Meredith Mansfield, Author

I’ve missed two scheduled posts because I didn’t have anything useful to say. I’ve still got writer’s block. I still don’t know why. And that’s got to be even more boring for someone else to read about than it is for me to write.

What might be useful–both to me and to anyone who reads this blog–is finding a way around or through this block.

So far, all I’ve got are things that haven’t worked. Trying to power through on MAGE STORM didn’t work.

Usually, when that happens, it’s because my subconscious has recognized that there’s something wrong and won’t let me go forward until I figure it out and fix it. I have discovered one thing I think is . . . well, not wrong, but . . . off. It hasn’t helped–at least so far.

Trying to work on something else hasn’t worked either. I tried pulling myself forward by starting the next book in MAGE STORM’s series. That didn’t work. I tried starting an entirely different story. That didn’t work either–though in that case I may have been trying to shoe-horn an unripe story into an unsuitable setting. If there’s no fire, no drive at the beginning of a story, odds are it’s just not going to work. I can power through tough scenes or slow places in a first draft. But not the beginning.

So enough of what’s not working. Time to start figuring this out.

Maybe, with luck, that’ll not only help me, but give somebody else who finds themselves in this spot some ideas.

Meantime, I’m going to try to focus on other things I need to do. Some of that reading about marketing I’ve been putting off. Maybe even start that mailing list I keep ducking. Or take a whack at making this website look more professional. Definitely finish up the critiques I’ve got pending. Something useful, anyway.

Next post, looking back. When did I last feel excited about writing and what changed?