3 Ways to Get Your Story Unstuck
It will happen eventually—that moment when you realize you’re bogged down in the muck of your story. You don’t know where to go next or what the character should do. The seed of doubt sprouts then, unless you’re careful, will take root and bloom into full-on writer’s block. Here are suggestions on how to stop it—and make your story even stronger in the process.
It will happen eventually—that moment when you realize you’re bogged down in the muck of your story. You don’t know where to go next or what the character should do. The seed of doubt sprouts then, unless you’re careful, will take root and bloom into full-on writer’s block. Here are suggestions on how to stop it—and make your story even stronger in the process.
—by Kevin Kaiser
1. Give your readers what they want, but not what they expect.
If you find yourself stuck on a story point, ask yourself one simple question: “What would the reader expect to happen next?” After you consider the answer, do the exact opposite. Turn the entire thing on its head and see how it looks. You might not ultimately go with that solution, but by considering the problem from a different angle will often be just the thing you need to move forward.
2. Kill someone.
I met adventure author James Rollins at a conference several years ago. As we were talking about storytelling he dropped this helpful tip, which he said has gotten many writers, him included, unstuck.
So when in doubt, kill a character.
3. Meditate.
Seriously. Meditate. I’m not suggesting that you should sit in the lotus position and say om while an MP3 of Tibetan monks chanting plays in the background. You should, however, find a quiet place, free of distraction and breathe slowly and deeply. Daydream and let your mind wander. I’ve done it while on walks through my neighborhood and, along the way, have stumbled upon the solution to a story problem.
Stillness is the native language of creativity, yet it’s astonishing how we try to avoid silence. Our minds churn all the time, but it’s in the space between thoughts where ideas present themselves. They seem to come to us on their own in flashes or epiphanies. But you have to make room for silence.
This guest post is by Kevin Kaiser, who has helped authors and publishers reach over 20 million fans worldwide. His online community, 1KTrueFans, helps writers find their voice, build an audience from scratch and create for a living.
Follow him @1KTrueFans.
Follow me on Twitter: @BrianKlems
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