Maybe this happened to you. Maybe it happened to someone you know. All I know for sure is that this happened to me and I’m going through this situation right now.

I haven’t put fingers to the keyboard and wrote on my writing project in a long time. Nearly a week or two. I opened my document and scrolled through the pages and the fire, the passion is gone. I no longer feel “connected” with my characters, plot, little twists, anything.

I don’t quite blame them. It’s as if I abandoned them when the waves crashed in. Although the circumstances weren’t my fault, it’s now my responsibility to jump back in and continue writing.

What do you do if this happens to you?

Naturally, the first answer is: Don’t panic.

I did. It wasn’t good. I resorted to yogurt, ice cream, fatty things. Sleep was lost. Homework was drawn out from an hour to three. All very bad things. Face it, I freaked out.

Second thing, reread your outline you wrote before diving in the prose.

What do you do if you didn’t write an outline?

Whether a full, 100 pages outline or a short half page outline, every author needs one. At least a page with characters’ names, age, motive, wants, desires on it. That is important, at the very least.

Okay, so you didn’t make one. It’s not the end of the world. Read your prose you’ve written already and write down key things that jump out at you. If you have a character named Suzie, write her down. Next to her name write her age, hair color, grade/job if applicable, and other little things that makes Suzie unique.

Go through this no matter how long or short your WIP is.

Now, that you have an outline, join the rest of us.

So, you’ve read your outline. What else could there possibly be? Now, you want to read your prose and makes sure things match up. Don’t just breeze through it quickly, read it for what it is. Pick up on the pace. Is it quick in some, slow in others?

The most important part you’ll read is the last few pages. Pay special attention to what’s happening, how your characters are acting and reacting.

Well, now that you’ve read, what do you do now?

Now you know the pace of the story, you’re reacquainted with the characters, maybe they’ve forgiven you. You start listening to them and just write. Continue where you left off. Make mistakes. Just don’t stop. There’s no excuse for giving up entirely.*

So get back out there and write! :)

*No, laziness is NOT an excuse.