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RE: @honeyscribe's guide to busting writer's block: Never admit defeat

in #writing8 years ago

Last year during WriMo I had such writer's block! Suffered through a chapter for over a week and getting nowhere. Then in the middle of the night, I woke up with the thought that I didn't need that chapter! There was nothing in it moving the story forward. It was painful, but as soon as I got rid of it, the words flowed.

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That is huge! Did you have to make a ritual of parting with it or any large work around it? A chapter is often a story in itself.

I took the entire chapter and extracted it onto a new word document (I hate wasting words as much as I hate wasting food. LOL). Because I'd suffered with that chapter for a week, I knew exactly what was in it and was able to repurpose some of the dialogue elsewhere. The hardest part was realizing that chapter was holding me back. I'm so stubborn sometimes and did everything I could to power through it. When I finally "gave up" and listened to the small voice, it was like magic.

Good thinking! I know exactly what you mean about wasting words. I feel the same way. I'm so glad that worked for you. Blocks are not fun.