Don't Get Stuck in the Weeds

Don't get stuck in the weeds like Ullr.

Signs you may be overthinking your writing:

• You write, then delete. You write, then delete.
• You can’t stop researching details.
• You’re still staring at a blank page determined to find the perfect start.
• You make no progress.

You may think overthinking isn’t an issue for you. But be honest with yourself, how many times have you written a sentence only to delete and rewrite it over and over? Hello first sentences! 

The trick is being able to acknowledge what your brain is doing. If you’re not aware of how it’s operating how can you change it? And also…how do you change your brain?

For me, overthinking is the drive for perfection. It’s the inability to leave a sentence alone because it’s not conveying the exact emotion or action I’m looking for. Have you ever heard of there’s more than one way to skin a cat? Same applies here, there’s more than one way to describe a specific emotion/action/what-have-you and there is never one perfect way.

Once I realize I’m stuck, because yes, overthinking can be a type of writer’s block, I like to reset my brain. A short breathing session or yoga session, because yoga literally means to unite the body and mind. This helps me get back to alpha brain waves which is where creative thinking happens.

Think of brain waves this way, beta is when you’re actively speaking or exercising. Beta is worked up. Take a step down to alpha and you’re relaxed. You’re walking in a garden without having to concentrate or your sitting in meditation. Another step down is theta. Autopilot. That’s why you can have those ah-ha moments while you’re taking a shower or driving your car. You’re in autopilot which frees your mind up to wander and find solutions. 

Next time you find yourself overthinking, maybe give resetting your brainwaves a try! 

Getting Unstuck

 

It happens. 

We all reach that point in the story where we feel stuck. For me, it often happens about halfway through the story. And right before the end. Often somewhere in the editing process as well. (It happens a lot.)

It's like the wheels turn into bricks, and the path turns to icy sludge.

And when that happens, argh. I want to set the pages or something on fire. But that is surprisingly not as effective at resolving the matter.

So how do I get unstuck? There’s no one guaranteed way, but here are a few of my favorites.  

Get Physical 

Physical fitness isn't precisely at the top of my task list when I’m in the middle of a deadline. But there’s little better than getting the blood pumping when the story won’t move. Often when my body feels slow and stagnant, it reflects in my writing, sometimes bogging me down even more. 

It doesn’t have to be a lot of activity. Sometimes a gentle walk suffices. 

In some cases when it’s a bad pain day and I need to get a lot more done, deep slow breaths help me clear my thoughts, even if it isn’t enough to resolve it. 

If you need more than that, meditation can also help. The Calm app as well as Headspace provide breathing tracks along with guided meditations to help, and K. A. Emmons provides guided meditations for authors on YouTube. (This is one of my favorites, but each one of hers I have tried has been lovely.)

Ask Someone You Trust for Their Opinion 

This works in two ways. Sometimes there are people in your life who understand what you’re working on and how to get yourself out of the mire. They may have good advice to share. In that case, asking for their opinion can lead to direct solutions.

And sometimes you have people in your life who will tell you what they think and, as soon as they do, you realize you know what it is you really want to do. If this is the case, remember to be respectful and courteous. Most will understand if you explain that other people throwing out ideas helps you spring off the initial concept to new ones as well rather than the implication that you don’t value their advice. (Having been on both sides of this, honesty helps so much and reduces the risk of hurt feelings.)

Mark Down the Motivations

I don't always outline (I adore the discovery process too much to be able to commit to much more structure than a rough outline that gets modified significantly as the story progresses). 

But when a story starts feeling like quicksand, one of the first things I check is whether I'm clear on the motivations of the characters. All of them. Even if they don't have a spoken line in the scene. And the motivations don’t even have to be big. But everyone always wants something.

One of my favorite Kurt Vonnegut quotes on writing refers to this situation: “Make your characters want something right away even if it's only a glass of water. Characters paralyzed by the meaninglessness of modern life still have to drink water from time to time.”

Figuring out the motivations and marking them down on a scrap of paper can go a long way toward breathing new life into the scene and helping you know where to go moving forward. 

Approach It from Another Perspective 

Sometimes I feel stuck because I've started the scene at the wrong point or in the wrong POV. (I like to joke that I start every story two chapters too early or two chapters too late.) 

When that happens, the simplest thing I can do is just start rewriting a bit. I like to try starting the scene from another point or a separate character. As I write in third person deep limited POV, this requires that I consider the details that that character notices (sometimes I combine this with the motivation exercise above). Those added details often bring to light why the scene is not working or what is currently missing to make it stronger. 

Recognize It Might Be Part of Your Process 

Becca Symes often talks about questioning the premise and analyzing why we respond the way we do. In quite a few of her Quitcast videos on getting unstuck and the Stuck List, she discusses how sometimes it is just a part of the process for us to get stuck. Our minds are still working through the story, and really what we need is to just be stuck for a little bit.

While a little alarming to know that you can’t just blast through it, it is comforting to know that it may simply be a necessary stage for your mind to continue processing and refining the story before you can move on.

Feeling stuck happens to all of us. It may even be part of your process. Whatever the cause, know that this feeling and sensation won't last forever. So try not to worry. It may take multiple attempts or techniques to move past the stuckness, but eventually you will get unstuck. This is just a part of being an author. And sometimes it’s good just to know you are not alone. 

So what about you? Do you have any favorite techniques for getting yourself out of being stuck? 

Jessica M. Butler is a USA Today bestselling romantic fantasy author who never outgrew her love for telling stories and playing in imaginary worlds. She lives with her husband and law partner, James Fry, in

rural Indiana where they are quite happy with their two cats and all of the wildlife and trees.

You can find her at https://jmbutlerauthor.com/

S.T.U.C.K.

 This week we’re talking about the dreaded five letter word: 

STUCK.

There’s all kinds of stuck in writing. Yes, you read that right. There’s more than one way to be stuck, which means there’s more than one way to get unstuck! 

Stuck in a Scene: commonly found in first drafts. This kind of sludge holds fast no matter which direction you try to go. Move left, you’re pulled right back where you were. Move right, you didn’t actually move, you just assumed you did. 

Solution: in my experience, use the brackets. This is most helpful when applied to first drafts. If you know what point B looks like or where it is, use a set of brackets, like this [] to mark your place in point A and skip right to point B. Your brain will fill in the gap later on.

Stuck on a Name: commonly found in first drafts, but can appear at any time in the creative process. You try out one that starts with N only to decide it’s a no-go. You switch to a vowel, but that only makes you scowl. 

Solution: IMO, give yourself a set amount of time to peruse the baby name book. Note—set a timer or risk becoming lost in research land. If you pick a name that doesn’t seem to capture the soul of your character, proceed writing and once inspiration strikes, perform a 'find and replace all' action. And if you really can't find the perfect name, it's okay, the vast majority of readers will never catch the nuanced meaning of a name that plays into the theme or supports their personality.

Stuck on a Blank Page: has numerous connotations. See: brick wall, empty well, plot hole, and burnout. Commonly found in first drafts, but can occur during revisions. 

Solution: the origins of this are as varied as the solutions. What I’ve dealt with is stuck due to depression and stuck due to plot hole. The plot hole was solved by a beta reader and editing. The depression was solved by a healthcare provider and a lot of self care and self forgiveness. Possibly the most difficult writing stucks, please know you’re not alone. 

Stuck on a Finished Manuscript: commonly found after first revisions, but will frustratingly pop up at any point following The End. When you finish writing a book you’re filled with euphoria and want to share it with the world! DANGER: sending out your manuscript before it’s ready. 

Solution: take a breath. It’s a huge accomplishment to complete a novel, novella, or short story. Congratulations! If this is revision number one take a week or two, or more, away from your book. Come back, reread it. Fix the typos and plot holes you find. If this is revision number two: find some critique partners, beta readers, mentor, or freelance editor to read it and provide honest feedback before you take the next step to send it into the world. If this is revision number (x+2) and it’s gone through some great editing, proofreading, and you’re pleased with it, the book is ready for the next step in its self-publish or traditional journey! 

I know I didn’t list them all. What are some writing stucks you’ve found?

Stuck?? Push!

 Our topic at the SFF Seven this week is what to do when you're stuck. Stuck writing, I presume, since other kinds of stuck aren't really what we're about here.

I'm sure there will be lots of great advice this week from all the contributors on the various tricks and techniques for getting unstuck while writing. Mine is going to be at the far end of the spectrum at Tough Love. 

When I get stuck? I push.

I'm a believer in chipping away at that block and smashing a hole through it. Inevitably there's juicy stuff on the other side. I think the universe sometimes makes us work for it, and that's what I do.

Now, I will caveat this advice by saying that I absolutely don't advise anyone beating themselves brainless against a brick wall. Use your head, and not as a battering ram! There are tools for this process; use them. This is where craft comes in and skill, where having a well-cultivated imagination will fuel the process, where having excellent work habits allows for focused attention. 

Push through those sticking places - but use your words, not your fists. 

How to Find Inspiration

One of the things I used to most fear when I was a young writer was running out of ideas or the motivation to work on stories. As it turns out, the ideas are the easy part. Finding inspiration, especially in a season of dryness or when the story just refuses to come, can be far harder. 

But even that can be managed. Here are some of my favorite tricks for getting the inspiration flowing again and a story back on track. 

Assess the Situation

One of the most crucial things you can do is determine the problem. If you’re tired or hungry or need a break, then working harder isn’t going to help you. If you’re dealing with burnout or emotional exhaustion, you need to address that as best you can.

Even if you are unable to fix all the situations that are causing the problems, doing something to address your actual physical or mental needs can help you get into a space where you can then continue the story. Just remember to address those needs sooner rather than later. 

Talk with a Friend

If you have author friends or a group with a safe space to chat, then talking about the story can help you spot the potential issues that could be holding you up or get you excited about the story once more. Especially if they are people who know the story. Sometimes we need a cheer session or others to believe in us or just an extra pair of eyes.  

(If you know what the actual issue or your needs with it are, do be sure to let the others know too. Especially if what you need is general excitement for the story rather than criticism.) 

Thought Release

This one helps me so much I do it every morning, even when the inspiration is flowing well. But when I am having a tough time, I will take a few extra minutes and complete it again just to clear my mind.

The basic premise is simple: sit and write whatever is in your mind for 10 – 15 minutes. And I mean whatever.

I get snippets of stories, bits of poems, tasks that need to be done, and even the occasional research note. But as I put them to paper, the act calms my mind and makes it easier for me to see what actually needs to be done. And oftentimes, that takes some stress and pressure away and makes it easier for me to see what needs to be done on my current story. 

Play a Game

Personally, I love video and phone games when it comes to seeking out inspiration. If you get a good story game, your mind will start putting together that story and you may find that that excitement spills over into your own and makes it easier for you get back in your own flow.

Do handle this with care if you’re on a tight deadline as it could mean that you wind up using up all your time. 

If you only have a short amount of time, try a smaller puzzle based one like Candy Crush or Tetris. A lot of times, your mind will work on the problem with the story as you are focusing on something else, and Tetris has been shown to help restructure the brain in such a way that it can even help reduce the impacts of trauma and intrusive thoughts. 

Set a Timer

I hate this tactic. But it works. 

Sit with your writing tools and a timer for 20 minutes. Set the timer. Switch your phone and Internet off. Now look at the page. Whatever you do, you have two options: write or stare. 

Technically, you can think about the story, of course. 

But nothing else. 

Eventually the words come. 

I can’t explain why, but it feels physically painful to do nothing and keep intentionally returning my focus to the project at hand rather than letting myself get distracted by a thousand other things. And somehow, that agonizing space of focus eventually leads to more words coming. Maybe not good words. But words that can be edited and finessed. 

The one thing I’ll add is that even though it works, I hate this tactic so much I avoid it if I can. It also wears me out faster. But if I’m on a deadline for a project I just can’t complete, then this is the one I pull out. And sometimes even the threat of it is enough to make my mind realize it can continue. 

But these are just a handful of possibilities. If you find these don’t work for you, keep experimenting. Something will work eventually. All seasons end, including seasons of dry inspiration and difficult stories. 

What about you? Do you have any tricks that work for you when it comes to finding inspiration?

Jessica M. Butler is a USA Today bestselling romantic fantasy author who never outgrew her love for telling stories and playing in imaginary worlds. She lives with her husband and law partner, James Fry, in rural Indiana where they are quite happy with their two cats and all of the wildlife and trees.

Find her at https://jmbutlerauthor.com/

Getting Unstuck

Getting stuck. It happens. I hate it. There's a lot of fear and angst in getting stuck. What if you never get unstuck? What if this is it? You're just done? Finished. It's possible. It's just not likely. So you have to try to get unstuck. The common advice goes 'what worked before?' I don't know if repeating past patterns helps anyone else out there, but for me, if my brain sees the trick, it's not going to work the second time around. Frustrating. So then it becomes a question of why I'm stuck.

There are as many reasons to be stuck as there are people on the planet. Probably multiples of that, actually. Regardless. It's on the stuck author to start asking questions. Only, there's one question that will not help. That question is: Why am I stuck. Isn't that funny? There's a secret, though, from brain science. Brains are literal chucks of goo. Asking yourself why you're stuck just perpetuates a list of reasons justifying your stuckness. That list only reinforces being stuck. Instead, you want a list of your own. Behold. A list that should be a flowchart but I am NOT logging into Visio to build one tonight:

1. Is this a story problem? If yes, dissect the story problem. Ask for help, if need be, from an outside source who can help bounce ideas around. I like FFS Media.  Clare talks about theme and breaks it down in a useful, comprehensible way that your high school English teacher only dreamed of doing. Based on her information, I've been able to look at a story I've been stuck on for years and realize like a bolt from the blue that the story I thought was about revenge, is actually about family. No wonder I was stuck. IF you're stuck on story, you can get unstuck by engaging with a mentor or by doing some digging in the story to see where things went off the rails. If it's NOT a story problem, then:

2. Is this a you problem? You problems: burned out, too little time, not enough energy, depressed, anxious, sick, etc.  These are almost always matters of deferred self-care and I'm going to be mean here and point out that writing is the least of your worries right now. Failing to take care of your mental, emotional, and physical health isn't something that can be made up for over a long weekend. Burn out can take a very long time to recover from. Energy is a function of nutrition, exercise, and sleep efficiency. They can all be addressed. Too little time? Social media fast. Seriously. Break up with your phone for a few days. If your mental health is suffering, you must speak to a physician and ask for help in resolving the danger to yourself as soon as possible. Writing takes a number and stands in line until you are well and feeling like you again. Yes, there are chronic illnesses that sometimes must be pushed through. They exact their own price. Those of us experienced with the push/pull of chronic issues have learned how to balance it. Most of the time. You can't push through burn out. Or depression. Not without making things much, much worse. So practice some steely-eyed honesty with yourself here. Assess. Treat. Recover. THEN write.  If this is NOT a you problem, then:

3. Is this a values shift? What matters to you in this world? Don't look at the things you just scribbled on the pad in front of you. Those are what you THINK you should value. We're looking at what you truly value - not in word, but in deed. Where do you spend the bulk of your time? What commands your attention each day without fail? What and who would you die or kill for? There's a financial guru in the world who likes to say that people will fall all over themselves to tell you what they value, but he's only interested in looking at their calendars and their bank statements - values are actions. Where you spend your time and your money - those are your values. Sometimes in this life, values change as we change. Maybe writing and creation were a part of your value system at one time. Maybe your values have shifted. Do you hear a voice in the back of your head whispering "We've been here and done this already, enough." It's legitimate to look that thought square in the eyes and follow it through. What if you don't write? What then? What DO you want to create in this world? Who do you want to be? You have permission to keep going. You have permission to put down the keyboard and say, "I don't need to do this anymore." The world doesn't end. And you're free. You're free to walk away to a new life. You're free to turn right back around and commit to trying yet again to write through the fear and uncertainty. There are no right answers and no one will give you a gold star here. Not for anything. If it's NOT a values shift, then: 

4. Other thing known only to you.

Reasons for being stuck are personal. So are the solutions to them. We all share some commonalities - writers get stuck from time to time. Human beings flail. There's nothing inherently bad about it. In fact, half the time, I feel like the judgement of 'being stuck' is 90% of the problem. There is no part of the writing process that recrimination and rising anxiety can't make bleaker and more problematic. The key to getting unstuck is being willing to change. Adapt or die. If you're stuck but cannot give up then you have to batter yourself against the wall of your stuckness until you know every aspect of it. Then you have to transform yourself to slip through, slam through, dig under, or fly over stuckness.

Those are the only options. To quote Yoda. Do. Or do not. There is no try.

Breaking Through Being Stuck

Tis the season for daily thunderhead formation. Tis the season to get weather alerts on your cellphone saying, 'Lightning strike reported within 1 mile of your location' which is code for GET INSIDE STUPID.

Wish I could use this as a metaphor to segue into today's topic but that would imply a level of caffeination I have yet to achieve. But I can admit that this was my topic suggestion, because you know me. Always on the look out for new and better power tools to help me finish books. A year ago, I'd have told you I don't often get stuck on a book - not for long. Like Jeffe, I'd keep chipping away at my blocks, little pieces at a time. I didn't believe it was possible to write oneself into a corner.

I see you've noticed the past tense. Yeah, I honestly thought I'd done it this time. I'm six months past deadline. My outtakes file is twice the size of the manuscript. (But I'm closing in on The End. Again.) I've discovered a bunch of stuff in the process of working through my stuckness on this project.

1. It IS possible to write myself into a corner - BUT. That corner is a construct of my mind and when I'm staring at those walls closing in on me, the best way out is through those walls. That means questioning everything. Do I need this plot line? How about that one? Wait. How did this story thread get in here and what purpose does it serve? Zen tidbit for the day: Most of the prisons we find ourselves in are of our own making.
2. When you take a wrong turn at Albuquerque, you can go back and take that left turn. Or you can give up control of the story and see where it goes. I did that. When my alpha readers sent my first rough draft back to me with 'Whoa. Wrong turn!' I don't think they'd expected me to use that as an opportunity to back it all the way up and question everything. But I did. Because I need this story to be right. Fun? No. Necessary, nevertheless. 
3. Take a stab at plotting. I never, ever, ever want a repeat performance of trying to write this book. Never. Will plotting solve my problems? Dunno, but I do mean to find out. Gods know it can't make the process worse. (Which is not a challenge to the Universe, I swear.)

Being stuck requires an act of violence to break free. Please note that violence is to be visited up the manuscript - not upon oneself or anyone or anything else. I had to murder a lot of darlings to get at the core story. When I'd offed enough of them, I could see my way forward again. 

I say all of this as if I know what I'm doing. As if I'm not wracked by doubts and every 'yer doing it wrong' voice to ever have sullied this planet. Pro tip: The louder that nonsense is, the closer you are to doing the right thing by a story. Unless your alpha readers tell you otherwise. But only they get to judge. Not you. And certainly not those crappy voices. 

The Single Most Helpful Thing I Do When Stuck

Tuesday sees the release of PRISONER OF THE CROWN! There will be print (POD) versions available, too, but they won't appear on the retail sites until release day, Tuesday, June 12, 2018.

Our topic at the SFF Seven this week is: What's the single most helpful thing you do to keep from being stuck in a story? Or how not to paint yourself into a corner.

I don't think I've ever painted myself into a corner in a story. The closest I've come is when I'm writing books in the same world and with overlapping characters and timelines - occasionally I've had to do some major problem-solving to get events to match up correctly.

Otherwise... any time I've felt like I'm hitting a wall, that indicates to me that I'm coming up on a story breakthrough. The bigger the breakthrough, the more resistance I'll feel. I slow down. Getting words down can feel like pulling teeth. Sometimes I get very little done for a day or two. (Or more - that's the WORST.)

You know what I do then?

I keep writing.

That's the thing that works for me. And it works every time.

I'm a write-for-discovery writer, so if I just keep writing, I'll find my way through. I can't preplot to save my life. Ask me to outline on my own and I just sit there with a blank brain. Sometimes I can talk stuff through with other people. My agent, Sarah Younger, is actually pretty amazing at this.

(By the way, Sarah has started a podcast: So You Wanna Write a Romance and it's chock full of useful information. Check it out!)

But if I keep writing, the story will eventually reveal itself. Like a gift from the universe.

Going for Word Count but Stalling? Three Tips to Get that Flow!

We're up in wintery Buffalo, Wyoming, for my mother-in-law's funeral. This is the pretty view out my (nicely warm) hotel room.

A lot of you out there are embarking on your second week of NaNoWriMo, I know. By now you might be running low on steam. Often the first few days are relatively easy. But, by this point, you might be hitting the "sophomore slump" - when the newness has worn off, but you still have the bulk of the effort ahead of you.

So, if you find you're stalling out, here are three tips to get that flow going again. Check back all this week for more tips from our group of seven professional authors!

1. Write Anyway

Seriously! I know this can feel like not helpful advice, but it's really the best there is. There's a reason that the NaNoWriMo folks say you can do whatever it takes to get that word count, such as having your characters sing all of Don McLean's American Pie. That's because writing feeds writing. The more you do, the better it flows. The analogy of running water through rusty pipes is a good one. At first the water just trickles and there's lots of back-pressure. But then the gunk gradually gives way, the pipes clear, and the water flows better and, eventually, with pristine gusto!

If you're totally stuck, then sure - have them sing a song. But I advise making up the song, even if it sucks or is nonsense. It's better to write something than nothing, but it's even better to write crap than copy someone else. Remember those rusty pipes! It's okay for the water to look mucky at first.

2. Don't Look at What You've Already Written

Resist the urge to self-edit before you're done. Nothing stalls the writing process more than going back and spending precious word-count time on revision. Especially if you're new to writing, there's just really no point in revising until you have a FULL, COMPLETED MANUSCRIPT. Yes, you will need to revise someday, but you *really* need to finish first. Besides - consider that rusty pipes analogy. If you're revising while you're still getting those pipes clear, all you're doing is trying to purify crappy water. Let it run clean and flowing first, then you can polish it.

Don't worry about revising until you're done writing. Just write. Go forward. Always forward.

3. Just Write

Do your best to write without thinking about it. Imagine you're running water through the pipes. Don't consider word choice or sentence structure or where the story is going or what that character's name should be. I have a trick that I use as I'm drafting. Every time I hit something like that - a character or place I need to name, or a word I can't quite think of - I put in [something], and keep going. When I'm done, usually after I've finished the book, I go back and search for "[" and fill those in. I might do it before, if a good name occurs to me. Or, sometimes when I have my word count for the day, I'll do some research and fill those in. But resist the urge to do that instead of getting word count. Don't try to rationalize that it counts as writing. It doesn't count.

Only writing counts as writing.

Just write.