Humpty Dumpty's Wall

Recently I hit a huge wall. It smacked me hard. I didn't get a concussion, but instead faced major reconstructive surgery. No plastic surgeon could assist me. I had to perform the operation.

What happened? It's a long sad story, but deserves telling...

I had a perfectly wonderful and exciting plot for a new book. The hero and heroine were perfectly suited and their goals were totally opposite. Getting them together would be a roller coaster ride of emotions. I dove into the novel and churned out the pages. They flowed seamlessly until I hit page 156 and that brick wall.

I found myself forcing pages, writing too much introspection, dragging the manuscript along. I finally stopped, stepped back, and held my head in horror. I would never finish this manuscript!

What did I do?

I gave myself a break from writing. The timing was perfect. My RWA chapter conference was approaching and I had volunteered to help out with stuffing goody bags, attending a booksigning, and picking up an editor at the airport. For a week I didn't even think about those pages impaled on that impassable wall. I enjoyed the conference, made new friends, sold some books, and attended lots of workshops.

At some point during that fabulous weekend, the answer to my problem came to me like a bright light from a dark void. I had started the story at the wrong point. I needed to write what I had considered the backstory. Everything fell into place. I have the new beginning outlined and I'm ready to start pounding the keyboard once again. I know the story will be much stronger now.

If you ever find yourself at a loss for words, if you are struggling to get from one point to the next, step back and take a look at your beginning. Starting the story in the right place is crucial to the success of your manuscript.

Thanks for reading!

FOXFIRE, Romantic Suspense
HIT AND RUN, Romantic Suspense