Bouncing Back From A Writing Setback And Getting Unstuck

Things don't always go according to plan when you're a writer.

Characters act out of character or take you far beyond the plot you laid out for them. The words don't always come. You stumble into plot holes, not knowing how to climb out. Your betas or editor might strongly suggest cutting something you love so dearly. And of course, there's the dreaded rejection letter.

So, then? What is a writer to do?

Bouncing back from a writing setback is an important, if not essential, skill to develop. Even the best-laid plans can go awry. Sometimes, that works out. Other times, it leaves us pulling our hair out.

If you're feeling frustrated with your writing or are grappling with a disappointing outcome, here are some tips for bouncing back.

Remember That This Is Normal

I feel like a lot of writers go in thinking that it's an easy-breezy process. I know I did!

I wasn't anywhere near aware of how much work goes into writing and publishing a book, how much more there is to do beyond the writing itself (which I've got an entire post on here), and how long everything really takes.

When those first couple of setbacks happened, I was honestly taken aback because, surely, it happened to other writers but not me, right? Those other writers were doing it all wrong, and that's why things weren't working out for them.

Oh, dear, sweet juvenile hubris, how I miss thee...

Setbacks are an inevitable part of the writing process. That sucks. But it's normal. They happen to every writer at one time or another. You're not alone in your dejection, frustration, mental fatigue, or any other feeling you might be experiencing.

Understanding that is the first step in bouncing back.

Take a Step Back

Oftentimes, we can't see the forest through the trees.

When you've been staring at the screen for too long, it can be hard to figure out the next steps. It's that feeling of filling in a plot hole, only to realize that the dirt you're digging up to fill it is creating another hole to fill. That's not to say the effort you've been making to sort out the problem was for naught because, usually for me, the additional problems that crop up as you're trying to resolve the one were there all along and are only now surfacing because you're picking your WIP apart. But it can definitely add another strain to an already vexed brain.

Stepping back from your writing and shifting your attention to something else can help clear your mind and refocus. That's why it's good to have a hobby outside of writing, whether it's another creative pursuit or something else entirely. It's also part of why I don't see myself leaving my day job to write full-time.

Go for a walk. Take a shower. Watch an episode of that new show everybody is raving about. Try a new mocktail. Find a way to hit pause on your writing, even if only for a brief time.

Work On Something Else

It sounds counterintuitive to be working on two projects at once, but I find it helps to have that change of pace.

These days, I have two WIPs I'm drafting (a historical romance and a contemporary romance)—which I told myself I wasn't going to do this year, but here we are. Because these WIPs are so different in genre and style, having the ability to hop between them has kept me from feeling like I'm in a rut; I actually began the contemporary romance WIP because I was feeling like I was in a writing rut with the historical romance! And, like I'll touch more on in a sec, my method for writing these stories differs, since the historical project has been a mainly handwritten draft, whereas I've ended up going digital with the contemporary WIP. The latter is also the first time I've written fiction in first-person, present-tense since college.

Even before the contemporary project was a thing, I had a habit of shifting between drafting one WIP and editing another, along with working on blog posts when I needed a shorter mental break.

Juggling projects like this might not be the best approach for every writer, but it may be worth trying for yourself.

Switch It Up

For 95% of my writing journey, I've preferred handwritten drafts. My first-ever attempt at writing a novel was on loose-leaf paper in a three-ring binder because I didn't have my own computer (and wouldn't until about a week before leaving for my first semester of college), but it's remained my preferred method for writing after all this time.

But I am far from immune to that feeling of staring at your writing for too long. The longer I've been working on a scene, or the longer I've been away from it, the harder it can be to jump-start my writing and feel like I've made decent progress.

So when that happens (and I'm not in the mood or able to shift to a completely different project in that moment), I like to switch up how I'm writing. That might mean going from a handwritten draft to a digital one or vice versa.

For a digital draft, try changing the font you're writing in or the text color; there's a reason using Comic Sans is a popular editing hack! Similarly, for a handwritten draft, you could change your writing implement of choice, like breaking out the sparkly gel pens if you've been sticking to a standard black ink ballpoint.

Switching up how you're writing puts things into a new perspective, and that can make it easier to get back into the swing of things.

Venture Out And About

There are many unexpected benefits I've found in writing on the go, one of which is having that change of scenery.

As much as I dream of my perfectly curated writing space, I also know that I start to feel like I'm stagnating if I'm writing in one place for too long. Everything feels slower.

Writing in different spots, whether that's moving to a different place in the same room or venturing out to your local library, helps refresh things.

Public spaces can also create this sense of chill peer pressure, so to speak. You're there with a purpose. The other patrons hanging out in the food court probably, definitely won't know you're working on a book, but their presence may compel you to hunker down and make progress because they can theoretically see you're working on something. Sometimes, it also provides a time crunch, knowing you only have a limited time in that space before you feel like you're loitering.

I would be over the moon if the casino mall I work in would open up a dang bookstore and/or coffee shop that had actual seating areas. But for now, I have plenty of unconventional corners that work as decent enough writing nooks before my shift. It may not be the most convenient or comfortable arrangement, but it does make me feel a tad more productive.

Send It To A Friend

Sometimes, the best thing you can do is pass your work on to a trusted friend or beta reader for their feedback. We writers tend to get too close to and too deep into our stories. When you hit a roadblock that you can't figure out how to work around, it's often a good idea to get a fresh perspective from fresh eyes that aren't yours.

Forest through the trees, remember?

Input from someone outside of your story can highlight what's working and where to take things next. Even the most casual chats with my writing group have helped revive my motivation after a setback, and having them as a sounding board is invaluable; I also have a few coworkers who are willing to lend an ear (or at least be a brick wall to bounce ideas off).

Having a supportive circle, whether you're in need of a WIP critique or just need to commiserate, is essential.

There are certain bridges that you need to cross once you've realized you're a writer. Setbacks often feel like ones made of rickety planks and fraying rope suspended over a ravine. But once you've overcome them, you look back and realize they were just cute little stone bridges over a babbling brook.

Not only will you have that knowledge to help you cross the next hurdle, but you'll also have the knowledge that you've overcome past setbacks and can surely handle whatever life throws at you next.

What writing setbacks have you navigated lately? Share your experiences in the comments and leave tips or an encouraging word for fellow writers facing the same challenges.