Be a cocky little nobody
Writing a novel is akin to solving a Rubik’s Cube. With vaseline on your hands. Underwater. Blindfolded. But it’s also FUN. Sometimes you just need a final push to get you over the line. Perhaps visualization could work. When my daughter struggled with high jump at school she imagined a knife-welding pirate was chasing her. (Violent class).
Here are some tips I often use to get the job done:
Ask yourself – what is the worst thing I can do to this character, then do it.
Download the Freedom app. Sure, you’ll miss out on baby photos and recipes on Facebook, but you’ll get a whole lot more done.
Find the weakest scene in your novel and DELETE IT. Don’t hold back. You’re not a scene collector, you’re an author. Find the next weakest scene. Are you brave enough to REPEAT? Ultimately you are trying to fit a lake into a cup without spilling a drop. Only you will know what was (and wasn’t) left out.
Introduce a new character halfway through who makes things worse.
Short paragraphs are easier for the reader.
Switching between Word and Scrivener helps with perspective.
Enjoy yourself.
If you’re lacking spark or confidence, listen to what Ricky Gervais told Time magazine.
None of that helps? Perhaps imagine a knife-welding pirate is chasing you. Or do what the masters do: drink.
