Work on my story has come to an absolute stand still. All my usual tricks for getting through a difficult scene have failed me, and I find myself writing this blog post just to avoid working on it. (How’s that for procrastination?)
Don’t let procrastination fool you though. It’s not as if I don’t try. I open up my WIP every morning and evening without fail, and scroll straight to that difficult scene. I stare at it, scratch my head, and wait for inspiration. Nothing. I get out a notebook, and start asking questions about the scene. Nothing. I go back to the scene before, and check to see if maybe I got off track. Still nothing.
This is usually the point where I call up my muse, and have a rather long discussion with her about The Issue. We’re not calling it writer’s block. I never have writer’s block.
“I can’t figure out this scene,” I complain as soon as she appears in a sprinkle of fairy dust and the obligary tinkle of bells. “Elizabeth is supposed to meet a unicorn who ‘discovers’ her. She can’t do that with her mom right there. Can she?”
“I’m bored of this story,” my muse says, flopping down on the chair next to me. “I’ve got this new idea. I’m going to call it, Confessions of an Alchoholic Werewolf.”
I try not to look interested, but come on, what isn’t better than working on a difficult scene?
“He works in a dog grooming shop, cause thats the only work he can get. He starts hearing rumors of werewolves moving into his territory, a known peace zone. He’s got to stop them, but without being discovered. He–”
“I do enough dog grooming at work. I don’t want to write a story about it.”
My muse bats her eyes, all innocent. “It’s not about dog grooming. It’s about werewolves.”
I get the drift, but I’m not backing down. “I’ll type up everything you say and put it in my idea box, but only if you help me with this scene.”
My muse just smiles. “You’ll type it up anyway,” she says, and disappears in a poof of smoke.
You see what I have to put up with? I’ve written the outlines for three new story lines and stuffed them in my “hold” box. I’ve gotten no help on my real story at all.
But an alchoholic werewolf would make an interesting character, don’t you think?
Hmmm…
A.M. Kuska's Blog 
Aug 16, 2010 @ 12:22:29
I know a few alcoholic people. I love them and they break my heart. Maybe if they met your alcoholic werewolf in a dark alley, they would sober up and never drink again. I have writer’s block, too. I think it will go away like it came. Poof! Sometimes when God wants to get my attention, he won’t let me do anything else. Blessings to you from the bench. This is where I sit outside in the morning.
Aug 17, 2010 @ 13:53:44
This wolf has a noble reason for being an alchoholic. It stops the bloodlust and prevents him from killing people. A werewolf can’t do much in the way of destruction when he’s passed out drunk on the floor.
A scene where he meets a fellow drunk in an alley might be interesting. I shall make a note!
Aug 16, 2010 @ 12:35:55
You could farm the scene out. Send it out to friends and ask them for a note or two about what they think about it and where it might go. I do that from time to time.
You might also just force a resolution to the scene. That catch is it has to be a sort of silly solution, something a bit outlandish. It’s not permanent, just to get you hooked back into the scene. It can sometimes jar something loose in your noggin and get you on track with what you’re writing. (My results with this technique are hit and miss, though I know people who swear by it.)
Aug 17, 2010 @ 13:56:04
I’ve tried farming out scenes, and have gotten back some of the oddest results ever. “Oh sprinkle him with fairy dust. That will solve everything!” sort of deal.
Aug 16, 2010 @ 13:50:53
I’ve also been know to just leave what I have for a scene and go on with the next one. When I go back later, sometimes I’m able to pick up where I left off.
Your muse is bored and wants to do something else. They can be tricky that way. Sometimes you have to be tricky back at them. The writer Holly Lisle http://www.hollylisle.com has some really great ideas for muse-wrangling, some for free on her site, some in her writing clinics. I highly recommend Holly.
Good luck!
Aug 17, 2010 @ 13:51:55
So do I. I have 5 of her books, including my all time favorite Sympathy for the Devil, and I’ve met her personally. ^^
Aug 17, 2010 @ 15:16:16
You’ve met Holly?! How cool! I’ve read several of her books and I’ve taken just about every writing course she’s offered. She is one great writer and a fantastic teacher.
Aug 17, 2010 @ 01:04:23
I don’t know if you saw today’s post on Magical Words, but check out Faith Hunter’s link to her description of grape/cluster outlining. The point was to get away from using words to, instead, working out the scene visually to get past the block. Here’s the link: http://magicalwords.net/faith-hunter/tearing-down-that-wall/
Aug 17, 2010 @ 13:58:55
No, no I haven’t seen this. I’m so posting about my adventure with it though!
Aug 17, 2010 @ 15:16:40
Fantastic!