myself what the story was intended to be about. Good luck!

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  6. I'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.

    Other 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!

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