I've been struggling with a short story recently, one that I thought was ready to go. But based on a few test reads, I decided to revise it instead. But every revise comes up flat. So I decided to take a step back.
I re-read the story and cut away everything I didn't like before moving forward again. Then I resumed my revision, more slowly this time. Inching my way forward, writing a paragraph or two and them putting it away.
I salvaged a few sections from a previous draft too where they made sense and slept on it.
I did that because I know that if I sleep on something, I usually will have something to writing the following morning. And sure enough, I did. I finally had the answer I was looking for.
Well, not the whole answer but a new direction to explore. I still don't know how it will work out because I put the story away again just before starting this blog entry.
I don't want to rush this. But I have a direction and a few ideas where there were none yesterday.
I don't know if this approach will work for anyone else, but if you are struggling to find a way out of a story you've started, what do you have to lose? Try it.
Keep writing, everyone.
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