Repost: How to Get Unstuck When Writing Your Novel

We like to revisit past blog posts from time to time–here is an old favorite about getting past writer’s block!

Picture this: You’ve hit a roadblock in writing your novel. You’ve gotten a decent way into your story, far enough along that you’re committed to your characters and plot. But now you’re stuck–whether something has fallen flat or your story has taken a turn you don’t expect, you don’t know where to go next.

Here are three ways to get unstuck if this becomes your reality:

Add or subtract a character
Maybe your plot has stagnated, or your characters aren’t developing the way you’ve envisioned. An easy way to switch things up is to introduce or say goodbye to a character, and see how the plot and your other characters move forward with or without them. Maybe that means that a new villain can wreck havoc and make things more interesting, or maybe that means your characters have to deal with the sudden disappearance of one of their friends. These major changes can bring out personality traits, arguments, new emotions, and decisions that can add intrigue and excitement to your story.

Take another look at your outline
If you’re someone who outlines the plot of your novel before writing it, take out your outline and reevaluate it. Maybe you’re at a slow point in your plot, and the thought of reaching the next stage will be enough to push you through your roadblock. Or maybe the plot itself needs another look, and once you fix whatever inconsistency or wrong turn is happening at that stage, everything else will fall into line. And if you don’t already have an outline, consider making one–taking a look at the bigger picture might make the solution to your current problem clear.

Talk it out
Sometimes, once we vocally walk though our problems, they don’t seem as large, or the resolution becomes obvious. Whether you talk to yourself or to a friend or another writer, talking through your issue might help to solve your problem. A friend might also bring up suggestions that you hadn’t thought of.

Have you ever hit major roadblocks in your writing process? Tell us how you solved them in the comments!