You Don’t Suck, You’re Just Stuck!
Dear Maggie,
Have you ever had a case of writer’s block? If yes, how do you do to get over it?
Stuck in St. Pete
Dear Stuck,
Absolutely, I’ve had writer’s block! If any writer tells you they haven’t gotten stuck or felt uninspired at some point in their writing journey, well, I’d be skeptical. In fact, a few colleagues and I recently presented a panel titled: You Don’t Suck, You’re Just Stuck - The Gift of Writer’s Block. This was our light-hearted yet honest attempt to let aspiring writers know that writing is work and doesn’t always flow along smoothly, that there will be moments of crippling self-doubt, and that they aren’t alone in this experience. We talked about what being ‘blocked’ felt like for each of us, because we all experience it a little differently, and which tried-and-true techniques we use to push through.
Whether writer’s block means staring at the computer screen in utter panic because suddenly my plot feels stale, or I’m panicked because I’ve written my characters into a tangle and can’t extricate them, or the brilliant twist I’ve imagined for the ending simply doesn’t work, it’s an alarming place to be, especially with a deadline looming! But, I’ve been doing this long enough to know there is a pathway to the other side. So, here’s what I do when I’m stuck…
I write anyway. I try to keep to my schedule, even if it turns out that any writing I do has to be tossed the next day. I often find the more I write, the more the ideas flow. Except when they don’t.
Then, I take a break. This is the exact opposite of my first point, but sometimes it really is necessary to step away and gain some perspective. Maybe I’ll only need a walk to clear my head. But maybe I need a real break from the pressure of a daily word count goal. I stay focused on my story, but I use my writing time to brainstorm instead.
I’ll go somewhere that inspires me. I’d once committed to writing a short story for an anthology - the prompts were an old photograph from the 1800s, an event, and a name. It was a speculative fiction collection, and I immediately wanted to write a ghost story. I had a great story idea, as usual, but unfortunately, very little substance to go with it. With the deadline fast approaching, I started to panic. During a weekend getaway, I had the chance to visit an old New England village, well preserved and complete with actors in period dress. Strolling up creaky old stairs and surrounded by real artifacts from the nineteenth century, I allowed my imagination to flow, and the pieces of my story finally fell into place.
I’ll talk it through with another writer. Sometimes, when I talk about it, I realize my story is more well-developed than I thought. Brainstorming with a creative friend might also helps me see things from a fresh perspective.
If there’s a scene that excites me, I write it, even if it’s out of order. Usually, I have some very clear, pivotal scenes worked out in my mind, but they aren’t happening in the book for a while yet. If focusing on one of those scenes gets the words flowing and reminds me that writing is fun, I’ll go for it.
As a writer, I love the days when my ideas flow and my words seem inspired. I feel competent and confident. But, when I’m stuck and can’t see my way to the next word never mind the end of the chapter, it helps to have a toolbox of tricks. Thank you for the great question!
Do you have a question for me? Send it to maggie@msmaggieclare.com, and I’ll answer it here on the blog.
In other news…
I am available for book club events, virtually or in person, so please reach out!
Amazon just launched a new platform called Kindle Vella. Instead of purchasing an entire e-book, readers purchase tokens to unlock story ‘episodes’. The first three episodes are free, and readers can decide if they’d like to continue. I’m currently working on a sexy tale for Vella titled Betrayal, and I post a few new episodes each week. You can check it out here: Betrayal by Maggie Clare.
