As a writer, you probably know how frustrating it can be to have an idea for your story, but the minute you sit down, everything feels wrong. You don’t understand how to structure your idea, it feels messy, and the idea goes from amazing to chaotic in the blink of an eye. While this may feel disappointing, there are ways you can organize this process a little more easily. Below, we’ll discuss how to move from idea to structured draft without getting stuck.
Why Do Writers Get Stuck Writing The Draft
It’s not uncommon for thoughts and ideas to flow until you sit down and start writing your draft. The ideas then begin to disappear. The reasoning? It’s because there are no expectations when brainstorming ideas. Not putting pressure on yourself gives you the space to think creatively. There’s something that feels very final and intimidating when it comes to writing a draft that makes writers feel stuck.
Lower The Expectations Of Your First Draft
While it would make the entire process a lot easier if your first draft were flawless, the chances of that happening are nonexistent. That would be great, but unrealistic. The goal of your structured draft is to get all of your ideas and to start bringing the story together. At this stage, you’re not looking for perfection yet. Trying to strive for perfection right now will only add unnecessary stress to your plate and could cause burnout or mental block. Lower your expectations and just let the ideas flow from pen to paper.
Find An Outline Method That Works Best For you
There are no rules that say you need to have a perfect outline. There are multiple ways to create an outline; you just need to find a method that works best for you, such as:
- Question-based outlines
- Bullet points
- Voice notes
- Sticky notes
- Chapter summaries
Start With A Main Idea And Build Your Structured Draft From There
It’s easy for writers to have multiple ideas that aren’t connected, and that’s when things start to get messy. Try to aim for one main idea and build your story around it. Make sure every idea you have always leads to your main idea.
Have A List Of Questions Ready For When You Get Stuck
When you get stuck, it’s hard to get out of that slump. One way that can steer you out of the slump is to have a list of questions at the ready. Asking yourself questions can spark creativity and get the momentum going again. For example, ask yourself:
- What kind of emotion am I trying to provoke from the reader?
- What part of the story am I overthinking?
- Does this part of the story sound natural if I read it out loud?
- What small detail can I add to make this story feel more natural and real?
Set Smaller Goals For Yourself
Have you ever tried to set a goal for yourself, and you got overwhelmed, so you didn’t end up completing it? It’s not uncommon to set high expectations or big goals for yourself. However, you may need to set smaller, more achievable goals to complete them. Instead of thinking “I need to finish this book in one sitting”, set a goal that you need to finish one scene in a sitting. This will take some pressure off of yourself so you don’t get overwhelmed, stressed, or feel stuck.
In Conclusion
In the end, it’s about lowering your expectations and finding organizational methods that work best for you to keep the creativity flowing so you don’t feel stuck.
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