It’s First Wednesday, so that means another Insecure Writer’s Support Group post!
June 1 question – When the going gets tough writing the story, how do you keep yourself writing to the end? If have not started the writing yet, why do you think that is and what do you think could help you find your groove and start?
The hardest part always seems to be the “saggy middle,” where you’ve perhaps deviated a bit from your original outline or plot ideas. You can see the end, but you’re not sure how to get there exactly. Everything seems dull and boring now, and you just don’t have the motivation to keep going.
The thing to do at this point is twofold. First, you need to step back and take a really hard look at what you’re writing. Is your subconscious trying to tell you the story really is dull or boring and you need to rethink your plotline? Or is it just the “I’ve been doing this forever and I’m tired of it” doldrums? Depending on your answer to the above two questions, you can proceed in one of two directions.
If your story really has jumped the tracks and gotten off on a tangent of some sort, you need to go back until you reach the point where it diverged, then start anew from that point and try to keep things on track. You may need to do an outline, even if it’s a really vague one for you pantsers. Whatever you need in order to reroute your veering story line.
If you’re just bored yourself, you need to give yourself a good shake and knuckle down to finish this manuscript. In any case, whether rerouting a story or just plodding onward with the one you started with, you’re going to have to slog on through until it’s done, no matter how dull it seems at this point. It’s not going to be easy, but if you want to be a writer, you need to be able to finish what you’ve started. Now plant your arse in that chair and get started!
If you know the ending, try plotting backwards. Sounds strange, but it keeps you on the straight and narrow, plot-wise.
Melissa that is a great tip! I’ll try that next time I get stuck.
Good points! When my story feels dull and boring, sometimes all I need to do is skip the scene I thought I needed to write and trust the reader to know it happened. I do my best to omit the things I skim when reading the work of others.
Great idea Kim! That may be the reason someone’s middle is “soggy” after all … they think they need to include everything …
Thanks for the great post. Hello to a fellow pharmacist. I agree with the saggy middle being such a sticking point. And I love the idea of standing back to take a look at the bigger picture–to diagnose the problem. It’s hard to push through or fix a problem, until you know what it is.
Hello & thanks! Yes, you need to diagnose the problems first…
Good motivation for the day 🙂 Sometimes only tough love works.
Thank you! I agree.
The “saggy middle” is the bane of a writer’s existence! LOL
The best writing advice I ever received is BICHOK which equals Butt In Chair Hands On Keyboard! End of story.
ROFL. I will write BICHOK on my cork board right now!