5 Tips to Overcome Writing Resistance

The Knight of Swords invites us to cut through overwhelm and take action. 

So if you're feeling overwhelmed by plot, structure, character conflict etc., I invite you to close your eyes, feel the seat under you and take a deep breath. Now, in that fantastic imagination of yours, I invite you to see yourself writing that story. See and feel the words flow from you and onto the page with ease. Feel how good it is to have that story on the page. Think about what it means to you to achieve this milestone in your creative writing journey and step into yourself to really feel what it feels like to be a successful writer. 

Now, when you're ready, take another three deep breaths. Then gently come back to your room. Flutter your lashes, open your eyes, stretch and let your eyes focus and come back to the page.

Start writing from that place of inner harmony. And go!

Yes, to sound all woo-woo about it, I want you to get into a flow state. To relax, drop those shoulders, unclench your jaw and let the words flow out of you without worrying about all the 'rules' of writing. Just write and see where the story, the scene, the description - whatever - takes you. Indulge your senses and allow the character to breathe, to taste, to touch, to hear, to see what's happening.

Don't judge your writing. Remember: all first drafts are messy and need rewriting, but you can't edit what's not written, right?!

Analysis paralysis - eeek! 

If you're feeling analysis paralysis because of feedback or you've written that first draft and you don't know where to start, please don't worry. It's perfectly normal to feel like this and you're not alone.

I've been there too and sometimes the fear of finishing a story has had me stuck for longer than I'd like to admit. But there are things we can do to move forward, even if its baby steps. 

Let's take a look at some ways that may help you take action and figure out what to do next to help move things forward with your story:

1. Beta Readers feedback - If you've received beta reader feedback, take some time to read through the comments and consider if three or more people have said the same thing - then fix that issue.
   If there are differing opinions on what do do with a scene etc., take a deep breath and check in with your inner creative self. Consider if what's being suggested has evidence to back it up, such as there really are too many telling phrases and it would help to develop showing skills, then get to work fixing those things. Showing takes more words but it transports the reader into the story and is worth the time and effort to turn the telling around. 
2. Developmental Edit feedback - If you've received a developmental edit and you're feeling overwhelmed, take some time to emotionally process the feedback and digest the opportunities to improve your story. Once you've done that, it's time to read through the editorial letter again, which should highlight the big 'red-light' issues (at a minimum) that need to be addressed to strengthen the story.
   For example: the developmental editor might suggest working on setting to ground the reader; or going back to outlining the story to ensure the structure is solid and each scene builds on the one before it; or they may say that the protagonist's stakes aren't high enough, so then it's time to go back to the character's goals/motivations/conflicts and strengthen that. 
   Investing in a developmental edit is so valuable in helping to map out a way forward, and it will help you strengthen your writing craft for other stories.
3. Fiction Writing Coach support - Work with a fiction writing coach to help identify the areas of the story that aren't working and to also acknowledge your writing strengths. A fiction writing coach is a developmental editor but also someone who can help you develop your fiction writing skills, give real time feedback as you write with evidence based reasons to back up why they're saying what they're saying, and cheer you on as well as commiserate when things get tough like dealing with rejection (which, unfortunately, happens to every writer - it's a right of passage). 
4. Writing Community support - Get support from your writing friends and share your struggles in a safe space. No doubt other writers have been through these times and will have strategies they can share with you. I'm an active member of the Romance Writers of Australia's aspirers group and their support has been phenomenal for myself and others. Whatever you're chosen genre, try to find a supportive writing community who will lift you up, not put you and your writing down. You want to find a community of writers who will constructively support your writing and be a source of support. 
5. Break the tasks down and take baby steps forward - if you need to learn a specific fiction writing skill either take a short course, or get a fiction writing coach to help you learn that skill (point of view, character goals, motivations and conflicts, showing over telling too much etc). 
   
   What happens if there are too many things to focus on at once? My recommendation is, if you know what needs to be fixed but have too many things to deal with at once, pick the one that deals with the story structure first. 
   
   Why? 
   
   Because when your story structure is solid and the action rises to the climactic event, with each scene building on one another, you've got a strong story foundation to work from. It's like making sure the foundation is poured and the skeleton structure of your home is strong before the walls are put up. Stories have structures just like homes. Just like we do as humans with our skeletons.
   
   Once the story structure is working and the action of the story going in the right direction (rising action to climax etc.), then work on characters because this is intimately connected to the story's structure (meaning that plot or character driven stories are both story types require one aspect to play off the other).
   
   Don't work on cleaning up sentences until all the story logic issues and character development issues have been dealt with.
   
   Line editing is for later on, but if you know there's a particular word that you love to write like 'just' or an adverb that keeps telling the reader how the character feels rather than showing, then do fix those whenever you can. Cleaning up these small things will make your manuscript (MS) cleaner for the next rewrite/polish. 

Honestly, writing is an act of courage. Sharing it with the world takes guts and heap of bravery so be proud of how far you've already come and don't let fear hold you back. 

I know, it's easier said than done, but I believe in you! 

Writing is an act of courage because we're putting a special piece of our creative self into the words on the page and we're sharing that creativity with others who could judge us.

Be courageous. Be open to feedback. Be curious. 

Be a force of creativity and embody the Knight of Swords when you're stuck. Cut through the dross and keep writing your story!

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