I was recently asked whether it’s more difficult to write the beginning or the ending of a novel. My answer? Neither. The most difficult part of a novel to write is the middle—popularly known as the “muddy middle,” or just the “muddle.” When you’re writing the beginning of your novel, your words tend to flow to the glowing enchantment of your novel idea—a momentum sparked by the excitement of pursuing a shiny new idea and exploring new worlds. Then, one day, you’re likely to hit a slow patch, and then another slow patch, and then … you might find yourself stuck—and perhaps even sinking.
PS I'm sincere--I realize the tone of my comment might come off as sarcastic--but no, I really like that strategy. I write memoir and I think it works for a smaller stand-alone piece as well as a larger work. So, thank you for that tip.
But I love shiny objects and I want my whole life to be full of them all the time and never ending...I don't want to slog, haha! Good observation AND good solutions.
Great tips. I'm familiar with number two. I wrote my third novel in pieces, just wrote scenes as they came to me and put them together in the next draft.
PS I'm sincere--I realize the tone of my comment might come off as sarcastic--but no, I really like that strategy. I write memoir and I think it works for a smaller stand-alone piece as well as a larger work. So, thank you for that tip.
Great strategy: skip to another section if you're stuck. Thanks.
But I love shiny objects and I want my whole life to be full of them all the time and never ending...I don't want to slog, haha! Good observation AND good solutions.
Great tips. I'm familiar with number two. I wrote my third novel in pieces, just wrote scenes as they came to me and put them together in the next draft.