Yesterday I reached the half-way point in the novel I’m writing. I figured that called for a celebration, so I went out to lunch with my sister-in-law. Now I confess that I’m a “seat of the pants” author who doesn’t lay out her plots ahead of time but who makes up the story as she goes along. So how do I know that I’m half finished? Simple. I know how many typewritten pages my last dozen novels were, so I calculated the average number of pages per book and divided it in half. Mathematically, I’ve now reached the half-way point—230 pages.
Never mind that I still don’t have a title for this book. And never mind that one of my characters has a heart-wrenching choice to make and I have no idea what she’ll decide. Or that another character has just agreed to marry a man she doesn’t love and I can’t talk her out of it. Never mind that I’ve killed off five of my favorite characters in various tragic ways (but for very necessary reasons), leaving me with a saddened and sorrowfully depleted cast to finish the story. I still thought it was appropriate to pause and celebrate the mythical, magical, mathematical half-way point.
An interesting phenomenon happens to me (and to other writers, so I’ve heard) when we reach the middle of a book. Like marathon runners, we sometimes “hit the wall.” We run out of steam. We lose momentum. The race has begun to feel like work and we want to play. When this happens to me, my mind starts spinning plot ideas for the next novel and the one after that instead of plodding forward with my current plot. I get excited about meeting new characters, and I long to ditch the indecisive, needy ones I already have. They’ve become a bunch of malcontents, whining about the plot twists that entangle them, and growing petulant and uncooperative. I’ve threatened to kill off a few more of them if they don’t cooperate but it’s a bluff. I can’t risk running out of people before I run out of pages.
My board of characters
But all these wonderful, new characters! Ah! They’re dancing through my mind like the cast of a Broadway musical, bursting with laughter and fun and intrigue. “Come out and play,” they sing. Who cares about that woman who’s about to marry the wrong man? It serves her right if she ruins her life. And the indecisive one? Tell her to toss a coin and get it over with. There’s a new story to be written, a new game to play.
Some writers say it’s best to go where your creativity leads and lay aside the half-finished book. Take time to develop all these great, new people and ideas while they’re fresh in your mind. Believe me, it’s tempting. But I know what will happen if I do. Sooner or later I’ll reach the half-way point in that book, and my once-energetic characters will start to slow down and sag and whine just like the last bunch. They’ll refuse to come out and play. The Broadway musical will close down. Meanwhile, I’ll have a deadline that has to be met. I need to type “The End” at the end of my half-finished book on January 15—a mere six months from now.
So I’ll enjoy my leisurely lunch—and then I’ll encourage myself to get back to work with these words: “Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:58).
Come on, all you shiftless, lethargic characters! On your feet! On with the show! You’re only half-way to the finish line!
They say the hardest thing in a writer’s life is the chair.
Latest posts by Lynn Austin (see all)
- Can An Old Dog Learn New Tricks? - November 15, 2021
- A 1951 Christmas - November 1, 2021
- Researching? - October 18, 2021
“I get excited about meeting new characters, and I long to ditch the indecisive, needy ones I already have. They’ve become a bunch of malcontents, whining about the plot twists that entangle them, and growing petulant and uncooperative.” A bunch of malcontents!!! Ha ha ha. Yep. That’s how my characters feel to me at times during the writing of each novel. Like you, I never let the ‘grass is always greener’ characters of future books detour me. I push (plod?) forward with the malcontents.
Good for you for celebrating the halfway mark! We should all celebrate our writing more because the more reasons we give ourselves to feel positively toward our writing, the more we’ll like our job. 🙂
I agree that we should celebrate more. After several books, we forget that “newlywed” feeling we had when the first book came out.
I have the opposite problem right now, Lynn. I just turned in a completed manuscript and now face the daunting task of plotting an entirely new story. Plotting is the hard part for me. Once I have a road map, I have the freedom to take little detours and side trips with my characters, but without my map, I’m lost.
I always love hearing how other authors push themselves through the hard parts of writing, for we all face them. I loved your verse about our labor not being in vain. The one that I keep close at hand to spur me on through the hard parts is Philippians 1:6 – He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus. – I need that promise of him carrying me on to completion. Heavens knows I wouldn’t be able to do it on my own.
Thanks for sharing with us today, Lynn.
I love that verse in Philippians, too. I know I couldn’t do this on my own! I wish you all the best as you start your next book (but I hope you take time to celebrate a little, first).
Oh, how familiar this is to me as well, even though I’m not a professional writer at all. I’m praying that God will help you and your characters to get through this.
Can I ask you something? How do you usually get through this phase? And has there ever been a character whose story you couldn’t tell as they wanted you to? If so–what happened then?
Best of luck, Mrs. Austin! =) <3
The only way I’ve found to get over this hurdle is to plant myself in the chair and keep writing. It also helps if I return to my research and look for more ideas that I can use in my plot. As for unruly characters, I’ve learned to listen to them and let them tell me their story, their way. They always know best. Thanks for writing!
Yippie!! I love your books, particularly your fiction and I’m looking forward to you getting back from lunch 😉 May the Lord bless you and guide you as you continue … may He speak through you and your characters as they trust Him … Praying for you as you work on the second half of what promises to be my next favorite book! 🙂
Thank you so much, Becky. I couldn’t do what I do without the Lord’s help.
So glad to know I’m not alone in this. I love hearing about your writing process, Lynn, because I always relate to what you say. And seeing your body of work, I realize that it can be overcome. 🙂
(And how cool to see my name at the top pointing to a post I wrote a long time ago.)
Yes, I enjoyed the peek at your garden and office.
Oops. “Wrote” was taking it a bit too far. It almost looks like that again this year. 🙂
LOVED this post, Lynn, and I sure hope those characters cooperate for you. 😉
I always enjoy learning how my favorite authors write (whether seat of the pants, plotting, or a mixture).
My problem is that I LOVE to write “seat of the pants” style – – just see where my characters and events take me. But often I don’t make enough notes as I’m typing along, and then get frustrated going back to remind myself of details. I’m really, really trying to become more organized and disciplined. 🙂
Your office is lovely, by the way. Love all those bookshelves!
Hugs, Patti Jo
Hi Patti Jo, I usually don’t make notes as I’m writing, either. But every now and then I go back to the beginning and read the manuscript through, and then I do take notes. It’s easier for me to keep writing when it’s going great, rather than taking notes. I love my office, too! The bookshelves are built-ins and came with the house.
I absolutely love this post, Lynn. You wrote it so beautifully. And I am excited to see another pantser yet you seem so orderly and together! I feel that way about my characters, too. Do you remember the old movie The Adventures of Mark Twain, where Huck and Tom were always dancing around in his head? It made me think of that. If you have never seen it you must.
No, I haven’t seen it. Sounds great, though! I’ll have to look for it. Thanks!
1944 Frederick March
Always love your posts, Lynn. And loved seeing your board of character images, too. I started putting mine on my desktop images or a slide show, etc. several years ago, but I just may go back to a real live bulletin board. Something so much more “real” about that! Glad to know you’re a seat-of-the-pantser too!
Thanks, Deborah. It’s scarier to be a pantser–but much more fun! I never thought of making a slide show of my characters. They’d take up less space in my office.
Lynn,
Love your books…and these articles. Keep plugging away; you have lots of devoted fans out here!
Blessings,
Karen Hutchinson
My next book is due 1/15 as well–and you’re way ahead of me! (Hope that makes you feel better–it certainly lights a fire under me! :)) I can relate to so much of what you say here, Lynn. And I love the verse you close with. Thanks for inspiring me. And Look out–that weary woman behind you as you stride toward the finish line? It’s me, trying to catch up!
I’ll be cheering and praying you on!! Excited about a new book. 🙂