I don’t typically make New Year’s resolutions, but come January I do think about my writing goals for the year ahead. This year, my goal is to complete at least a first draft of my next novel. I have about eight chapters of this new work drafted. But my progress stalled for most of last year, while I shifted to focus on the publication and launch of my debut fantasy novel, Bedlam Bewitched. Now that Bedlam is released, I’m ready to return to my novel-in-progress.
However, in the intervening months, my momentum on this new work has stalled. Not that I don’t love the concept or the characters. I do. And I really want to resume writing this story. But for most of January, other seemingly more pressing matters distracted me. When it came to writing this new work, I felt stuck. How do you pick up where you left off months ago? How do you find your writing mojo again?
I’m not a fast writer. More like, slow and methodical. But I do thrive on routine. And there’s nothing like a good deadline to give me a much needed kick in the pants.
Enter my critique group. We’ve been meeting every other week for nearly two decades now to read and comment on each other’s stories. I value these talented writers for their insight, encouragement, and frank constructive criticism. Submissions are due on the previous Wednesday for discussion at the next meeting; thus, the perfect motivation for me to make progress and submit my work.
When in the flow of drafting a new novel, I would aim for a chapter per week. I would plunk butt in chair and pound out pages mostly in the mornings. Having a time slot devoted to writing along with a goal and a deadline helped my productivity. Devoted time slot? Check. Goal? Check. Deadline? Check. So here I am with fingers poised over the keyboard…staring at a blank page. Now what?
I need a running start. Fortunately, I’m not starting from scratch. I have eight chapters and a bunch of story notes. I’m a “pantser”, so I don’t work from an outline. But I do have a general idea where this is going and a few notes on what comes next in the story. So I pull out the previous chapters and reread the story from the beginning.
Finally, I have regained momentum. Two new chapters drafted and it’s only mid-February. Maybe I won’t make my goal of a chapter per week. But page by page, I will get closer to a finished draft and a completed manuscript.
Do you have any tricks for overcoming writer’s block? What helps you to get unstuck?