At school we practice certain drills twice a year. Each one has its own set of procedures. That way, if disaster strikes, we won’t panic. We’ll know what to do. Because we have a game plan.
Disaster plans are good. They give us a sense of purpose and control when things turn nasty.
As writers, we should have a disaster plan.
Because when things go wrong, we don’t want to panic.
Which is precisely what I did this past month. My story stopped cooperating. I hit a wall. And spent a week pulling out my hair, intermittently staring at my document and the trash can on my desk top.
The only thing that kept me from clicking and dragging? A deep-down, in-my-gut feeling. That if I could just fix the broken parts, this story could be great.
So I tied a gag around my anxiety. I assured myself that the first five novels weren’t a drawn out case of beginner’s luck. And I drew up my own personalized disaster plan.
First, I assessed the situation. How did I get into this mess? I’m not a pantser at all. I’m an OCD plotter. But for whatever reason, this time around, I thought my rough outline would be enough. I had the basic plot elements down. I could just start writing, right? Wrong. I got halfway through and the tires started spinning.
Second, I stepped away from my computer and broke out the note cards. I wrote random scenes as fast as I could on each one. Whatever popped into my head. The crazier the better. Then I looked for ways to connect them. My creative juices started flowing. Scenes came together. Unexpected twists and turns jumped out at me. Until I had a beginning, middle, and end.
Then, on the back of each card, I wrote: (1) if it was a scene or sequel and (2) the GMC (goal, motivation, conflict) for the scenes or the RDD (reaction, dilemma, decision) for the sequels. If you’re not familiar with these terms, you should be. Consider reading this post for a basic overview: Story Structure: Scene and Sequel.
It took a long time. I lost some hair and some sleep. But the disaster plan worked.
My novel is no longer a mess. I don’t care that I have to cut a big chunk of the 50K words I have written. I don’t even care that whatever remains needs rewriting. I have another novel. It’s all there. On 74 note cards. 39 pink. 35 blue. The hard part is finished. Now I just have to write it.
And if I run into another crisis in the future, I won’t waste a week of my life freaking out. I can whip out my disaster plan and get to work.
So what about you? Do you have a disaster plan? If not, here are some tips to help you create one:
- Stay true to the way God made you. Don’t try to be a plotter if you’re a panster and don’t try to be a panster if you’re a plotter. Trust me. It doesn’t end well.
- Know what sparks your creativity and problem-solving skills. Do you need to get away from your computer and find an old-fashioned pencil? Do you need note cards? A writing buddy to brainstorm with? Do you simply need to write through the disaster?
- Include specific action points. This will give you a sense of control in the midst of the chaos.
Let’s Talk: What do you do when your story stops working? What does your disaster plan look like? Have you ever had to use it?
