Stalemate = Deadlock 

As a writer of cozy mysteries, I’m always on the lookout for anything to do with mayhem, crimes, dastardly deeds or death. Who would have ever thought writing itself would become a dead-lock, or in other words, a dead end? This past year has found me wandering the wasteland of unfound sentences and coming up with less than nothing for a story.           

            It’s been a long twelve months, or so, and I’m not even sure how the stalemate started. But, I’ve learned a few things in the process. Although I’m still struggling to find the right words for this article, I do hope that what I share will in some way encourage those who find themselves at an impasse with their thoughts. That you will come away with a tiny bit of encouragement during the dry times of writing. If I may, I will start with a few musings about what I have learned and then suggestions on possible next steps.

           First, let me begin by saying that I miss my characters. I had grown to love Daisy McFarland and her pet cat, Pillow. Her dream of leaving North Carolina and moving to England to become a mystery writer offers a little bit of myself with each chapter. Having lived in East Anglia for twenty years and now living in North Carolina, I understand her drive to find adventures wherever she goes. Part of me lives in Daisy. 

            Another set of characters in Dying to Eat at the Pub, Jim and Dotty Weathervane existed in a world I knew by heart. It takes place in a renovated pub we called home for nearly nine years. They say write what you know, and I know these folks personally.  We who create heroes and heroines in our stories come to know them and the fictionalized towns we have created. It becomes a connection. So, if you are missing anyone from your past works, I have found going back and reading their antics restores them to life in my mind and heart and bolsters a desire to see them at “play” again. I would suspect if you are facing a dry season, you are missing your favorite players in your work. 

            Secondly, I have learned that as much as I try, I cannot make my characters “do” anything. If inspiration is lacking, then their worlds will have no depth and storylines will come across flat. However, waiting on inspiration isn’t always the answer. Taking a stab at other forms of writing keeps the juices flowing. I had begun my interest in writing by offering short stories or articles to blogs, devotionals and magazines. After being accepted by a few, my confidence grew.

            If you are beginning a stab—another great cozy word—at writing, perhaps start small. As one who is struggling with motivation, I have decided to return to the days of shorter pieces. Thank you, Claire, for offering me this opportunity. Perhaps that might be a better option right now as we wait for the stalemate to pass. 

            Finally, help others. While you linger at your computer and hope the words come, reach out to someone you know needs help with this craft. Two projects that I am working on with a fellow critique partner have helped tremendously in keeping words in the forefront. 

            An eighty-six-year-old woman whom I met at a book/craft fair asked me if I could help her with an idea she had about a story that she’d been struggling to write for five years. She had the manuscript nearly ready, but she needed the encouragement to complete her dream. Along with my critique partner, we have guided this lady to accomplish her heart’s desire. 

            The other project we have been working on is a memoir for a gentleman who lives in the bayous of Louisiana and wants his family to know what his life was like growing up. Dealing with cancer, this man doesn’t know what is in store for his future, but he wants others to remember him and his past. What a joy it has been to help others with the world of words. I wouldn’t change these experiences for anything, and if I hadn’t been facing a deadlock in my mind, I would have missed these opportunities.

             So this is a word of encouragement. If you find yourself wandering the barren wasteland of lost words and sentences, pull out your magnifying glass and deerstalker cap and discover other options whilst you wait. Who knows, a floodgate of ideas just might come flowing back and break the chains of your writer’s block. In the sudden rush of inspiration, you may discover your muse and who the murderer truly is.

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Thank you so much to Beatrice for this interesting article. You can find out more about her writing on her website and a link to her books here.

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