Tip of the Day: Stuck? Move on.

Say you are writing a good scene -- the dialog is going pretty well, the plot is advancing where you want it to, and things are happening that make it an interesting read. But you run into the problem where you just don't know what to do with the scene to finish it up and move to the next scene. What do you do?

Drop it and move on. The longer you sit there staring at the blank screen, the more you can freeze up at the thought of what needs to happen and the more you can start kicking yourself for writing yourself into a corner (or so you think at the time).

Leave yourself a note to wrap that scene up and go on to the next part of the story. Do some hand-waving and assume that you finished that scene in a really suave way that will leave readers falling to their knees. Then write the next part. You'll figure it out, maybe even as you write the next scene. As it comes to you, fill in the blanks.

Remember this: books do NOT have to be written in a straight line. Since last year, I've spent a lot of time reading advice from established authors and various writing guides, and almost all say that they need to go back often to fix major problems and things need to get shuffled around. Only one author said she works pretty much in a straight line and makes only one major editing run. Only one. Who are you to argue with the pros who have crafted their art for years and have people pay for the privilege of reading what they wrote? Move on, baby, move on.