1. There could be a plot hole that your brain is noodling on. Go back to the outline, backtrack a couple of chapters and keep working angles until things fit again.
2. You might not have researched enough to get the right blend of authentic story with your fiction. That's another thing your inner writer will red flag and put a halt to the new words for. Dig a bit. Find inspiration in your research.
Lastly, it might be burnout. "Dear Author You Need to Quit" is a good tool in your arsenal of writing help books to return to in order to rediscover your inner "why" and "why nots".
Generally very sound advice, Kay, although I must confess I do NOT adhere to the first point (i.e., use an outline). Most of my material is suggested to me in my dreams, and when I sit down to write, I generally slip into trance and let the narrative take me where it will. Thus, one might argue that perhaps I do not "write" but am instead "being written." Different strokes, I guess...
All great ideas! Yes, if things become "too difficult," your brain puts a halt to it and you have to find a way to make things easier. What is stopping it, you?
That is so wonderful. I envy your ability to let dreams drive your narrative. I very rarely remember my dreams and before I started plotting things I ended up with so many novels that went nowhere. I believe you are right, different strokes, but even with plotting there is always room for inspiration and times when ideas just come to me out of nowhere
A couple of notes on writer's block.
1. There could be a plot hole that your brain is noodling on. Go back to the outline, backtrack a couple of chapters and keep working angles until things fit again.
2. You might not have researched enough to get the right blend of authentic story with your fiction. That's another thing your inner writer will red flag and put a halt to the new words for. Dig a bit. Find inspiration in your research.
Lastly, it might be burnout. "Dear Author You Need to Quit" is a good tool in your arsenal of writing help books to return to in order to rediscover your inner "why" and "why nots".
Generally very sound advice, Kay, although I must confess I do NOT adhere to the first point (i.e., use an outline). Most of my material is suggested to me in my dreams, and when I sit down to write, I generally slip into trance and let the narrative take me where it will. Thus, one might argue that perhaps I do not "write" but am instead "being written." Different strokes, I guess...
All great ideas! Yes, if things become "too difficult," your brain puts a halt to it and you have to find a way to make things easier. What is stopping it, you?
That is so wonderful. I envy your ability to let dreams drive your narrative. I very rarely remember my dreams and before I started plotting things I ended up with so many novels that went nowhere. I believe you are right, different strokes, but even with plotting there is always room for inspiration and times when ideas just come to me out of nowhere