Writer's Block? Where did I go wrong?

I told you all about my new work in progress, Crime & Passion, a few weeks ago. After all my bragging on how much fun I'm having writing this book, how easy the words are flowing from my brain to my fingertips, suddenly that all dried up. I struggled to write two chapters the weekend of the 6th. Even though they felt wrong, I soldiered through, hoping somehow it would start to feel right on its own. 

No dice.  I spent an entire week not writing anything.  I tried all my usual tricks: staring at a blank page, doing housework without any music, listening to classical music while thinking of absolutely nothing (this one doesn't always work for me because I actually like classical music, so it can make my muse happy), long showers, lying in bed trying to think about my characters before falling asleep, counting to ten in my head over and over again - come on Muse, get bored enough to talk to me! Nadda, nothing, zip, zilch. 

I've attempted to write Crime & Passion in a different manner than I wrote Always & Forever.  With A&F, I didn't find critique partners until late in the game. So, when I came across a problem in A&F, I would exchange emails with one of my fabulous crit buddies, they would help hammer out the details, and I would change the manuscript then and there, racing to make changes in the remainder of the MS before my critique partners read any of the chapters that followed the problem.  This method worked well for me, but it meant a lot of editing, not to mention all the other edits I did once working with my editor. 

Several of my friends suggested a different approach for C&P. The method that works for many of them is to write the entire first draft without making any changes. Then, they go through their MS using suggestions from their crit partners to pound their story into shape. They suggested I try this. Since several of the classes I've taken suggest when you need a plot change you simply write a note in the area that needs fixed and then continue writing as though the problem is fixed, I agreed this was likely a good idea.

I'm trying. Lord how I'm trying to follow this advice, even though I itch to go fix problems as my partners find them (I have to admit a few times I've made notes, but then gone back and fixed the problem instead of letting the note stay). So, here I sit with my muse sticking her fingers in her ears and making raspberry sounds every time I try to write. I forced my way through one more chapter. Totally wrong! What happened to my joyful, effortless, loving the heck out of what I'm doing novel writing?

I'd finally had it. At my wit's end, I took a deep breath and tried to remember which part in the MS had last felt effortless. Then, I went back four extra chapters. I took all the critiques I had received and put on my thinking cap. Line by line, I went through each chapter, fixing mistakes my partners noticed, rewording things I didn't like. I might not have been able to write, but I slipped into editing easy-peasy. Five chapters down and no major errors, everything felt good. 

Then, suddenly, two little lines. 

My muse whispered, "I thought you had a different plan for him. What is that doing there?"

"Really? This little throwaway dialogue is what pissed you off?" I ask. "It's a little bit of nothing that doesn't even matter."

I swear to you she laughed. 

I took that line out, reworking it into what she wanted to see. BAM! She poured out what will happen in the rest of the book faster then I could keep up. I'm not worried though. I fixed her problem and I know she'll keep talking to me now. The ideas will all still be there when I'm ready for them.

The bad news? The three chapters I forced myself to write have had to be totally revamped. In fact, the last one was totally deleted. So, even though pushing through all the way on your first draft might be a good choice in most cases, if you find yourself stuck, perhaps you put a little nothing line in there that actually throws off your entire novel.

No matter how much I try to tell myself I'm the one in control, my muse is in the driver's seat and she is very, very picky!

Happy writing, my friends! I hope you are having a fabulous week!

eeeChantelfff