Stuck On A Writing Project?

I've noticed a number of people on facebook pages for writers mention that they are stuck with the writing project of the moment. I saw comments like I'm stuck. I can't go any farther. I am out of gas. What happens next? 

Reaching a brick wall in a writing project is not an unusual happening. It doesn't matter whether it's a  novel, a memoir book, a short story, a personal essay or a poem. Stuck is stuck! So, what should a writer do? Sitting in front of your computer staring at a blank screen is no solution. 

The best thing to do is to abandon the project. Not forever. Put it on the back burner for a short while, maybe a longer time. When we get totally immersed in a writing project, we sometimes need a break. Walk away. Stop writing for a short period. Or start writing on a different project. 

When you're so deep into writing a major piece, your mind can become overloaded with that one subject. Take the break. Give your brain a chance to breathe a bit. 

Do you run a risk of never returning to finish the book or whatever it is you've put your heart and soul into? Yes, there is a chance of that occurring, but I think it's minimal. If what you were working on is something worthy, you're most likely going to be able to finish at some future point. 

When you walk away from writing that has you flummoxed, are you going to completely forget about it? I doubt that you would. Instead, bits and pieces of thoughts about the story will float through your mind off and on. Maybe even subconsciously at times. A thought or answer to a puzzle might emerge one day when you least expect it. You'll know then that you can go back to work on the story that has been resting for days, weeks, or even months. 

A carpenter, an architect, a seamstress are all people who experience the same kind of thing now and then. Something doesn't work right. They know there's a problem but don't immediately see how to fix it. They can do the same thing we writers do. Walk away for a while. Let the mind rest. Let the brain come up with a solution. 

Don't agonize over being stuck in your writing. That is no solution. It will only make you more miserable. If I could send you the little May pixie in our clip art image today, I would. If I could solve your problem, I'd be glad to help, but it's up to you.