I am stuck. I’m stuck, I’m stuck, I’m stuck. There is a problem that we need to fix in Maggie. I know where I’m going and I have no clue how to get there. I know I’m in trouble because I can’t even clearly articulate what the problem is. I just know that there is a problem. I feel it. It’s this amorphous knot in Chapter 10.
Ugh.
Yesterday after thinking about it way too hard I went into the bedroom and tried to tell Gordon about it. I made no sense and ended up doing an impression of a cat who hides their face in the pillow. Me and Tuna, two peas in a pod.
This is edit #4? 5? I lost count. We edited this so much even before we ever tried to sell it.
I saw a self-labeled hot take on a social network from another author with a long career, who stated that midlist struggles while bestsellers don’t. The idea is that life for bestselling authors is easy, smooth sailing.
We were NYT bestsellers with a book that had $15,000 advance split over the period of 18 months. How much marketing do you think we got, heh?
The creative struggle is the same, the professional anxiety is the same, the self-doubt is the same. The process of bringing idea to publication is the same. It takes the same amount of work as before, probably more, because there are higher expectations. We sell more, but that doesn’t mean that we always get the contracts we want or that the publisher falls over themselves to market our releases. On some books we had a lot of support, on some we had none, and once in a while I could swear the publisher actively attempted to sabotage the release, which is the point you call your agent and say things like, “What the hell is going on over there?”
In reality, no, nobody is sabotaging releases but sometimes the publishing team assigned to the book doesn’t coordinate and things fall like dominoes.
You can be a bestseller, sell 100,000 copies of the book in a year and still be a failure, because you didn’t meet the publisher’s anticipated sales volume. The pressure is crushing and you’re only as good as your last book. Having a long career as a bestselling author means constantly having to either top or reinvent yourself. But I can see how it would seem smooth sailing: bestseller authors avoid complaining in public because our audience expects us to be grateful and anything even remotely critical will be seen as punching down.
Writing is hard work. It’s hard for everyone across the board, the aspiring authors, the debuting authors, the midlist, the bestsellers, the household names. It’s just hard.
I watched this really interesting anime called So I’m a Spider, So What? This girl ends up in a fantasy world reincarnated as a spider. If you’re in the market for a unique anime, this is it. They do such interesting things with layered plot lines. The spider is absolutely hilarious and super cute.
It’s dubbed on Crunchyroll and the English voice acting is excellent, but I couldn’t find a clip of it so here is the sub version.
Poor Hiro. Every time she wins, a greater challenge comes along and she ends up with her butt literally on fire. One time only a head was left but she survived. She does not quit. I need the second season.
So if you’re sitting there today, frustrated, remember, we do not quit even when our butts are on fire.
Phew.
Okay. Once more into the breach. Maybe if I write this down in very simple terms, I can figure out how to fix it.
I’ve never been first…maybe this time?
Certified 🥇!
I shall send a picture of my certification to my daughter and then tell my husband to buy a lottery ticket!
Maybe don’t think of it as being stuck, but consider it a challenge to reframe the thread from another point of view or perspective. If you were, say, blocking this out as a live stage on scene, and had everyone standing around, what would that look like? How would you guide the actors around, what entrance/exit, how would you instruct the movements etc? What tool or random bit of luck/fate/karma might enter the story at this point to throw everything into chaos in a different direction. Sometimes it’s not the character that’s stuck and not the creative mind, but another idea that’s percolating somewhere beneath all the other layers that’s waiting for just the right moment to spark attention to a new avenue.
Hi Illona,
Solution to your problem, maybe… Get something to eat and do something monotonous while reviewing the emotion, motivation, and character development of chapter 10 in your head. Boring stuff works to focus me. I need three things going on at once to accomplish 1 thing. Hope it helps because I love your writing. 🙂
I love the honesty we always get in this blog.
It’s refreshing and inspiring.
Thank you.
I feel your “stuckness”. I teach 3rd grade. We’re in the 9th week of school and the class has not come together like usually happens. Everything takes too long: transitions, taking notes, reading passages, etc. I have a handful of students who come with a lot of baggage and their behaviors over-influence the class. We can’t get through our work. We all end up frustrated and irritable. It’s not working, so what to do. I’m puzzling over a few different possibilities, even doing a pretend “return to the first day of school” to see if giving us a do-over would help.
I feel you. This is where year-round school schedules can really save your sanity. I had a terrible 4th grade class that lost recess and lunch recess every day (with the exception of 3 individuals) because they just couldn’t get it together. Being “consistent” almost killed me because I needed the recess breaks more than they did, but just when I was about to cave, we went on a 6-week break.
When they came back, they were so well behaved it was like a different class, and whenever someone started to act out, someone would whisper yell, “Be quiet! Don’t make us lose recess!” If you could even get a 1 week break and treat it like a reset, hopefully most your kids would fall in line and ignore the instigators. Sending you much energy and inspiration!
Thank you for your understanding words. It’s hard when you get up tired, spend the day tired, and go to bed tired. Thanksgiving break can’t come soon enough.
Sorry the book isn’t cooperating. As you say, writing is hard. It’s work — not just staring off into the middle distance for a few minutes before the words begin to flow — as film would have us believe.
I usually try yelling at my writing. I’m sure you’ve tried this as well. It hasn’t worked for me . . . yet. I remain hopeful and refuse to give it up as a solution. Like Don Music from (the back in the day) Seseame Street. “No, no, no! That’s not the way it goes!”
This is where I’d love to put something insightful and helpful for the struggle, but the struggle is real and hard and sometimes there isn’t enough chocolate and why is through the only way out and * waves hands *.
Thanks, for sharing. It’s easy for us to forget how much work y’all put into all the things.
ha! I laughed out loud! I yell “no!” at my computer all the time. it doesn’t listen either, but it does allow me to send very politely but firmly worded emails to appropriate parties afterward😁
When your computer is misbehaving, try “Programmable toaster ovens! Do you hear me? Programmable toaster ovens!” It worked beautifully on one work computer I had for several years.
Yes, I’m a Bloom County fan. How could you tell?
Second
Guess not
Sorry for your problems, I would get overwhelmed at work and it seemed to overtake my waking and sleeping self. I felt tired, cranky and mad. So I did something mindless, gardening, long walks anything not work. Change your space, your schedule to get out of your head. So easy to say, hard to do. Unfortunately you are the problem. Peace
I have no amazing insights to offer. I cannot even imagine the pressure cooker and trying to be creative in such an environment.
I will just say, it sounds rough and I send you good vibes for creative solutions!
Thanks for doing your best so we can read the best!
Also sending good vibes, I’m really not a creative person so I can feel your struggle!
Hope you get the solution quickly!
I have 6 versions of Maggie, so…I’m afraid this might be edit 7?
Not sure that counts as helping 🫣😉
You’re right 😅. But if they’ve managed it 6 times, it bodes well for the 7th!
Your text doesn’t really across as smug or anything, but all I see is “neener neener neener, I’ve ready Maggie and you haven’t”.
It’s good to be ModR. 😉
#donthatemecauseImmoderating 🤣
My best Johnny Bravo impersonation
I was about to suggest opening it up to some of the BDH (MEMEMEME!) as I’m sure (yeah, right) we could help (crosses fingers behind back)…
ohh mamma
Numerology FTW!
Lucky #7!
Also this depends on how you count the edits . . . is it version 1, 2, 3, etc. Or 1.1, 1.2, 1.3. 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 3.141592653589793238462643383279.
Yes 😂. Tbh, now that I look at it I think at least a couple versions are just me having a short part of it!
So as you were, back to 4-5!
3.141592653589793238462643383279
When you reealllyyy don’t want to roll over to edit #4.
Lol. Always love a good math joke.
Saw a comic strip yesterday where poor Pi was having to enter his name into a website: 3.141592653589793238462643383279
Hang in there! You’ll crack it eventually! All the positive cheering here!
Well, for what it is worth, I can’t say from experience for this kind of writing problem, but in graphic design I will say that my most useful solution has been to go back two or three steps from the problem. Because I often find that the big issue “here” was caused by a small, seemingly insignificant problem I introduced back “there”.
I learned this technique first in computer programming and math, but have found that it applies everywhere: cooking, sewing, knitting, gardening, etc.
My thought as well. She’s having a hard time fixing the problem because the problem didn’t originate in that chapter of the story. She has to start looking for the seeds of the plot issue in earlier chapters.
Maggie is, quite literally, built differently. Generally this approach works, she’s not general though 😅
If Maggie isn’t general, maybe she’s a sergeant?
***Sneaking out of here while the boo-hisses come out of the BDH.*** 😀
Admiralty 🤣
You needed a good laugh, Mod R. 😁
Can you draw a picture or explain it as you would to a cat? and its so frustrating to be stuck with writing
I feel for you. With the 3rd draft of my current Work in Progress, I got stuck for a solid MONTH on chapter one.
I’m sorry your butt is on fire. Stop, drop, and roll. A wool blanket works best because wool doesn’t burn easily. Not sure it will help with the writing though, unless it encourages you to nap, which allows you to dream the solution (this does happen sometimes).
I needed this today. not as a writer but in that everything worth it can be difficult thank you
I’m sorry you are stuck but thank you for the reminder that we all struggle with different things in our lives
Figuring out how to keep moving forward can be a challenge at times but I also believe in not giving up.
Butts on fire should just propel us forward! 😂
Many hugs and much love to you both. Give yourself some grace, tea, and desserts as needed.
This audience member does not expect you to be grateful that I buy and read your books.
I want you to be happy.
I realize, as well, you are critical of your own work. I can’t say “don’t do that”; you are who you are. That makes your books great.
Yes. This! Sing it sister – everything about writing, except for a reader telling you how much they loved the book – is hard. H.A.R.D. Sending you virtual patience, peace, and a chunk of magical inspiration. Being stuck is so frustrating – hang in there.
* Channeling Edna Mode (but a tad more sympathetically) *
“Go. Confront the problem! Fight! Win! And then call me when you get back, darling. I enjoy our visits.”
No capes! 🤣
Completely bulletproof…
And machine washable darling!
That’s a new feature.
No capes! this whole post is vibing with my work today, and i am an engineer. one of my mottos is “No capes!” – they’re bad for work/life balance, darling.
Yes. To all this.
Well that sucks! I am so sorry! Sending out thoughts of yummy tea, tasty nosh, fluffy blankie nap! Work is hard! No matter what you do and how much you love it! Work is hard in some or multiple aspects. I think it is supposed to be to a degree. I wish I could just fix it for you but that never seems to be the good option lol!
+1
When this happens to me, I take a break. A mindful hike, paying attention to the world around me, or, at least, to what the dog is interested in.
Oy vey! Encouraging words don’t seem to be in my skill-set. I’ll just say I’m sure you’ll get it done, and right.
I love “So, I’m a Spider, So What?” It is a fantastic anime. There are books available on Kindle if you can’t wait for the second season.
I am not creative, nor a writer. I am a tad bit ocd so when I have a problem I have to break it into parts, sometimes with visual aids. I’ve used post-it notes, index cards, and graphing paper with little cut out pieces of paper (couldn’t visualize how furniture would fit in room). Right now I’m picturing you having your family, pets included, acting out chapter 10 to help explain what the problem is. Won’t help you a bit, but I am enjoying employing my one bit of creativity to amuse myself.
Hey the cut out furniture/graph paper is a legit design technique. I use it whenever I’m moving or rearranging and you just came up with that out of your creative brain, good for you! I love the idea of acting it out. Could maybe someone film that and sneak it me, pretty please!!
Thank you so much for all your hard work!
Your writing is inspiring and meaningful!
We will be glad to read, whatever you write.
Suggestions for writers block:
– long hot shower
– walk in garden, feeling nature
– cooking
– cuddling pets
try writing it backward, “If I end up here what was the last thing that happened” rinse and repeat until like the little kid from the family circus comic you end up where you want to go (or come from in your world”
My husband and some love the spider and blob anime! It seems cute.
Im sorry this is a stuck moment. Take a breath, a break, a drink, or a walk; whatever you need to find the space for your brain to be free.
Wishing you wd-40, an epiphany, or unstuckness.
Good luck with that. It’s above 70 today so staining some 2x4s for the porch and, if I have time, stripping the bad paint off two handrails to stain them too. Temps are dropping!
Good luck getting unstuck. Maybe the Horde could help with getting you unstuck? Another set (or a lot of sets) of eyes may help. However, as everyone knows, the Horde does have opinions on everything. 😉
One thing that can help with creative stuckness is directed dreaming. A lot of our creativity comes from the subconscious anyway, so why not ask it for help? The way this works is when you go to bed, lie there and think about your plot issue until you drift off. Whatever you are last thinking about before sleep, that’s what your subconscious will grab onto, and when you wake up in the morning the solution will pop into your mind. I swear, it works!
The hoard is sorry. The hoard will love whatever your write. The hoard appreciates you always giving us your very best. Thank you for caring enough to torture yourself.
There is a light novel the anime is based on, and it’s a good four or five seasons in, it’s really incredible.
I read the novel as well, awesome.
Sending good thoughts your way 😊
Most people think I’m an optimist- I’m not! I’m a pessimist through and through. That said, cookies always help!
And remember, even when the powers that be have a deadline for you to fix stuff, the BDH would take it “as is” because we love you. We may have just started off loving your books, but thanks to the magic of Facebook, we get a glimpse into your lives and we love YOU. Put it in the bin and start back at version two, take the night off and knit and eat cookies, cuddle with Tuna and hide from the world, do what you need to do 🙂 Maggie will take whatever edits you give her and be happy.
Being a creative for a living is hard no matter what field it is. There are always a butt load of challenges commercially on top of the crushing weight of creating something out of nothing. Sometimes it’s easy to give the ideas life, annnd something it’s a struggle to manifest simple one idea, let alone a whole slew on a deadline.
Sending out some good energies to combat those creative blocks
There’s a great youtube of the Duke Women’s basketball coach talking about “it never gets easier. You just learn to handle hard better.” Basically – make that your goal. I dislike the logic (LOL), but its sound.
I am currently in a job at work (director level) and I am questioning whether I am even qualified or good at this job.
Your post – very timely. Thank you!
assuming you’re female based on the Suzi handle. did you know that women on average tend to think they need to fit more of the qualifications on a job ad than men? (did you know those lists are wish lists to a certain extent?)
remember that if we are in growth mode for our career every opportunity should be like a repotting – there should be room for our roots to expand. we learn and grow our best a step outside our comfort zone (not ten steps though!) it’s okay to feel comfortable and well situated in a position, but recognize that if you’re not pushing your comfort level you’re not going to grow your best 😀
“So if you’re sitting there today, frustrated, remember, we do not quit even when our butts are on fire.”
Aw, geez, I think I’m gonna have to drop everything, cross-stitch this on a sampler, and wear it on my face. That’s where I need it and that’s probably the safest place for it since my embroidery floss is not flame-retardant.
I just read a very straight and excellent comment from Karen Marie Moning. She didn’t make the Best Seller lists with her new series and explained some ins and outs. It was an excellent nuts and bolts post, and appreciated. When did you start writing the Chapter? Before or after your bout with Covid? Can Jeanine Frost give you an outside opinion? One of your kids? Can you step back and work further up and see if the answer is there? BTW, do you have a large pot?
I’m continually impressed with how much you seem to do daily!!! Edit a book, watch some anime, knit a sweater, take care of cute animals… do you ever sleep Ilona?
Sends you bunches of the hugs it sounds like you need right now.
I believe in you!
I’ve been stuck since Feb. I have the 1st act. I have the 3rd act. the middle is 6 paragraphs of sheer boredom. it’s so boring I have 2/3 of the next book done but the middle is unknown. and I’m doing scenes for the next book. I hate the middle. i describe it as ” they’re walking, they’re walking, A BATTLE! and …. they’re walking again.”
I sympathize. strongly.
if I ever figure out how to get the party from meeting to finale without the boring parts I’ll be so happy. I have a postit on my computer screen that says “write it badly” because surely I can fix it in edits. If I could just freaking write it out
Ok, what is the first thing one does when stuck? I’m not going to say anything you don’t already know, but sometimes you have to start at the end and work backwards? This is the outcome, is the what you expected? What was the expected outcome. Now work backwards. This should lead you to the knot, the you untangle 1 thread at a time. (I do troubleshooting for a living. I have to do this every day.) you can also walk away, read, take a walk…and you can look with fresh eyes!
writing us just like any other job that relays on fans like singers or artists. I live just south of Nashville so I know how very few musicians can top the charts. I’m sorry that your having such a hard time maybe take a break for an evening and Binge Apocathery Diaries then Binge read all 12 light novels…. one of my husband’s favorite things is reading the titles of animes. so funny. if that doesn’t work scream at your characters anD make them.tell you whats wonky.
I don’t look at it as complaining. Instead, I think that you are processing your emotions here with us, your loyal readers who are here for you to process whatever you like. You feel the pressure, so that we don’t have to. we will listen for days! No worries.
“We do not quit, even when our butts are on fire” is now going to by my new personal mantra right along with “we can do hard things.”
Thank you for this, and I hope the ideas are flowing better for you.
Perfect moral tee shirt quotes
After a few times reading Ilona’s quote, why does it sound like something a Marine (or any military) drill sergeant would say? Only change ‘butts’ to a different word, and I think we have it. 😀
I can hear Keelan saying something like this too. I’m re-reading Magic Claims (aka Clams) right now.
Have you tried checking the air in the tires? That’s what I ask myself when I’m stuck.
During a seminar on creativity, the speaker stated that the average 4year old scored around 90% in creative thinking because they had not learned all the “that won’t work” rules. He suggested, metaphorically, that the next time we couldn’t get the car to start we should try checking the air in the tires.
Good luck and thank you for all your hard work .
I’m sorry about the struggle. I think we all know those moments of frustration when things just aren’t clicking.
Now that a cool front has moved in to Texas and it’s no longer 99 freaking degrees in October, perhaps a walk? Sometimes it comes while I’m moving, and sometimes I dream it. Maybe let your subconscious out to play however it works for you.
We are all excited about Maggie, but I get that the pressure has to be enormous.
After reading the comments, I’ve decided that the BDH is like a bossy big sister. Giving advice to “fix” your issue, or, best of all, hugging you and telling you you’re the best and will find a way.
I’m sending the hug and knowledge that you will find a way.
lol I was thinking the same about the bosy big sister bit 🤣🤣 I think all the comments are out of love of course, and most humans have an innate desire to be helpful .. but to me some also come across a tadddd bit patronizing when Ilona is being wonderful for sharing what’s going on in their lives – their struggles included!
I have no advice, only that I know I’m going to be one of the first to read Maggie when it’s released and I know I’m going to love it because I love everything they write and I’m already emotionally attached! 😁
I’ve been trying to reword a professional email for the last hour, and using the rubber ducky technique has failed me. can’t imagine how much worse it is to deal with a frustrating knot like that and i hope your either able to carefully un-knot it or else snip away the offending snaggle and get it all seamless (or mostly so) in!
you’ve got this, i recommend a snack of choice and mindless random video game for an hour to give yourself a brain break.
read through it, remove all “I”s and “you”s. replace with “the project” or “the item” and flip flop the verb tenses to match. change any contentious events to passive tense. refute any incorrect statements in previous emails with “a correction to the previous email – this was the event, see attached email for record of original conversation/photo of notes from meeting” etc.
Basically, make it impersonal as all get out. it’s about some inanimate thing or concept and not you as an individual so remove yourself from the equation.
great suggestions, thanks!
you already have the tools and skills. you’ll figure it out. i say this as someone in a completely different field who has whined about many stupid broken models.
Remember to celebrate your victory when you work it out!
I agree with those who suggest letting your subconscious work on it overnight and I have also found that making methodical lists of all options or points helps to get your mind out of that tailspin.Doing something different which requires all your concentration also helps as does fresh air and exercise.I am in my 70s ,not an author or anything creative but have experienced that state of mind at many times over the years.
The last time you couldn’t figure your way out of a plot difficulty, something distracted you for about a week. I don’t recall what, but I remember thinking that it was more than important enough to ignore your writing for however long it took. And when you came back to us, you said you went over what you had to fix and the solution had been staring you in the face the whole time.
I hope something similar happens this time, though considering what you’ve been through over the past few years, maybe not TOO similar.
sending big hugs. What ever the problem, we believe in you. I can’t wait to read / meet ‘Maggie’. <3