In the countdown to 2024 I'm sharing a bunch of the most obvious tips with the poor victims that landed on this blog. Hey! You're one of them! So, what should you do when you want to write but you're stuck?
Close your eyes...
... and open your mind's eye.
If you're stuck writing a scene then the solution is simple: close your eyes and imagine the scene. What do you see? Who do you see? What do your characters see?
What do they hear? Feel? Smell? Who are they, why are they there, and what would they do next?
Sometimes you might be trying to reach a specific end goal at a chapter, but just as often your 'cast' has completely different plans. Guide them. Tempt them. Seduce them. But never force them. Your characters know what to do, so you can't be stuck.
You can't figure out what they want to do? Put yourself into their place. Smell the grass. Stretch your aching legs.
Imagine one character with a nail in his boot. His foot hurts. His horse is hungry. His young help is sitting on a tree stump, and wonders who cut it, as there are still wood chips around, and the wood smells kinda' fresh. The clouds near the horizon promise a little spring rain, and both her coin pouch and her belly feel kinda' empty.
A bird flies by, peeking at the two travelers and decides there's nothing to be gained. As the bird flies further north she crosses into the nearby fiefdom of Sir Javen Jax, evildoer extraordinaire, who is about to complete his newest creation, a heavy canon to aid him on his quest to conquer the world. And if not the world, then at least get rid of the two pesky Robin Hood wannabees that have been roaming in the lands nearby.
If your characters don't know what to do, then think about the things your antagonist is planning or doing. That the hero takes a break doesn't mean the world just stopped.
Close your eyes.
Just close your eyes and you'll see the world never stops.
Adding Details
You can use the same method to add details to your descriptions. Close your eyes and write down what your characters experience. What they see and feel, smell and hear.
More
- Writing to a Prompt
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Writing Essentials
- All (somewhat) writing related posts
- Countdown to 2024
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