Changing the Scene

A few days ago (or maybe weeks, I'm terrible with time) someone asked me what I do when I get stuck. Technically, they asked what happens when I have writer's block, but I don't believe in writer's block and that led to an entire conversation in which said person was eye-rolling me...and we won't go there. So I'm rephrasing. Being stuck is quite different from wailing and moaning and gnashing-of-the-teeth because 'I'm blocked'.

Yes, I'm not feeling the pain. Let's move on before I really get going.

So, when I'm feeling stuck...or a plot point isn't working the way I want...or a character is giving me fits...Yeah, I have a lot of those moments. Ask Liz or D'Ann or Margie or Shawn and they'll tell you.

One of my tried-and-true methods is to change the scene I'm in. And I don't mean just the writerly scene, I mean my entire scene. Now, I can't fly to Mexico at the drop of a hat, more's the pity, but I can go for a walk, swim until I drop, go shopping or out to lunch with my girls or...you get the drift.

More often than not, though, what really helps me through the stuck-i-ness is engaging a different part of my creative brain. I sew and I attempt to quilt. That's the picture up here. My latest project, recently finished for a new baby cousin. It's a softbook, but I wanted to do something a little different so I took the panels intended for a book and created a storybook quilt for the little guy. I think it turned out pretty well. The colors are nicely bright - great for eye development - the theme is fun because his daddy is in construction, the words are easy to learn (assuming the quilt lives until he's 4-5 years old)...it's just fun!

As I was picking out fabric and making the cuts the swatches of red and strips of blue, I was focused on cutting exact measurements. As I sewed it all together, I concentrated on stitching 'in the ditch...you get the picture. But all that concentration leaves my subconscious free to think about other things.

Like my characters. Like the plot point that isn't working. Like the fact that I liked my hero much more before I started writing him...that kind of thing. So while I'm changing my scene, my subconscious is still there, working through it. Usually by the end of a project, I have the answers I need. I've figured out where the plot went wrong, how to redeem my hero, how to make my heroine actually likeable. It works for me.

What about you? Do you have a process for working out the kinks in your books?