You are moving full steam ahead. You have the goal in sight. You have overcome all the obstacles and are prepared to bring it home. Suddenly, you hit a brick wall. You can’t see the other side. Nor do you know how to proceed. Have you ever experienced such a dilemma in the middle of your fabulous writing piece?
Everyone, no matter what age, has faced a writer’s block. It is a dark screen in front of you and no light can shine through. No matter how hard you try, you just cannot seem to look beyond it. That fabulous ending or an exciting argument seems to slip through your fingers and go further and further away from you. How do you get it back? How do you get that nitro powered engine back on track that was moving at sonic speed?
Next time you face these problems in the middle of your story during an exam, why not try some of these methods?
1. Write a little bit more about the main character:
How do you jump from the introduction to the heart of the action? Imagine this technique as a bridge that joins the opening to the conflict. You will have to introduce the main character soon, so why not do it now?
Annie never missed a chance to catch any programs on TV about trains and had devoured all the books available in her local library about them. Hence, she could tell that the rhythmic chuff emitted from the front was of a healthy engine and that the problem lay elsewhere.
2. Write what is going through the characters’ heads as they struggle to solve the
problem:
That plotting an exciting conflict is a challenging prosect, we all agree. What comes next is even more troublesome. You need to make the main character come up with a solution. Simply making them act on it seems strange if you don’t tell what their plan is. So, another way to build that bridge is to portray their thought process.
Cameron knew this was the best time to show the class bully that he wasn’t the same meek kid anymore. Over the holidays, he had spent time gathering his guts and standing up for what was right. He wasn’t small anymore. In a flash, he took a decision.
3. Add dialogue:
Dialogue is one of the best ways to break the monotony of action. Interjections here and there are the best ways to keep the reader engaged with the movement of the plot.
“Bah!” Tom exclaimed. “This is taking longer than expected.”
Jill looked at Britta worriedly, “What if we get caught?”
4. Give details about the place where the story is taking place:
You can never have enough of describing the setting. So, every time you don’t know how to proceed, describe something that could give a clue to the reader about the next course of action by the characters.
Gareth looked around the island he had just stepped onto. There were a couple of palm trees swaying in the salty air and providing the only shade available nearby. Farther way, he saw a patch of tall grass with some shrub sticking out like a sore thumb. Without waiting a second more, he made his way there.
5. Use foreshadowing or flashback:
When your mum or dad is cooking something delicious, don’t you want a bite of it before it is served? In the same way, it is a good idea to give the readers a taste (hint) of what is to come so that they remain excited about the end of the story. You can use a flashback or a foreshadowing or a mixture of both to create suspense and give a hint of what may happen.
Petra entered the narrow lane that would lead her straight to the main road and onward to her friend’s house. This was the infamous lane. It hardly had any visitors. The trees grew close to each other with a thick undergrowth. Her friend’s chilling words came rushing back to her mind: she had said that she felt someone or something follow her through the trees but had never found out who or what it was. Nevertheless, brushing these dire warnings aside, Petra chose to go through. The alternative route would take up three quarters of an hour.
So, here you have five different ways of proceeding the next time you find yourself in a rut. Which ones will you choose to dig your way out?