Sometimes we can be too close to our work. We live and breathe these worlds we create and if you’ve ever been stuck in a slump or finding your writing lacking, it could be that you are just in a little too deep.

In these cases, it is best to take a few steps back to get a better perspective. After all, a novel is a large body of work. It needs to be treated as such every now and then. So, while we write in scenes or chapters, we do need to consider the whole.

I am currently at the stage with my newest WIP. It’s been battering around my head for a while and has actually become a morph of two different ideas I’ve now pulled together.

By taking a step back to really look at where I was going with it, the damn thing has opened up nicely.

Taking a step back can sometimes mean a step away. Putting the idea, the WIP down and leaving it for several days or even weeks. Giving your mind time to clear out the fuzz and toss around new ideas.

Our best thoughts come when we give our brains a chance to chew stuff over. This is why those times such as commuting to work or while we’re dozing off, seem to generate great plot points or new characters and ideas.

They give our subconscious time to play with what we’ve given it and come up with something new.

It is why the best writers are often daydreamers.

So, if you are struggling or maybe feeling a little burnout, step back, take a breath and try a little daydreaming.  🙂

Happy writing

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