So you're stuck, even though you know what comes next in your plot.
Sometimes you know what the next "interesting" moment is, but you're struggling to get there. Or maybe you're struggling to actually attack the task of writing the next scene. Point is, you know what happens, but you don't know how to make it happen, or you feel overwhelmed by possibility, or you've just spent too much time staring at a blank page. Here are some steps to try:
-Journal about it. I'm talking incoherent, stream of consciousness, messy handwriting vibes. Or, talk at your notes app with speech-to-text. Talk or journal about where the story goes from here as if you're chatting with a pal. Pretend you're recounting what happened in a movie you watched. Pay attention to the points you fixate on as you're doing this.
-Ask yourself, what's the point? Like, what is the work trying to say? How do you want the reader to feel? What trope are you excited about exploring? Why did you feel compelled/inspired to write this story?
-If you're yawning, your reader will... yawn even harder. If the next part is "boring", cut it out. Can you NOT cut it out? Well, then make it not boring! Up the stakes. Make something go wrong. Add a character to the scene. Piss your focal character off. Make them think what they're doing is working, but only for a second. Take it in a new direction.
-Write the parts you're excited to write. Even if they aren't chronological! Just skip to the good stuff, and then fill in the gaps.
-Disrupt the status quo. What does your focal character believe in this moment? How can you challenge it? How are they feeling-- how can you make them feel differently?
-Dumb it down. Write the scene in the most average, boring way you possibly can. Character A walked into the room. Her husband looked at her. She asked what he wants for dinner. He said I want a divorce for dinner. You get the vibe. Just write it out so boringly, or even use bullet points, and then you'll have some bones to flesh out. As you write your most boring series of actions/reactions, you will naturally start making it more interesting and dynamic as you go. Lean into this!
-Map out what has already happened. So you're trying to write chapter 7 -- map out chapters 1-6. Major plot beats, characters introduced, etc. What questions are lingering for the reader, based on the first 6 chapters? In a journaling session, answer one of them. Or, partially answer one of them. Or, turn that question into a new, more intense question. Brainstorm ways to incorporate your answer, partial answer, or morphed question into chapter 7's very first paragraph.
Happy writing! We are here to help guide you through these activities in any way we can. Just drop us a line!
