There are several reasons that people get stuck in life, and one of them is that they haven’t built a strategic plan to move forward. Oftentimes, these strategies are embedded in the unconscious mind and take action when needed. But sometimes, we need to install a new strategy that will help us move forward with confidence.
When it comes to writing, the first thing you want to do is to look at your story from a bigger perspective and zoom out. This can be done by asking yourself a few questions about the overall genre of your story and what it needs to accomplish at its core.
What does this theme mean for your protagonist?
This is an important question to ask because it will create the driving force in your protagonist’s journey. In fact, you should answer this question before you start writing any scenes in your novel, as it will determine the main goals of your protagonist and help build a compelling narrative drive.
What do your characters need to feel fulfilled?
When your characters have unmet wants and needs, it can be difficult to keep them moving forward in the story. It can also be difficult to build a compelling narrative. This is why it’s so important to know what your protagonist needs and wants, so that you can craft every scene in your story to fulfill this goal.
What are the underlying conflicts in your story?
This can be difficult to figure out if you haven’t written any of the scenes yet. There are a few ways to find out what your story needs to resolve, so check out this blog post and listen to episode #7 of the Fiction Writing Made Easy podcast for more tips on how to identify these elements.
What’s the best way to approach this?
If you need to resolve conflict in your story, you can start with a simile. A simile is a metaphor that helps your audience understand the situation in which you’re writing. It can be as simple as using the phrase “a leafless tree without flowers” or as complicated as “a car stuck in mud.”
Once you’ve identified the problem, try to find a solution. This can be as simple as letting go of a limiting belief or as complex as changing the context of the situation.
A great place to begin is with compassion. This is a very effective tool for helping you to break free from a stuck state. You can also use it to practice mindfulness and focus on the present moment.
When you’re feeling stuck, it’s a good idea to write down your thoughts. Doing so will help you to clear your head and refocus on the next steps in your story.
You can also do a visualization exercise to help you break through your stuck state. This can be done by imagining yourself in the situation from a different point of view.