SansPoint

It never fails.

Whenever I get to the 10,000 word mark on a novel-project, I hit a wall. This has happened with every attempt I’ve made in the past few years. Sometimes, I can squeeze an extra couple thousand words before I hit that wall, but 10,000 is the usual barrier.

This is not a post where I shall whine about being blocked, however.

This time, unlike the last, I will beat it. I will chip away at the wall until I break a hole and push through for another 10,000 words, or more. Here’s my strategies:

1. Skip Ahead - So I’m having trouble with the current part of the novel. What’s to stop me from writing a later section, detailing where I hope to take the plot to? Answer: nothing. I’ve got the ideas, I just have to get them down.
2. Brute Force - Even if it’s just 100 words, I’ll add something to the novel. Even if it’s crap, even if I’ll edit it out when I revise it, I’ll add it.
3. Break Period - So I’m blocked now. I’ll wait until inspiration strikes. Unlike NaNoWriMo, there’s no hard and fast deadline. If I need a breather, I’ll take one.

I’ll sit down in a few days, and create something from nothing, add another chunk of words to this text, and move on. The block will fall. That’s all there is to it.