Welcome to my Box: A Venting Thread

[Cat Scratch]

I am about halfway into the final draft of my manuscript with my agent eagerly awaiting in the wings, and suddenly I've written myself into a box. I had to put the manuscript away for a few weeks while I dealt with the death of a grandparent (insert sad face here) and travel to the mainland for a funeral, and I can't seem to pick up where I left off. My flow is ruined (excuses, excuses, I know), and I tried for FIVE SOLID HOURS to push through it yesterday and ended up with crap. This is discouraging because I'd been so happy with how it was going up until this point.

My problem is a big information-dump at around page 175, but I'm at a loss to find any other way to do it--my characters can't know what's going on prior to that because it messes with the quite lovely tension I've set up between them, and placing it any later in the book messes with plot flow.

I'm sure there's a way out somewhere, but I'll be damned if I can see it. Aaaargh.

Add your vent/empathy here.

[Soccer Mom]

Just adding my empathy. Been there stuck in the box. (and stuck in this **** shoe!) Go ahead and leave the info dump where it is and come back to it later. It's okay to write crap when you are stuck and to fix it later. I am sorry about your loss.

You WILL get back on track at some point. Hang in there. It will click for you again.

[alleycat]

My guess is, when you stop trying so hard, and maybe after a few days or a couple of weeks . . . the answer will suddenly come to you. You'll then slap your forehead and go, "Damn! That's perfect. Why didn't I see that sooner?"

[Cat Scratch]

Thanks. I'm reluctant to move past it and come back later because if I have to trim it down and insert information later that will mean even MORE rewrites on stuff I've already rewritten. I also overpromised to my agent and told her it would be ready around, oh, now, because I honestly thought it would be. The added pressure isn't helping, though I'm sure she'll understand.

[MidnightMuse]

First, my sympathies for your loss.

Second, give yourself a minute or two to come back to normal. Your world was jolted and it takes a few weeks at least to get things to settle back down. I'd second what Alleycat says and give yourself some time to relax, don't stress - it might only take a day or two - just put it out of your mind and let the solution come, and it will. You didn't get this far without knowing what you were doing, so don't stress now - talent doesn't just vanish, but stress can squeeze it to the side for a little while.

[alleycat]

Have you thought of adding a yak to your story? It always works for MidnightMuse.

[MidnightMuse]

:guns: :box:

[Cat Scratch]

Brilliant!

[icerose]

I would strongly suggest clearing your mind. Grab a notebook and a pencil or pen, whichever you prefer, and go for a walk. Stop at a nice quiet spot where you will have the peace of your thoughts and clarity of view to just absorb your surroundings.

While in these wonderful surroundings, open up your mind, think about your story, watch it play out in your head. Talk to the characters, watch them, tell them to take a second round. Chances are the infodump can be sprinkled through dialog and situations. Take that info dump and analyze why it is so important for your story. Why does the reader need this? When you have that answer you might find a more suitable and palatable way to present it.

Then use your notebook to sketch out ideas, scribble notes, outline scenes, when dialog comes to mind, write it down even if you aren't sure where it belongs.

A change in material and scenery is hands down the best wall crumbler I have ever come across. That and a sounding board. Being able to bounce my ideas off others helps out so much.

Good luck and sorry for the loss. Those are never easy.

Sara

[Cat Scratch]

Thanks, Icerose. Change of environment might indeed help!

[icerose]

I hope it helps. Good luck, let us know if you need any help getting through it. :)