Disconnect

Hemingway had this problem, even recorded his thought process in one of his non-fiction works. "You have always written before, and you will write again now. All you have to do is write one true sentence."

I've used this many times when I get stuck. Write one true sentence about the plot, a character, the setting, life in general, or something in your story world (like an item in a fantasy story), etc.

If you haven't described your setting enough, try that. If you haven't used a scene or a chapter to follow a particular character, try that.

I'm assuming this is your first draft, so it doesn't matter what you do. You can fix it or delete altogether, but right now it sounds like you just want to resume churning out words again.

Do you have an outline for this MS? If so, take a look at where you left off and mentally prep yourself on how you wanted the rest to pan out. "Oh yeah, this guy is supposed to say something to that guy, and that sets up the next plot point."

I love that particular Hemingway quote and have used that method more than once myself. Write the truest thing you know, and go from there.

It's amazing how well that works, kind of like Draino.

Just write. The best way to get the momentum going again is to make yourself take those steps and move forward. Reread the MS, then give where you left off (or the next scene you know is coming) your best shot. The first few bits may not be the greatest writing, but that's what editing or rewriting is for later. For now, just write. You'll reconnect with your characters and get back on track. It just takes a bit of metaphorical jump-starting.

If I find myself losing momentum, or unable to get into "the zone", I go back and reread some of my favorite scenes from my MS. Maybe just spending a few hours reading your own words will help you get back to that place?

StephanieZie said:

If I find myself losing momentum, or unable to get into "the zone", I go back and reread some of my favorite scenes from my MS.

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I do this as well. Revisiting something that has always had the biggest draw can help break down that disconnect from the work as a whole. It could rekindle whatever kind of drive was behind the writing in the first place.

Agreed. Re-read it, then just write. Even if it is a scene you are not sure you will keep, writing it could lead you to where you do want to go.

Don't let yourself freeze up looking at the pages. I imagine someone somewhere has compared it to being a regular at a gym, loving the exercise, but having had a few weeks of a break. Trying to go back, pushing yourself to exercise again, can feel like you will never get back into it. It can be hard to do it.

But just do it- and you will soon feel back into it, your story. And all the excitement and adrenaline rush for the characters and story, just as in exercising, will come right back to you (presuming it was there before).

You can do it!

4th-ing rereading it.

I typically do that to refresh myself on my writing, the story, and also to do some editing on the way.