NaNo / 2

We're over halfway through NaNo. How's everyone doing so far?

 

I feel stuck, which isn't much of a surprise. this usually happens when I hit the halfway mark of a novel. it's like every word I manage to write has been ripped from my head, then splattered onto the page. it's not pretty.

 

so! if anyone else is having this problem here are some things that might help (they help me, at least):

 

1. The most obvious: keep writing. you'll eventually pass that sagging middle and get to the fun stuff. (you can go back and fix the middle after you finish writing the story, so don't worry about that)
2. Skip to the fun stuff. sometimes when I hit a part of the novel I can't seem to slog through, I'll skip it and go to a scene I've been eager to write.
3. Really, this is part B of #2: skip to the end and write. this helps when I get intimidated by the word count. I think: I've already written 30k, how am I supposed to get 30,000 more words out of this thing?? Well, when I've written 10k of the end I have less to write overall, which makes finishing the story seem a little more bearable. (of course, I'll have to go back and fix all the continuity problems that arise when I do inevitably write the middle... but let's not think about that.)
4. Have a clear idea of where the story is headed. think about a scene before you begin writing it. know what's going to happen.
5. Take the story one scene at a time. whenever I start to look at the big picture, that's when I either freeze up or rush through to the end. and when I rush, I skip a lot of the meat of the story.

 

remember: you'll finish. if you keep writing, you will finish. I promise.

 

just some ideas. hopefully they help!

anyone have any other tips?

 

- k.