Writing Blog Number 2

20240627 Motivation In The Middle

Motivation In The Middle

The final question from the initial run!
How to stay motivated through the muddy middle

Okay, this was a hard one for me, because I don’t have this issue, and the email I sent out indicated only one of the authors did.
         So I have reached further afield, and went to the 2 writing servers on Discord I am a member of. There, it seemed it was not a large problem amongst those who are on there, but for those who do identify, it seems to be a large mental hurdle. And then I looked online and found that it is not widespread, but common enough for a heap of old blog articles to address it.
         I thought, by the way, this would be a pantser problem, where pantsers just run out of steam or go off on a tangent they can’t get back from, but, no, it also hassles those with intricate plotting techniques.
         So, what are we looking at here?


Stuck In The Middle
The “Middle” of the story is that period after the set-up and initial complication, but before the climax and final denouement. It is where we get set-backs, side-challenges and things like that. So why do some writers get stuck here?
         Based on my online discussions and some research there seems to be four reasons:
                   1) Boredom. Yes, seriously – the writer, even with a plan, gets bored with their story because they just want to get to the exciting bits at the end.
                   2) Confusion. The writer has trouble seeing where they are now is going to lead to where they want to go. Planners tend not to be confused, but sometimes they do because now the plan doesn’t do what they want it to do.
                   3) Apathy. The story has been with the writer so long that they no longer care about it. This could indicate a variety of other issues, but a general feeling of not caring because you know the ins and outs of the tale is a very real issue. A classic example of familiarity breeds contempt.
                   4) External factors. This is when a writer is drawn by life outside of the story so much that writing through the middle of the story holds no appeal or there does not seem to be time. Interestingly, from my research, this rarely happens when a writer is at the beginning or end of a project.


What To Do
So, this was interesting to research and it all boils down to two simple suggestions from a wide variety of websites, authors and online discussions.
         Well, three, but I am not one to tell a writer to abandon the project. Seriously, the amount of writing sites and writers who said that if you get bogged down in the middle you should just give up completely and go on to something else was incredible.
         So, first is to put it aside for a decent length of time. If you are a plotter, then your notes will be there for you to come back to and resume where you left off. If you are a pantser, then write a few quick notes to remind you where you were going. But let it go for a long while. In fact, the general consensus is to write something else in the meantime, and this should be nothing to do with what you are having trouble with. In fact, at least one guide said write a completely different sort of thing. Try a different genre, or if you’re struggling with a novel, write an essay, or a series of poems, or the like – just separate yourself from the work. This can help with boredom, confusion and apathy.
         Second suggestion is go to the ending and write the climax and denouement. Work backwards from there. You might find yourself then darting to where you became bogged down and adding there, and going back and forth from end to middle until they meet up. On the other hand, two of the authors’ blogs said they often get to the middle where they are bogged and find they’ve done something in the story that will not lead to where they want to go, and so they can make changes earlier. This can help with confusion and boredom.


What About Other Suggestions?
These are from me and how I see things, so take them with a grain of salt.
         First is that the writer might have chosen the wrong format for their story idea. What this means is they are trying to write what would be a great short story as a novel, or a solid novel idea as a 10-part epic fantasy. This is where my suggestion from a blog post months ago comes in – do not write your story with a set length in mind. Just write the story and let the ideas you have decide its length. Easy for me to say, sure, but it is the only way to be true to your own creativity.
         Another one from my head is that there might be an element of writer’s malaise. Well, I’ve written rather extensively about that, and it can be found… Here! "20240517 Combatting Writer's Malaise" 
         Finally, what about those external factors? This is where you, as a writer, need to make a choice. Where does your writing (or any other art) come in your life? If you feel strongly, then set yourself time every day, and tell everyone that you are doing this, for your art, and do not let anything interfere.
         Here’s a personal tale: An example I dealt with was my kids trying to get my attention, even though the partner was around. I told them what I was doing was important, but they didn’t seem to get it, so I sat one on my lap and the other beside me and continued to type. After the third time I did this, the older started to type on my laptop (I was using a PC); the next day, the younger was trying to write on paper (she hadn’t learnt to read or write yet). My son still writes; my daughter is a visual artist. I modelled a behaviour that they quickly adopted.


So, while I’m not sure I really helped, I think that covers the muddy middle.
         And that ends the questions from the WdCers.
         But, as always, I am open to more queries if they are delivered to me.