Tips For Knowing What To Do When You Get Stuck In Writing A Story

Regardless of whether you have been writing stories for a long time or have recently picked up writing as a side project/hobby that you figured you might enjoy, you will sometimes find that things can be going smoothly with your writing for a while, and that you can then (all of a sudden!) find yourself stuck in a certain part of your story, left with no earthly idea as to what occurs next. While different writers tend to take different approaches to this problem, many of the typical approaches are far more destructive – to the story and even the writer – than other approaches, and if you want to avoid losing the story altogether (or pressing through with the story and later realizing that it was all a bunch of wasted time, as you did not write anything good after you got stuck!), here are a few things for you to keep in mind.

Think it through: Instead of trying to think things through by looking at the “big picture,” it is best to make sure you are only looking at your story in the light of “one step at a time,” as this will simplify your thought process a great deal.

Write it down: A lot of writers make the big mistake - when they come up with an idea for the next step of their story – of assuming they will remember whatever they come up with, but if you do not write it down immediately, there is a good chance you will lose it for good!

Wait: And sometimes, you will find that you are less likely to actually get anywhere when you are “pushing”; instead, be willing to sit silently (or to take some quiet, solo walks), and your breakthrough just might come to you of its own accord.

It can be fun and rewarding to improve as a writer - both for the upstart writer and the seasoned veteran – and when you follow these tips, you will know what to do when you hit those troublesome walls that sometimes stand in your way as a writer!