Sometimes You Just Have to Trust the Process
Photo by LaVistaArt on Unsplash
For those of you who are writers, do you ever have moments where you panic and think, “I don’t know where to go next? I’m totally stuck.”
Some writers talk about feeling that way in the “muddled middle.” But I can have one of my stalled episodes at any point. Recently, I had one as I began working on a new novel. I had written several chapters in what I felt was a decent beginning and had a fairly clear idea for the story’s ultimate destination. But suddenly, I wasn’t at all sure how to get there! I launched into my usual freakout mode, in which I announced to my poor husband that “I’ve lost my mojo. I can’t go on.” He listened patiently, and then said, “You always say that. Just before you figure it out.”
I really hate know-it-alls like the love of my life, but in this case, I’m very relieved that he was right. When I finally planted myself in front of my computer, I reread everything I’d written thus far and took stock. I asked myself: Based on what’s happened thus far to my characters, what of any significance needs to happen next?
And then the most amazing thing happened. My idea pump started flowing again, and I began to write. And I’ve kept going. Miracle of miracles, I feel like I’m back on track.
One of my favorite writing quotes comes from E.L. Doctorow: “Writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can see only as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.”
I’m a slow learner. Now working on my tenth novel, what I keep discovering and re-discovering about writing is that I just have to trust the process and know that I’ll eventually get there.
Even when I’m driving in the dark.