Why Writers Get Stuck…And What to Do About It

Once upon a time, I was stuck in revision. Really stuck. The two-steps-forward-nine-steps-back kind of stuck. Every time I sat down to try to fix my manuscript, I got the distinct feeling I wasn’t fixing anything. And I was right. I wasn’t revising; I was just rewriting.

I eventually worked my way out of Stuck Land by going to grad school to learn how to revise, and then going on to become a developmental editor and book coach. And now I’m on a mission to help other writers work their way out of Stuck Land.

From my experience, both as a writer and in working with writers everyday, there are three common reasons writers get stuck. Let’s take a look at those reasons, and what writers can do to get unstuck.

Reason #1: They don’t know why they’re writing this story.

“I’ve always wanted to write…”

“I have this great idea for a story…”

“This story’s been in my head for ages...”

Sound familiar? This is where a lot of writers start out. With an idea and a desire. But while this might get you going initially, it won’t get you across the finish line.

At some point, you need to know Why you are writing this story. Yes, capital W-hy. Your Deep Why. And, no, “Because I thought it’d be fun” is not a deep enough Why. (And if you’ve been at it for a while, you know that there are days when it’s most certainly NOT fun.)

Dig into author interviews and you’ll find that they often share their Deep Why, that special * thing * that brought them to the page day after day. Suzanne Collins said she wrote The Hunger Games series because she wanted to understand at what point war becomes justified. Rick Riordan wrote his Percy Jackson series for his son who, like the hero Percy, has ADHD and dyslexia. Lessons in Chemistry author Bonnie Garmus wanted to pour all the sexism she’d experienced in her life into a story where the woman triumphs over patriarchy in the end. These writers had deeply personal reasons fueling their work.

You, too, need to find that deep, personal connection to the story. And when I say personal, I don’t mean you have to get all autobiographical and make the story about you. I’m pretty sure Suzanne Collins never fought to the death in an arena, Rick Riordan has never been to Camp Half Blood, and Bonnie Garmus has never had her own cooking show. You need to figure out what it is about this story that’s got its hooks into you. Why this story? Why now? What is your deep, personal connection to this story? Why does it matter to you?

When you know Deep Why, it becomes your North Star, guiding you through drafting and revision.

Reason #2: They don’t know what their characters need to learn.

Some writers jump straight to plot and don’t think much about the characters. Characters are just along for the ride. But as some point (usually the messy middle), these writers hit a wall. They’re not sure what happens next. So they back up, try again. And get stuck again.

Other writers dive deep into character development. They do all the prompts, interview their characters, develop their backstory. They know everything about them, from what cars they drive to how they like their coffee. And they put that fully-formed, got-everything-figured-out character on page one and start writing. At some point (usually the messy middle), they hit a wall. They’re not sure what happens next. So they back up, try again. And get stuck again.

Both types of writers are stuck for the same reason: they don’t know what their characters need to learn. The plot writers, because they didn’t take the time to get to know their characters. And the character writers, because they didn’t leave space for the character to learn something.

Stories are about change. If you haven’t set your character up for change, your story is going to stall out.

If this sounds like you, ask yourself, what is your protagonist wrong about as the story opens? What do they need to learn or realize? What lie or misbelief are they allowing to (mis)guide their choices, and how will the adventure of the story open their eyes?

Reason #3: They’ve hit a plateau in their growth as a writer and another workshop or craft book isn’t going to help.

If you’ve read my post on the Dunning-Krueger effect, you’ll know that often writing follows a dispiriting downward curve, with a newbie writer starting at sky-high levels of confidence because, hey, if Rick Riordan can do it, so can I! Then those confidence levels plummet as the newbie writer starts to realize just how hard this whole book writing business is and just how much they don’t know about how to get their story idea out of their head and onto the page.

If you survived that initial rollercoaster drop and are still writing, imposter syndrome-y thoughts like Why did I think I could write a book? Why didn’t I just take up gardening? might be on repeat in your head, leaving you feeling not super great about your writing prowess. The thing is, while your mind is spinning on all they ways you’re not Rick Riordan, you’re likely missing all the ways in which you have actually gotten better at this whole writing thing.

If you’re stuck mid-draft or in revision, there’s a good chance that you’ve reached a plateau in your growth as a writer. It’s normal – every writer hits plateaus. It’s a good sign.

If this is you, then it’s time for an outside perspective. Someone who can help you see your story from a new angle, which can shake you up and give you fresh insight.

I don’t recommend bringing in writing groups at this point; I think there are too many voices and sometimes a group dynamic kicks in with people being influenced by others’ thoughts, sending a critique session off the rails and leaving the writer more confused and discouraged than before. Instead, I recommend selecting one or two critique partners you know you can trust to read thoroughly and give you kind but honest feedback. Send them your manuscript and a few specific questions that will give them some guidance on what you want them to focus on while leaving them enough space to make their own observations. Then be open to seeing your story through their eyes. When you shift from thinking like a writer to thinking like a reader, you’re whole perspective will shift. Areas of growth will suddenly seem obvious.

This is also a great time to bring in a developmental editor. It’s often story structure and character development that strands writers in Stuck Land, and a developmental editor is trained in these aspects of story. They can help you dig into your manuscript, asses what’s working and what needs development, and build a revision plan that gets you moving forward again.

This is the work that I do with writers everyday, whether it’s through 1:1 coaching or a manuscript evaluation or my new Inside Out Story Blueprint. If you’ve ever wanted to know more about developmental editing and book coaching, I’m always happy to hop on Zoom and chat.

I’ve seen so many lightbulbs go off when writers finally figure out why they’re writing this story, what they’re characters need to learn, and what they still need to learn as writers. And I know firsthand the joy of unlocking your manuscript - I’ve been there. It’s fun, the way you hoped writing would be fun when you first sat down to give this whole storytelling thing a try.

You can get there, too.

Till next time…

Happy writing,

Erin