Breakthrough

Yesterday when I was working on my thousand words for the day, I actually had to stop mid-stream because things weren't going well. I walked outside and thought that perhaps I should just trash the novel because I'd reached a point where I couldn't see my way forward. I'd 'lost the plot' as my Australian friend would say. Well actually, I didn't think about trashing the novel, I simply thought it was crap but that I would finish it, because I like to finish what I've started. Still, it was 57,000 words of crap, of what I'd planned to be a 100,000 word novel.

Today as I was out running errands I had an ephipany about where I'd left the last chapter and where it should go from there. Tonight I started writing out that idea and as I wrote I got more and more excited, not just about the scene but about where it could go from there and how it could change the trajectory of the novel. For the first time in months, I'm very excited about this novel.

Lesson for today: keep working.

Comments

Anonymous said…
I've been outlining a new novel and feel oh so ready to begin. I see my characters everywhere and seem to be constantly working out the problems of how to take the plot where I want it to go. My goal today is to sit down and start writing and let my characters take me where they want to go instead.

Thanks for the inspiration today ... 57,000 words is an amazing accomplishment and I am glad you worked out the snag.
Congratulations on working through the issue and on all your progress!

Elizabeth
Mystery Writing is Murder
Anonymous said…
After "keep working" I might chime in, "take breaks to let your mind free wheel." A neurosurgeon friend of mine says this is an essential part of the process for allowing imagination, ideas and memory..the brain noodles away on stuff unconsiously while you are consciously doing other things, even sleeping. I think your meditative activity -maybe your walk - will also help.

Glad that this insight has come to you, and that you feel so excited about the potential it is revealing to you.
slow panic said…
i think that is the lesson life is trying to teach me right now. keep working, keep working, keep working.
Anonymous said…
..and I hope you are enjoying your new snow that fell in the last few days - did it get to you?

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