Mentor Monday on Tuesday - Conquering Writer's Block

Most of us have probably experienced writer’s block at one time or another, that frustrating inability to make the words come.  As a beginning writer, I faced it often, but as I learned more and more, the problem arose less and less, and eventually disappeared altogether.  And that has led me to the belief that writer’s block is, perhaps, simply a state of unpreparedness. 

As a beginner, I was a panster.  I made it up as I went along.  I got an idea, played it out in my mind a bit, and started writing.  There was no plotting for me, no outlines, and while I finished several novels, they were long, hard hauls because, sooner or later, I always hit the point where I didn’t know what came next.  I would go for months unable to write a word.  At the time, I didn’t know why.  I knew where I wanted the story to go.  Why couldn’t I make it go there?

Well, now I know.  I didn’t prepare.  I didn’t make the map that would take me from the beginning of my novel to the end, so I had to sit there for days, weeks, months, until I figured out the next part of my story.  Once I did that, the writing came easy again until I got to the next part of my story that I hadn’t figured out.  I wrote five novels that way, and they’re decent, but they’re not good enough to sell.  I call them my learning novels.

 And then I wrote novel number six, which I still didn’t plot or outline on paper, but I did have it all in my head.  I wrote 50,000 words in four days.  No writer’s block.  And it was a much better novel than any I had previously written. 

Now, I still don’t do outlines because it’s my nature to add way more than I really need, and my outlines turn out almost as long as the novel, but I do plot.  On paper.  It’s not one event after another.  It’s the opening, the inciting incident that gets the ball rolling, and then the major events along the way, until I reach the climax and ending.  Then I flip the paper over and do the same thing for the internal plot.  It’s generally only 7-10 lines each, and when I’m done, I throw it away because it stays in my head.  It takes me from beginning to end, and I have never had writer’s block since I started doing that. 

 It seems a no-brainer now.  Plan ahead.  But when you’re just starting out and you think you’re doing the right thing, you’re not looking for a different way.  What I did worked for me.  Sure, I had those bouts of writer’s block to deal with, but I was completing novels.  Why would I do anything differently?  I thought that was just a normal part of writing.

What I’ve since learned is that it doesn’t have to be.  It’s like driving from Boston to L.A.  If you have a map, whether on paper or in your head, and you’re aware of all the detours and construction along the way, you’re going to get to your destination quicker and easier than someone who doesn’t.  They’ll eventually get there, too, but it won’t be as easily or as fast. 

So take the time to make the map.  It doesn’t have to be my way or someone else’s way.  Maybe a synopsis will work for you, or a chapter by chapter outline.  Whatever it is that works best for you, do it.  Yes, it’s tedious, especially when you want to just dive into the writing, but in the end, it pays off.  You’ll always know where you’re going, and you’ll eliminate all the logic problems and dead ends before you start.  And it’ll be a much smoother ride.

What To Do When You're Stumped

Occasionally you may find yourself in despair over your writing. Every writer eventually suffers from that internal critic who's there reading over his or her shoulder. The voice is so loud it can make you forget the piece you're working on right now is a draft -- just an early stage in the process.

A great piece of advice on silencing that critic comes from New Hampshire writers Becky Rule and Sue Wheeler in their book Creating the Story: Guides for Writers. I bought this book years ago after taking summer writing course Becky offered through the University of New Hampshire.

I still dip into this book now an again when I need inspiration or the wise advice of seasoned writers. Creating the Story is filled with short guides on writing, and includes some excellent exercises. While it was designed mostly for fiction writers, the exercises work well for writers of any genre.

In their guide called Control the nagging critic in your head (page 49), Becky and Sue offer this innovative take on sending away the critic:

"If your critic won't go away when you tell her to, put your writing aside for fifteen minutes, and let the critic dictate a letter to you. She will use your name, "Dear Danielle" or Dear Sol." Let the critic say every rotten thing about you she's ever thought or said. Don't worry about logic or fairness. Just turn the critic loose on the page. Then, when you read the letter out loud, you'll be astonished at how vindictive, illogical and downright absurd she is. Hopefully you'll laugh. Finally, as if you were your own best, most supportive friend, write that critic a letter pointing out where she's unreasonable and wrong. Tell her you're trying to write and that takes courage. You're exploring on the page, groping, feeling your way along. This draft, and probably the next three to six drafts are for you, not her. You need to discover things about your main character and to see what she will do, think, say, and feel. Remind your critic that critics only criticize finished products. They come in after your hard work is done."

I'd love to hear from any of our readers who try this technique.