These days I'm writing more and more as a pantser. It's not something I decided to do, but how my writing method has evolved. I hold to the premise that, as writers, we train our brains to help us come up with creative solutions. Despite this, my brain often needs a bit of help. Here are a few of the "tricks" that work for me.
To begin with, it's always good to sit down to write when you know where you're heading. Even if it's only the next step your character's about to take, if it furthers the plot, it may also lead to the next plot point in your WIP, perhaps one you never considered before. With this in mind, it might be a good idea to stop writing for the day when you know what your characters will be doing next.
When I don't know where I'm going next plot-wise, I often reread the last few pages of my manuscript. This not only brings me directly into the story stream and can act as an impetus for me to continue writing--kinda like when a little kid gets a push on a swing, and then she can start swinging on her own. Rereading the last few pages I've written can help me see if I've headed off on a tangent that's taken me away from the heart of my story. If I can't find where I began to wander off the path of my main plot, now is a good time to look at my outline. My outline will remind me what needs to be covered in my WIP or changed.
What if I'm really stymied and I don't know how to move on? Then it's time to step back and stop focusing on my plot problem. Ideas often come to me in the shower, while walking, and just before I'm going to sleep.
And there's nothing shameful about asking for help. I'm part of a group of mystery writers who help each other out--with title suggestions, plot problems, and tips about pet care. Sometimes, a friend's suggestion will fit right in with my plotline. Other times the group's suggestions will trigger one of my own. Once in a while, I've no sooner written out my problem in an email and the answer comes to me before I can hit "send." Simply asking for help nudges my mind and provides me with the solution.
What do you do when you get stuck?
Like you, my subconscious solves lots of problems. Knowing that, I specifically challenge it with the problem at hand. I lay out the issue as best I can, tell it to provide me the best solution it can come up with, and then put the issue aside to work on something else. Usually that works, and the answer arrives while running, or walking, or in the shower, or drying dishes -- never while I am sitting at my desk.
ReplyDeleteJim, That's so similar to what I experience.
DeleteI either play games on my computer, work on another project, brainstorm with a friend, or use the Scarlet O’Hara method.
ReplyDeleteI love your Scarlett O'Hara method. That works too. In fact, I've ben using it a lot lately.:)
DeleteA trick I use to help me keep from getting stuck: after I get to a place where I am going to stop for the day, I write the first sentence of the next section. Sometimes I change it, but it gets me going again. If I'm really stuck, I will think about the characters & the situation as I am falling asleep at night, and often I wake up knowing where I need to go.
ReplyDeleteThat's an excellent idea, Kathleen. Was it Hemingway who suggested stopping in the middle of a sentence? Anyway, that's what I did yesterday.
DeleteIf I'm writing a first draft, I stop for the day when I know what happens next. If I'm at the end of a dirt road with no way forward, I put the project aside for a few days. Walking the dogs, scrubbing tile grout, and mopping the kitchen floor provide opportunities to let my mind wander.
ReplyDeleteAnd a good way to get your house clean.
DeleteI’m not sure why it’s true, but the shower is my solution. When I lived in a house with a tiled bathroom, I kept a grease pencil in a cup holder so I could scribble on the walls.
ReplyDeleteKait, Me too! Plot solutions come to me in the shower.
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