Getting Over the Hump Day
No, I don’t mean that it’s Wednesday. I haven't gotten my days mixed up.
The hump I'm referring to is the dreaded middle of the book. I’m in the middle of my book. Right smack in the middle and I’ve been stalled there for three weeks.
I’ve butted my head against this realization. I’ve strong-armed my muse, I’ve tried to take a break and read, and I’ve cleaned out my garage. I’ve even worked on something else just to try to get the creative juices going. As a result of this, my muse is feeling harassed, I've read a couple decent books, and my husband's stuff isn't making it impossible to navigate through the garage.
However, I have written: (drumroll please….) Nothing.
Oh, fine. My page-o-meter is two pages higher. But, that is from editing and adding elsewhere and, though it’s all well and good, I won’t finish my book writing two pages a month. Well, I would eventually, but I’m sure the math on that puts my completion date sometime in the next decade or something. Pardon me if I’m a little more in need of instant gratification than all that.
Sin talked yesterday about what gets us inspired and I wish I knew right now ‘cause I’d be doing it. If you told me I would be inspired by painting my toenails green and spending time at my local bowling alley, I’d be polishing up my ball and my toes. If you told me I would write like the wind if I ate raw squid while standing on my head, I’d give myself the head rush and the bellyache.
Yes, that’s right, I’m desperate.
Yesterday, I tried to think of my story as a mountain I’m attempting to climb. I’ve been working to get up the tough side of the hill. As I climbed, I knew it was hard going, but I kept thinking that when I made it to the top, the way down would be easier because the end would be in sight.
This isn’t turning out to be the case. I forgot that when you start down a steep hill, you have to make sure your momentum doesn’t get the best of you or you can topple over.
I’d forgotten that going down can be just as much work as going up.
So, even though the end is in sight, there is still a lot of work left to do. And now I have all the momentum, whether good or bad, behind me.
What do you think makes for good middles? What keeps you going through the rough patches in your WIP? What motivates you to keep moving from the shiny beginning, through the murky muck in the middle, to the glistening promised land of the end?
Books by the Crew
47 comments:
I quoted this bit from Edith Wharton on my blog this week, so you're in good company:
What is writing a novel like?
1. The beginning: a ride through the spring wood
2. The middle: the Gobi desert
3. The end: a night with a lover
When I get stuck, I do what you've already done, fiddle arround with the beginning (and the ending if I've written it). I don't stay in sequence. I read a lot. I drink tea or something stronger. Sometimes I think of doing the exact opposite of what the character has already done, or I take away something that has had meaning. I read history to see if I can stick something "contemporary" in that the characters can reflect over.I also give myself permission not to write at all.
Maggie - Wharton's description feels so appropriate! Perhaps I need a camel....
I keep telling myself I can write the end if I want (I know what happens) but it just doesn't feel right. Maybe I'll revisit that idea. I am sometimes too linear for my own good and it's a tough habit to break.
I often get stuck in the middle of my books too marnee. The best thing to do is bounce ideas off your crit partners. They've been my biggest support system, and being a pantser, I sometimes write myself into a corner. But my critters have been invaluable. They are invaluable. And often do brainstorming sessions when stuck, to unstuck us. it's about throwing ideas out there of why you are stuck, and asking that question for everything you put forth, why...
Try it, it'll be beyond helpful.
The middle? Hm. I always have a hard time in the beginning and the middle just comes to me. Usually for me, the middle reveals something major that will help me at the end. Though in DV, it's going all going to be clues through the whole thing.
Hm. I think the kidnapping attempt will happen in the middle, maybe closer to the last half of the middle. Maybe finding out someone isn't who they said they were, will happen at the beginning of the middle.
Marn- in your middle, could it be possible with your storyline that the reader finds out something major about the heroine? Or hero?
I don't know. I'm not good at this writing thing.
I know writing in a different place seems to help some people. If you write in solitude, try writing in a public library or in a coffee shop. Or try writing longhand instead of typing.
I am a non-linear writer, so for me it's not the middle but rather the linking scenes that can freeze my process. The two things that work best for me are listening to music and freewriting. I am also a recent convert to video collages. Most people use them at the beginning and at the end, but I found it really got the creative juices flowing amid the process. And it was fun, so maybe just relaxing helped.
Right now I'm in the mucky muck of the murky middle, but I have no zeal to wade of it right now. Maybe my coffee hasn't kicked in yet.
But in the meantime I'm distracting myself with catching up on my reading. I'm hopeful that my muse would jump out of a cake and surprise me. Of course it didn't jump out of those magical rice cakes I had yesterday, and I was most disappointed.
So today my new strategy is to trick it into performing by pretending that I don't want to write at all. Not that I have to pretend all that hard.
I did the brainstorming thing yesterday with my crit partner yesterday and I was really psyched and wrote a few ideas down in my notebook That's as far as I got.
Mind you I left my notebook home this morning so if I do decided to write I'll just have to wing it. Hmmm...maybe I'll have to look for magical chocolate chip cookies today.
I once read about an author who gave herself gifts for each new chapter she worte. That seemed like it could be helpful. Personally, I just keep writing. If I wait for momentum I'll never finish.lol. Though, there is something to be said for giving yourself permission to not write for a while. I'm doing that one this week, and I've done some writing just because the pressure's off. Now, new ideas are coming again and it's pretty exciting.
Just do what feels right for you. If you need to give yourself permission to take a break, do it; if you need permission to write poorly, go for it; if you need new diamond earings each time you write a new chapter...take out a loan.lol.
Good luck, girl!
Two words: SEXUAL TENSION. Will they or won't they on every bloody page, with lots of ragged breaths and longing, teenage looks while they're both saving the world...or just each other.
Actually, I find my problem with middles is that I haven't decided on my KEY scenes...so I keep writing these between scenes where they're showering or sleeping or traveling...scenes that explain how we got from KEY scene to KEY scene (and which helps if I don't know what the next KEY scene is) but drag the pacing (and thereby drag my enthusiasm with it.)
Maybe you should find the next key scene and write on that...even if it doesn't feel chronological. Once you've established what's learned in the key scene, you can figure out the scenes between it, what will need to be revealed...or what will need to be learned. Sort of like writing backwards. Hey, whatever works, right?
Sorry I'm late! Appointment this morning and now I have to go back out so a quick note then I'll be back. I deal with the middle by never getting to the middle. LOL! Seriously, I hit about 180 pages and started over. I didn't scrap everything but quite a bit got moved to the CUT folder. So I'm back to being less than a quarter of the way in.
Anyway, I'll second the convo with one or more crit partners. That always works wonders. Then maybe try reading everything you have from page one as if you're reading someone else's book. When you get to the current stopping point, you should have all kinds of questions to which you need the answers. It could be as simple as sitting up in frustration and saying, "BUT WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?!"
Then answer the questions. Pull out a notebook and a pen, write down the questions and give quick answers. I have no idea if this will work and I just realized this is not as quick a comment as I intended so I'm going to shut up now and head out to the store. LOL!
My problem right now is finding the mood. Two deaths in the family in 2 months has definitely slung a tomahawk in my writing chops. Plus, I have responsibilities, family activities to deal with as this is our busiest time of year.
Right now I'm filled with joy over working on a brand new project and I'm hoping it will lead me out of this funk. But finding the time...
One way to work yourself out of a slump: Make a list. What could ruin your H&H's lives? What could make them better? Do they have any secrets that can destroy or prevent their newly-found, longed for happiness? List them, bring them out into the open. It may just give you the jump start you need to continue.
Geisha! I'm thinking chocolate chip cookies too. :-)
Tiff - I think maybe I will hit my crit partners up some more (hear that crit partners! As soon as I know what I wanna ask, I'm all over you people like Christie spider-monkeying someone's ass!) LOL!!
Geisha - perhaps a little reverse psychology is exactly what I need too. *Marnee addressing her muse* "Muse, I have no need of you any longer. Feel free to play as many games of Guitar Hero as you can stand." (Maybe that'll work...)
Janga - I think I might need to just get out of the house, in all honesty. I'm having spring/cabin fever. Maybe if I took my computer outside....
You guys are all kindsa good suggestions today!
Kel - diamond earrings after each chapter... (Husband, are you reading this? No? *Marnee, sending link to DH right now.)
Hellion - I have a scene in mind that I should just write to get it out of my head. It's the scene where she gets kidnapped. Sounds pretty key to me. I just came off two pretty key scenes and I now have to give a little filler and it's boring me. (Doesn't bode well for the book, eh?)
Ter - I think do need to read from the beginning again. It's been a while, so maybe just revisiting it will jog my inspiration. :)
Kathy - I'm so sorry for your family. My condolences. I can imagine how that would leave you feeling less than inspired. But, I like your list idea. Sometimes just writing things down on a to-do list gets me motivated. (ie. To Do: clean house, grocery shop, floss.) LOL! There is something to crossing stuff off though....
Marnee great blog:)
I'm in a hurry but I would like to say that sometimes I skip ahead to a part of my story I have already envisioned. It gets the creative juices flowing and after I write that scene I go back with a fresh approach to the middle or whatever part was stumping me.
Kathy, Hugs to you, sorry for your loss.
Oh - and I totally blame all of you for the brownie purchase I made last night. If I stop for chocolate chip cookies tonight, I'm kicking someone's ass.
LOL!
Marn - thanks for the warning. I'll pick up some knee pads on the way home.
BUT - I DID NOT say revise! No revising! I said read it as if it's a book by someone else you just picked up. No editing, layering, or revising. Just reading. Then you'll get to the place you've stopped - a cliffhanger of sorts - and you'll want to know what the heck happens next.
Ummm, chocolate chip cookies. I bought some chocolate chips the other day; and I have real butter and brown sugar (which are the best things for CCCs)--Hmmmmmm....
CCCs. That sounds awesome. I like mine with oatmeal. Yummm.....
Lisa - I think the old skip around idea sounds great. I need to stop being so stuck in the rut about being non-linear. :( I'll try that next.
Honestly, I'm cleaning the grout in my ceramic tile right now and good old fashioned elbow grease seems to be knocking something loose.
Ms. Hellion--
I don't like middles either. A friend of mine whose books I love advises blowing something up in the middle--either in the relationship or in the plot. I find that helpful.
I wish you luck in pushing through.
Hi Nancy! A fellow Bandita! Welcome 'board the ship. I see you're doing a workshop at RWA this year, yes? (Hanging In Without Freaking Out.) That sounds like it will be a lot of fun. Terri is our sole crewmember going to San Fran this year...but I hope she goes to this one. It sounds like one we all need!
And yes, I'm not a fan of middles either. Marnee always seems to read my mind for creating blogs. *LOL* I think the majority of the crew right now is stuck in the Doldrums.
Thanks for the kind thoughts, mateys. I appreciate it. :-)
Now if I could just get my senior and junior through prom night. *sigh* We have major weather alerts for tomorrow, 100% rain, you name it. Poor things! And to top it all off, girl is having major drama with another girl who's mad that she's going with the boy she wanted to go with, even though my girl is his girlfriend. Hmmmm... You wouldn't believe the spectacle this girl's mother made last night at a baseball game about my girl, embarrassing my girl in front of the other parents. ARGHHH! Thank goodness I wasn't there. High School drama sucks.
So I'm really going to have to make those homemade chocolate chip cookies. My apologies, Terrio. With the angst I feel against this girl's Mom, I could use the workout. Stop for cookies and bring it on! LOL.
WHAT? *LOL* Your daughter is dating the guy; and some other chickie poo is bent about it? Hello! Of course, your daughter is going to go with her boyfriend (that is, if Orlando Bloom wasn't available)...I hate it when parents do that sort of thing. That's just...stupid. I'm sorry, but it is.
Teenage drama is the worst.
Kathy - I meant to say I feel you girl. And you make those cookies. Just send a few my way. Life is so in my way right now. What I have to remind myself is that it's not the end of the world if it takes me another year to write this book. So many others spent YEARS on that first one and even more YEARS trying to get published. Anything worth having is worth working and waiting for so I'll keep plugging away when I have the time and not beat myself up about the lapses.
Now, once the kiddo is older (no teenagers yet thank goodness!) and I'm done with college, I won't have so many excuses to fall back on. LOL!
And if I'd been there and another mother embarrassed my daughter, she'd be in the hospital and I'd be in jail.
Nancy! Thanks for coming by and the Captain has steered me toward your website to read the Control Freaks Guide to Conferences. I'm afraid that describes me just a bit and I will be checking it out shortly. I've been to the NJ conference but Nationals is SO MUCH BIGGER. I'm sure I'll be a nervous mess in the weeks before.
Oh, and you better believe I'll take that workshop. Freaking out is a common past-time of mine. Any cure would be much appreciated.
Marnee, I'm going to reiterate what Tiff wrote: write to your CPs. Sometimes, just an e-mail conversation or an IM will straighten out my dilemma or at the very least, give me a direction that I need to head toward.
Middles are the hardest part to write. But once you do, it's (relatively) smooth sailing.
Mmm. Cookies. Don't get me started again on the treats.
I totally have to write linear, I just can't do it any other way. So when I get stuck in the middle I'm really truly stuck. I can't jump ahead to write a different scene. I usually try to keep writing, even if it's only the bare bones of dialogue and action, and then go back and layer in the emotion and serious meat when I've rejuvenated my creative mind. (HAH!)
But sometimes (like this time) I have to take a break from the WIP entirely (that actually hasn't happened before now). I'm finding that by working on something else for a little while (although not stopping the writing process completely), in the back of my mind I'm ruminating over the WIP I was stuck on, and hopefully by the time I go back to it I'll have that fresh story feeling again!
I need to write my CP's a lot more too. They're getting off way too easy. LOL
Kris,
I keep harassing you to finish up and send our way :) of course we could always make a Friday date with yim and a glass of red ;) I love plotting with my CPs. Maybe we've just gotten so good on doing it that we generally get unstuck, what say you?
Friday date night it is! Break out the red!
No new advice Marnee, but lots of great stuff here already! I would definitely think seriously about the chocolate chip cookies though. No matter the problem... a few chocolate chip cookies can do nothing but make it a little better.
That is so funny about the linear writing thing. I can totally relate about that putting a stop to things very abruptly. Until I started reading all these writing blogs it never occurred to me that people wrote different parts of the story out of order and then just strung them together later. Once I was given permission to do that it made life a whole lot easier! LOL (Everything in life just gets so much easier when you give yourself permission to color outside the lines! - I think I'm going to make that into a bumper sticker.)
Nancy - Welcome! It's funny you tell Hellion that. She's always saying that something huge needs to happen if you feel bored. :)
Captain - I take it as high praise that I'm tracking your brain patterns. LOL! I think you're right about us being a little in the doldrums. I think it might be the season too.
Kathy - that teenager story is ridiculous! How insane people are sometimes. And, honestly, it's the prom. The chances anyone marries their prom date is not high. MOve on, find another dude.
Ely - Thanks for the support, girl! I think you're right. I think I just might have to start talking it out a little better. No repressing when it comes to writing!
JK - I think I'm linear too. :( When I say it like that it sounds so lame. LOL! But, something about my silly Virgo self makes me need to keep order somewhere.
And can I share in on the drinking fest too?
Irish said: (Everything in life just gets so much easier when you give yourself permission to color outside the lines! - I think I’m going to make that into a bumper sticker.)
This is my new favorite saying!
And it's 75 degrees here today. I can't be turning on the oven. Maybe later tonight, then I can make CCC and go to sleep and dream lots of crazy sugar hyped stuff.
I want one of those bumper stickers!
Oh, and I never mentioned it but I'm totally linear. I wrote one future scene for a drabble and then got down some dialog for a pivotal scene in the book but no more than 50 words or so. Other than that, I write it in order. Not sure I could ever write the end before I've written anything else.
People who can do that are the kind to READ endings first. I know you do it, Janga. Don't try denying it. LOL!
Read the ending first!!!!! Oh my... I don't think I can go that far outside the lines. I know you all know what's coming next... My Catholic schoolgirl self won't let me do it.
I'm really gonna have to make a list of all the insignificant little things that people do all the time that my repressed little brain won't let me do! It will either be really funny or really depressing. And I'm thinking I'm gonna need tons of chocolate chip cookies to confront it.
Control Freaks Guide to Conferences? I'm as clueless as an impressed sailor informed he's going to be the new sawbones. Honestly. (shrugs shoulders) I need this. Can you post the link or e-mail it? :-)
Thanks for the Arrr's and fisted salutes for my girl's sake, crew. Stuff that goes on btw teens should stay btw teens, but when adults step in... well, there can only be horrific consequences. Anyway, y'all feel free to use this story for a YA novel. LOL. I mean let's be real here.
Oh, the chip! Not the kind that go with fish, ye swabs. Chocolate chip cookie, that is. Can there be anything more delectable? Aside from rum, Orlando, Johnny and my fav, Gerry? I guess my LTC ranks up there somewhere too. *g*
We're supposed to hit 80 degrees here. After the sunburn I got watching a Tennis tournie all day long yesterday, I'm not excited about attending another Tennis match and football game this afternoon. *sigh* The things a Mother has to do.
I don't *read* the endings. I glance at the last page to make sure the two characters who should be together are talking to each other. That's completely different...and the ending is still completely a surprise.
Don't be a hater.
Nancy's website with the great article:
http://www.nancynorthcott.com/nancynorthcott/index.php?page_id=5
Thanks, Hellion. I appreciate the link and saved it into a file. To my immediate relief, I see I seem to have done some things right the past 2 conferences I've attended. Yay, for me!
I have to say, I just love riding the waves with you guys!
And here's some great conference advice posted by Jana DeLeon on the KillerFiction blog the other day.
http://killerfictionwriters.blogspot.com/2008/04/conference-rules.html
These rules are an absolute must and some are great for a laugh.
Kathy - we're happy to have you along as well. :)
Yes,Terri,I do read endings first. If I don't know what the destination is, how can I be sure that I want to take the trip? :)
Janga - LOL!! I sometimes read endings first. I did read the last page of the last HP book (I hear Hellion gasping) but I seriously couldn't have read if I didn't like the outcome.
:)
Kathy, we're glad you hang with us too!
No, Marnee, I cheated on the last HP book as well. I mean, I *HAD* to. I raged for an entire year that if it didn't end correctly, I was burning my pre-ordered copy in a fit of rage. (It would have been on the level of catastrophe if Stephanie married Morelli.) And I couldn't trust my gut feeling about the matter, because I was so sure Daisy & Cam were going to be together--and that was so totally wrong. I was a nervous wreck the whole time before Pleasure for Pleasure hit the shelves. Esp with the Daisy & Cam example of You Can't Count On A Sure Thing.
Oh good. It wasn't just me. :) Even though I knew what happened, the ride to get there was sooo good.
Hellion have you still not read Mine Till Midnight? I'm telling you if you read this book, you'll be like Daisy, who?!?!?
Marnee, we have to support each other. Kind of like a really good bra, but without the digging underwire.
Okay, that soooo came out wrong. LOL
LOL! Ely, that's gotta be the best analogy I've heard in a long time. :)
Good one, Ely. Now we know Victoria's Secret!
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