Last week I taught a teen workshop at my local library, and we talked about Getting Stuck.
I used capital letters for Getting Stuck because it often feels like a Major Problem (capital letters) when we do.
Here's what happens to me:
I begin a story or novel. Everything's going great. Then…I get stuck. Many of us reach a point where we hit a dead end and we run out of gas.
How can we move our characters to the end of the story, resolve the conflict, and finish with a satisfying end?
In my experience, Getting Stuck happens when I don't think through two issues.
- First, who is my protagonist? What does she want? What does this character love, hate, or fear? What are the flaws that keep getting her into trouble? What is the most important thing in my protagonist's life?
(This last question may be different from "What does she want?" In The Hunger Games, Katniss wants to stay alive. The most important thing in her life is her sister.)
- Second, how high are the stakes for my protagonist? Is the story conflict something that really matters to him? If it isn't, the conflict may not be strong enough. Who or what is stopping my character from getting what he wants? Why? What will happen if he doesn't get it?
These are questions I now ask myself before I begin a new story or novel. (I ask myself a lot of other questions, too, but those will wait for another post.)
Whether you're a "jumper" (you love to jump right into a story without planning) or a "plotter" (you love to outline), try answering these questions before you begin writing or when you get stuck.
Write your answers down, then study them. Do you see patterns? What changes can you make to keep your story moving forward?
I can't guarantee you'll never hit a dead end. But you may go from Getting Stuck to getting stuck. And that's progress in my book.
