http://writeabetternovel.net/help-im-stuck-on-chapter-8/ Practical wisdom for novelists and other storytellers Thu, 19 Apr 2012 03:32:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 http://writeabetternovel.net/help-im-stuck-on-chapter-8/comment-page-1/#comment-32 Bill Sat, 05 Apr 2008 09:52:38 +0000 http://truevoice-blog.com/?p=44#comment-32 <p>Try opening a new chapter. Just that simple maneuver makes it possible to restart in the present without much heavy lifting. What you restart WITH can help, too. I'd advise a meditative scene from the point-of-view of the character most impacted (by the events of the flashback, that is), creating a thematic bridge to the flashback. It's harder to do this using a scene with lots of characters and events.</p> Try opening a new chapter. Just that simple maneuver makes it possible to restart in the present without much heavy lifting. What you restart WITH can help, too. I’d advise a meditative scene from the point-of-view of the character most impacted (by the events of the flashback, that is), creating a thematic bridge to the flashback. It’s harder to do this using a scene with lots of characters and events.

]]> http://writeabetternovel.net/help-im-stuck-on-chapter-8/comment-page-1/#comment-33 Lisa Kenney Fri, 04 Apr 2008 17:18:37 +0000 http://truevoice-blog.com/?p=44#comment-33 <p>Wow. I'm stuck on Chapter 12. Actually, to be stuck would mean I'd started it. I have started a story in the present time, gone back in time to a lot of back story and now I've gotten past what may or may not be "the inciting incident". I need to resume the story in the present day and I haven't figured out how to do it. I'm afraid it's not so much a matter of being blocked, as being overloaded with obligations that is keeping me from visualizing how to move the story forward. The only cure for that that I know of is that I need to free up some time to let the "what ifs" lead me in the right direction. But maybe that's a form of procrastination because I can find an hour now and then to write a blog post. Any advice?</p> Wow. I’m stuck on Chapter 12. Actually, to be stuck would mean I’d started it. I have started a story in the present time, gone back in time to a lot of back story and now I’ve gotten past what may or may not be “the inciting incident”. I need to resume the story in the present day and I haven’t figured out how to do it. I’m afraid it’s not so much a matter of being blocked, as being overloaded with obligations that is keeping me from visualizing how to move the story forward. The only cure for that that I know of is that I need to free up some time to let the “what ifs” lead me in the right direction. But maybe that’s a form of procrastination because I can find an hour now and then to write a blog post. Any advice?

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