A couple of months ago in a plot interview, Brenda Novak, author of nearly forty romance novels and more than 3 million books in print and multiple honors, shared a trick she uses when she gets "...stumped. Some people call this writer's block. I loose steam, the tension leaks out of the story and my productivity grinds to a halt. When this happens, I have to retrench to a point when I know the story was working and branch off in a new direction. Every time this happens, however, I find a better way and get excited and start churning out pages again. So I believe it's a good thing, a compass, of sorts."
Follow the energy...
The more energetically charged, passionate, excited, filled with possibility we are, the more energetically charged, passionate, excited and filled with possibilities our writing and writing lives are. A loss of energy is a great time to check in with yourself.
What we desire never comes from pushing. Yes, I appreciate all the examples that prove the opposite is true. However, when we are in the flow of life, there is always enough time, enough support, enough imagination, enough stamina available for whatever we put our minds to.
Keep in mind, Brenda's advice is not permission to go back and rewrite the beginning again.
Instead, give her method at try -- "retrench to a point where you know the story was working and branch off in a new direction" from there.
I've heard this before. That's the same advice Lady Russell gave the Elliot family in Persuasion:
"You must retrench!"
I'll try it. Thanks!
Love it, Leslie. Terrific contribution. Thanks, Leslie!
This makes perfect sense. Never thought about it that way and I can't tell you how many manuscripts are sitting, collecting dust 'cause they "ran out of steam". Thanks for sharing!
Yay! think of all the fun awaiting you, Judith...
Excited to learn what you find in trying out the exercise...