Also at this point, the story that I've come up with is starting to feel stale. I'm not sure where to go next.
Now is the time to pull out some tools for dealing with roadblocks. There are three types of tools, in my book. There's tools that help you avoid roadblocks entirely, and there are those that let you bust through them when you come up against them, and then there's more general strategies for shaking things up and keeping those words flowing.
Type 1:
CONFLICT: Conflict is your friend. Every time your main characters (MCs) are at odds with other characters, with each other, with the environment and so on, there is something for you to write about. It so much easier to write when you are writing an active section than a passive, reflective one. Plus, it's more interesting to read as well. Now is a time to think about what you want your MC to be striving for, what can OPPOSE success, and then write that. Go write it. Right now. And use that as your scene goal as well - what does my MC want to achieve now? What opposes that?
CHEAT SHEET: Remember that cheat sheet I had you make before the month started? If you use it as a general guide for the flow of your novel - grabbing ideas off of it when you realize you're coming up on a slow spot in your draft - then you might be able to avoid roadblocks completely
MOTIVATION: Remember why you're writing - you want all the glory of finishing that 50K draft before the end of the month. You want to feel that sense of accomplishment. You want to get that first draft finished this month so you have something to edit in December. You want a handy excuse avoid doing chores. Whatever the case, remind yourself often of why you're doing Nano, and motivate yourself to keep going!
Type 2:
CHEAT SHEET: That cheat sheet that can help steer you around roadblocks can also help you crush them. When you write yourself into a corner and aren't sure how to get out of it, refer to your cheat sheet for a brilliant idea. Figure out how to write from where you are to the next scene on your sheet that you're eager to include. Use some of those words or sentences that inspired you before the month started to solve what seem like unsolvable problems.
TIME TRAVEL: Sometimes when you've written yourself into a corner, you get fixated on not knowing how on earth your MCs can possibly get themselves out of the dungeon of doom. You know what? Don't sweat it. Leave the scene open, skip ahead to the next scene that you're sure of - maybe your MCs have to visit the hospital, or go for a picnic or fight their way up from the dungeon to the evil emperor's throne room. Don't sweat the details of how they free themselves, and instead skip ahead to writing what happens once they are free.
PERSPECTIVE SHIFT: Find yourself not sure what happens next to Mary Jane? Is she boring you and now you don't really want to write? Or worse, you've written her into an impossible situation and you don't know what she should decide next? No problem! Skip to Peter's perspective and worry about what's happening with him. By the time you come back to Mary Sue - you can decide whether to pick up where you left off, or time jump forward with her dealing with the repercussions of that moment you couldn't figure out how to write earlier!
Type 3:
CHANGE HOW YOU WRITE: If you've been exclusively using a computer, try to write your next scene with pen and paper. If you always write at night, try to sneak in ten minutes in the morning. Always have music blasting? Turn it off and go silent.
NEW ENVIRONMENT: Go mobile. Write on a bus, at a coffee shop, in the mall's food court, at a library, a restaurant, in a park, in the back of your car, in your bedroom, at the kitchen table. Change your environment and see if that shakes a few words loose.
MUSIC: Lots of authors swear by music to set the mood, so take ten minutes and put together a quick playlist. I favour music that's upbeat and gets my blood pumping (so grabbing a recommended playlist for exercise works well for me). Some people prefer classical music or something without lyrics to distract them. Try it out, see if you can get inspired this way too!
How do you like to bust through roadblocks? Drop your suggestions in the comments!
TIME TRAVEL: Sometimes when you've written yourself into a corner, you get fixated on not knowing how on earth your MCs can possibly get themselves out of the dungeon of doom. You know what? Don't sweat it. Leave the scene open, skip ahead to the next scene that you're sure of - maybe your MCs have to visit the hospital, or go for a picnic or fight their way up from the dungeon to the evil emperor's throne room. Don't sweat the details of how they free themselves, and instead skip ahead to writing what happens once they are free.
PERSPECTIVE SHIFT: Find yourself not sure what happens next to Mary Jane? Is she boring you and now you don't really want to write? Or worse, you've written her into an impossible situation and you don't know what she should decide next? No problem! Skip to Peter's perspective and worry about what's happening with him. By the time you come back to Mary Sue - you can decide whether to pick up where you left off, or time jump forward with her dealing with the repercussions of that moment you couldn't figure out how to write earlier!
Type 3:
CHANGE HOW YOU WRITE: If you've been exclusively using a computer, try to write your next scene with pen and paper. If you always write at night, try to sneak in ten minutes in the morning. Always have music blasting? Turn it off and go silent.
NEW ENVIRONMENT: Go mobile. Write on a bus, at a coffee shop, in the mall's food court, at a library, a restaurant, in a park, in the back of your car, in your bedroom, at the kitchen table. Change your environment and see if that shakes a few words loose.
MUSIC: Lots of authors swear by music to set the mood, so take ten minutes and put together a quick playlist. I favour music that's upbeat and gets my blood pumping (so grabbing a recommended playlist for exercise works well for me). Some people prefer classical music or something without lyrics to distract them. Try it out, see if you can get inspired this way too!
How do you like to bust through roadblocks? Drop your suggestions in the comments!
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