The mid-novel blues.

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KikiteNeko

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For my present WIP, I am shooting for a finished word count of 75-80K (possibly 90, but I don't think it'll run that long).

I began this story with all these plot twists and ideas and *gaspshock* revelations to come out later. I wrote thousands of words a week, convinced there would always be enough plot to keep away writer's block.

Now, I'm at 43K, the approximate middle of my novel, and I'm running out of steam. The story is trickling. I'm having a hard time bringing those *gaspshock* revelations forward, and my characters are walking into walls. I do still know where the story is going, and a pretty good idea how it's going to end, but I'm not ready to get there yet. I feel like my characters are just stalling to fill time, and the whole middle of my book will be crapola. It's unfathomable that I have to write about as many words as I've already written.

Anyone else felt this way? What do you do about it?
 
williemeikle

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Thanks for that Gaiman link... It was just what I needed. I've been stuck for a couple of days, and that got me moving again...

Willie
 

Kalyke

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I'm about where you are. I looked up my word count yesterday and found I had far less than I thought I had. I think the problem is doing all the printouts at double space courier I thought I had more than I had. Now I find out, word count wise, I'm only about 1/2 way through the novel. Since this is the rough draft (I don't write a lot of description in the first draft) I might gain another 20K which at 420 per page would be about 46 pages. I can see that. So, I'll keep that aside, knowing that I will go in and add that later at a page here, a page there.
So, I need to do a survey on these unfinished parts and guesstimate how many pages I can get out of each. I get this information by doing a read-through and asking myself if another scene is needed to make the story clearer. I've found some major "gaps" this way.
I also have a fair amount of unfinished scenes, some major. These are scenes where I have only written "skeletal" scenes as reminders to write them later-- writing is faster for me, and it gives me more time to think of what "exactly" I will write there. I'll estimate another 30 pages for missing scenes in rough draft stage. So that is 76 pages accounted for leaving me with 43 pages for the unfinished "climax"--

That will bring the word count to about 100K.

Even then, that is a smallish novel. I may need to rinse and repeat.
 
Phaeal

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If you have enough plot elements, the problem may be that you rushed through them in the headiness of first draft enthusiasm. Read over what you've already written and see if you can slow down the pace, add more detail and richness.

I have the opposite problem -- I ALWAYS write long and have to do major cutting in the second draft. But I think I'd be much more frustrated by not having enough to work with than I am with having an overabundance.

Do look to see where you can add some meaty, tasty bulk and some slower scenes during which the characters (and readers) can relax and reflect and emote. An unrelenting pace is exhausting and monotonous.
 
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