I’ve been avoiding the manuscript, because I’m somewhere around the 50% part and I’ve been wishy washy about moving forward.
So I just let the characters talk for a while:
“It feels like we’ve been in the middle of this book forever, doing nothing,” Bendtsen said. “Can we just get this slark done and move on to whatever it is we’re going to do?”
“I haven’t decided,” Yuen said. “I’m prepping for her, as you know, but—”
“Screw that. That’s why you make a sharty heroine. Start deciding. You going to let everyone else control your life, your decisions? Nobody wants to read that.” Bendtsen said. He took a spoonful of the cabbage, and shot a look at Yuen.
I might have to change a few words, but it works. Keep the story moving forward, keep up the conflict, don’t let it settle into boredom. Let the characters critique the scene if necessary to keep the author honest. Amusing… but not terribly useful. Anyhoo, we’ll get this done, one way or another. The protag is supposed to start taking control at this point, anyway, so it’s good advice by Bendtsen.
Author Matt Bowes and the Dog's Breakfast 
I go through doldrums with my writing a lot, but then a breeze comes along and I’m on my way again.
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I know why I’m slumping. Doesn’t help much in getting going. But I can do 2000 words a day. Why don’t I?
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Pick any reason from the dozens tossed around ion writer’s block discussions. It boils down to getting started, forcing yourself to make the commitment and stick to it. It’s so easy to find a reason to stop. So hard to get going again.
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Found some good advice on, of all things, a blog about fitness– from a book that essentially says we wait for perfection to hit to start something, and better way is to DO SOMETHING. Anything. Once we’ve started, the ideas start to flow and we can change course and it’s better that way.
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I agree!
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Thank you for sharing these words of encouragement
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Sure. It’s sort of a mixed bag of encouragement, isn’t it?
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That’s exactly what I do when I’m stuck, just let the character talk to each other and see what happens. It’s a brilliant way to write yourself out of a slump even if you can’t use any of it in the book.
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Ah, yes, but the horrors of writing prose that doesn’t make it into the book… it feels so wasteful. Plus, that’s my awesome writing. At least I think so, I know perhaps others may respectfully disagree, but it’s my baby and yanno… don’t want to put any on the cutting room floor.
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I agree, but we have to be ruthless!
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*whimper* Please, not those words. Those words are special.
I’m reminded of South Park – the episode where Stan has a hoarding problem.
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