The Writing Process: Pushing Through

 

The Writing Process: Pushing Through by Rebecca Seaton

Waltham Abbey: A great place for inspiration

In earlier blogs about the writing process, I’ve written about the joys and challenges of getting started and sharing work. But what happens when we’ve started a project but get stuck?

There are different reasons we get stuck – we can find ourselves stuck on plot or change our mind on an aspect of the story, like how we see a character or how we want the story to end, or sometimes it’s a matter of other concerns and issues in life encroaching on our writing time and focus.

So what are the solutions? Time out can be important. This can be from writing entirely – maybe dealing with those work/family/health concerns needs to be done first in order to be able to properly give things the focus they deserve. We are ‘more than writers’, after all. Time out from the writing that is the sticking point can also be beneficial. When I get stuck on a story, working on a separate writing exercise or even knuckling down to necessary paperwork gives my brain a way to focus on my writing skills without the pressure of the ‘failing’ piece. Tara Mokhtari, in her ‘Introduction to Creative Writing’, talks about getting stuck being an indication that you’re not ready to write and I have found it helpful to go back to my planning at this stage. 

Maybe if I get organised first...?

Support from friends is also crucial. My current work has been a bit stop and start to say the least so I went on a recent trip to Waltham Abbey last week with my writing group not really expecting it to directly relate to anything, having recently returned from a holiday. However, I was blessed by part of the ruins relating to a character in the story in a way I hadn’t expected and spent some time writing about the setting, as well as completing the given writing exercise in a way that means I will be able to use at least part of it in my story. Maybe not thinking ‘I must get x numbers of chapters out of this experience’ helped. Help from friends can also be the use of beta readers, as they can be trusted to give constructive criticism but have the benefit of distance from the text, which you don’t. And good friends can always be relied on to help through prayer, cups of tea and fixing your IT issues when you’re ready to throw the ~!*@$! * computer through the window (I’ve heard)!

If all else fails, take a tea break.

So take some time and come back to it, don’t beat yourself up and let your friends and God help you. ‘I can do all things through Him who strengthens me’ (Phil 4:13) but it is important to remember God also commanded us to rest and made us part of a community.

Happy writing!

 

 

 #amwriting #amwritingfantasy #ACW     

 

Rebecca earned second place in the 2017-18 Pen to Print Book Challenge with her first novel, A Silent Song. She is currently writing her next novel, The Prophet’s Grace, the first in a fantasy trilogy.