Writer’s block happens to all of us (at least that’s what I tell myself).
I’ve been working on my next series since May, technically. That’s when I first brainstormed the initial outline. I picked it up and put it down while getting my second and third books out from the “Piercing the Veil” series, so it didn’t bother me too much that I was sporadic then.
I finished the outline once for the entire series. It was something like 30 pages long. (I write detailed outlines, yes.)
But then I decided it was crap. I rewrote the outline. (Another 30 pages or so.) I particularly liked the end of the outline and basically wanted to skip the rest of the series and just write that. Fueled with excitement for my ending, I started writing.
Got to around 50 pages. Realized it was still crap.
Rewrote the outline again, but with less detail because I didn’t want to waste my time.
This is where it gets blurry. I think I repeated that process once more (outline, writing, scrapping it) until I finally decided I needed to start ALL over, from the concept. I’m working out a new concept now, with some of the same elements as the previous concept but a totally different set of characters and story arc.
…Most of the time, I push through this, writing come rain or shine, whether I feel like it or not, whether I’m writing well or not. But at the moment, my creative process feels sort of like running through molasses. When I write my characters into a corner, I just sort of go, “Oh well, guess you’re gonna die.” And I go do something else.
I think I just need a vacation. After Christmas I will be a writing machine!
