Do you ever reach that point in your writing where you feel as though you simply can't go on? Your characters or your plot are fighting with you every step of the way like a toddler refusing to eat green beans? And no matter how hard you try, you simply can't work out how to make everything come together?
Some might call this phenomenon "writer's block." I call it "Time to take a break."
But! Take a break? How is that going to solve anything? How will that help? Isn't that just procrastinating under a different guise?
I guess it could be but consider this, when I'm writing and rub up against this angsty impasse, I've discovered that walking away for a bit, 15-30 minutes, sometimes a couple hours, helps cool the emotional temperature and often puts things into perspective.
Taking a break also helps me see portions of my story, which came together quite easily, in an entirely new light. Did I miss an opportunity to add tension? Did I fully capitalize on a tantalizing detail which could be HUGE later on?
The point here, really, is to just NOT GIVE UP. You have stories to tell! Some will come easier than others, some will balk the whole way. Take a deep breath, reset, and then, make those balkers eat their green beans. You'll be glad you did.
