#257. Stuck in Chapter One or the Messy Middle? What Your Stuck Point Reveals

About this episode

The episode discusses the reasons behind getting stuck while writing a novel and how to identify what your story may be missing at those points.

Stuck writing your novel? Wherever your draft stalls out—chapter one, 20,000 words, the messy middle—that spot isn't random. It's a clue that tells you exactly what your story is missing. Almost every writer who gets stuck while drafting a novel assumes the same thing: that hitting a wall means something about them. That they're not disciplined enough, they're not a "real" writer, or they simply don't have what it takes to finish a book. But getting stuck isn't a verdict on you as a writer. I...

People in this episode

Host: Savannah Gilbo

Topics covered

• writing process
• overcoming writer's block
• novel drafting
• story structure
• creative writing tips

Keywords

• writer's block
• novel writing
• chapter one
• messy middle
• story development
• creative writing
• drafting tips

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