The thrill of writing can come to a standstill without any warning. You’re banging away at that keyboard, and all of a sudden, the creative juices completely stop flowing. Words that came so easy only a few moments before rush into the shadows of thought.
We’ve all been there. Whether we want to call it writer’s block or whatever, it happens. And it is frustrating!
Even writers who meticulously outline and plan their works suffer from the same challenge. For them, it can be even worse. They believe they’ve gotten every angle covered, and then they come to a realization that they didn’t.
A new thought, a different angle, or an unexpected twist appears, throwing them for a spin.
So, what’s a writer to do? Janice Hardy, the award-winning author of the teen fantasy trilogy The Healing Wars, offers ten specific ideas to climb over that hurdle that’s presented itself to you:
- Take another look at your protagonist’s goals and motivations.
- Re-examine your conflict and stakes
- Look at the backstory
- Reevaluate where your story is going
- Check where you’ve been
- Look around
- Move around
- Talk to the antagonist
- Work through it outside the novel
- Just write past it
You can find more of her thoughts about each of these ideas in her article on WritersInTheStormBlog.com here:
https://writersinthestormblog.com/2020/11/10-ways-to-get-a-stuck-story-moving-again/
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These are some excellent ways to go about moving from a stuck point to getting your story moving. I have no doubt that many of these would help.
However, I would like to toss out an alternative idea: Stop Writing.
I know it’s almost sacrilege to tell a writer to stop writing, but there are times when pushing down a path will get you nowhere. Fast. The human mind is comprised of both our conscious mind and our unconscious. One of the best things we can do as humans is to let the unconscious take over.
Personally, I go for a walk or take off on a hike.
Get yourself focused on something else and let the ideas percolate in the subconscious. I almost always take a notebook or have my phone with me so that I can record new ideas when inspiration hits.
If you can’t get outside, then I recommend doing something active. I’ve even stooped so low as to clean parts of the house or jump on the treadmill.
What are some of the things that you do to get a stuck story moving? Comment below and let us know!
