Over the years, I've encountered my share of rough spots in
writing. We all know them...those periods when you would
rather clean your baseboards with a toothbrush than write,
stare at that blinking curser with your blood pressure rising
along with each blink, consider pulling your eyelashes out one
by one because it would be less painful than wringing one more
word.
These dry spells can extend for hours, days or weeks. Of
course if you let them, they can spread into months and even
years. *Shudder* The reason that thought scares the crap out
of most of us is because we all know we're capable of getting
to that edge and how little it would take to push us over.
So, I'm going to share some of the ways I get over those rough
spots, and hopefully they might help you when you hit one of
your own.
Exercise: For
me, only walking allows me to think through my plot, my
characters, or whatever I'm stymied by at the moment. Running,
swimming, lifting weights...none of those work; they require
too much thought, attention or effort. But walking frees my
mind up for a steady flow of thought, allowing me to link plot
points and flesh out character issues. Walking is also toted
highly by Julia Cameron the author of The Artist's Way. (Great
book -- definitely worth picking up for inspiration on the
writing life.)
Movie break: I
picked up the habit of going to the movies several years ago,
and I particularly love going alone in the middle of the day.
The ultimate escape--two solid hours of adventure or fear or
love or laughs, led by a group of creative gurus--actors,
directors, producers, composers, etc. I always emerge from
that type of field trip refreshed and ready to face my own
writing again.
Book break: I
have to admit, I'm not a big reader. But this was a great tip
given to me by my crit partner, Elisabeth: If you're struggling with a particular type
of scene (i.e., love scene, dream sequence, action shot), pick
up one of your favorite author's books from your keeper shelf,
find that type of scene in their work and see how they handle
it. That way you're not distracting yourself for the length of
time it takes to read the entire book, just a scene or two,
and you've got a fresh perspective on how you might (or even,
might not) approach your scene.
Sleeping on it: I believe in the power of the subconscious mind working
24/7/365. And putting it to good use is absolutely painless.
Before you go to bed, focus on an element in your story that's
really stumping you. Either think about it while you're
drifting off to sleep allowing it to turn in your mind, or
write it on a notepad, develop some questions you haven't
found the answers to and go to sleep. While you may not have
the answer in the morning when you wake, don't be surprised if
a remedy pops into your head at the oddest time over the next
few days. (My Dad used to tell me that if I fell asleep saying
my rosary, the angels finished my prayers for me. I think the
angels work on my plot problems, too.)
TV: As a rule, I
don't watch television, but I do have a few exceptions: Court
TV, National Geographic Channel, TNT, A&E, History Channel,
and a few other choice documentary channels. When you're
exhausted from either writing your little fingers off or hours
of trying to solve a troublesome plot issue, vegging in front
of the latest episode of Texas S.W.A.T. or
Forensic Files may
give you the perfect solution. Worst case, material for future
works will be embedded in your brain. An intriguing episode of
North Mission Road or The First 48 will get any writer's
sinister plotting juices flowing.
Research: There
is nothing like some serious web surfing or a long, quiet
visit to your local library to put your procrastination and
avoidance to good use. When you're hurting for conflict, pick
an element from your character's background (say a hope or
dream) and check into it, search for some element you could
add to toss more conflict your character's way. When you need
to freshen a tired plot, choose a concrete element from your
wip (say the character's career) and see what information you
could take, twist, and blend into the story to keep them from
reaching their goal. I find that some of my best conflict,
sometimes an entire subplot, comes to me during my research.
In fact, Nora Roberts has said very much the same thing. (Of
course, I could have gotten the whole idea from her.)
Worksheets: I
often hit a rough patch for a reason--I don't know my
characters well enough to make a scene flow right, or I don't
have enough information on their backstory to justify their
emotions, or I can't see how an element of my subplot is going
to tie into the main plot by the end of the book. And when all
that information is tied up in prose, it gets tough to pull
apart and analyze. Even if you're not a plotter, even if you
hate structure, filling out a worksheet can really clear up
the issue. Sometimes, just the idea of filling out a worksheet
can kick your brain into gear. Choose from character
questionnaires, plot outlines, conflict sheets, scene
cards...the list is endless.
Synopsis: Man,
nothing fleshes out plot and conflict issues like a synopsis.
I'm not the type who can write a synopsis before I've started
the manuscript. I have to have a good idea of where I'm going
to get it pulled together. And, in my opinion, it's the most
painful way to go, but when all else fails, and your writing
psyche in serious need of tough love, try putting your
synopsis together. You've got to do it anyway, and it could
really help you focus on your book's roots.
The old standbys:
Of course everyone's heard write by hand if you
usually type, or type if you usually write by hand. Or try
starting a different scene, one that's really gnawing at your
brain and go back to the point where you're stuck later. And
the one that feeds into my fear if I stop I'll never start
again--taking a break from writing all together to recoup
and regroup.
Indulge in another creative
outlet: This is my last suggestion/hint/idea,
whatever you want to call it. Most writers' are creative
people at heart and take on other creative endeavors as
hobbies. I'd have to say that all my other creative endeavors
ultimately led me to writing...but I digress. My craft of
choice when my manuscript feels dry or my characters balk is
knitting. All I do is straight knit...no pearling, no
patterns. It's completely mindless, allowing my my hands to
stay busy while letting my mind bliss-out, and with each
stitch, I untangle another knot in my story.
I hope one or more of these ideas will help your creativity
flow when you find yourself stuck in a groove.
