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How do you recognize creative dead ends in your story?


Most authors don’t realize if they are facing writer’s block or if it is the creative dead end of their story. I understand that the idea of abandoning a story can feel like a failure, but dear writer, sometimes it is the smartest thing you can do for your growth as a writer. Here’s how to recognize if your story is worth continuing and what are the next steps that you can take:


  1. The Spark is Gone - For Good: If you ever lose interest in a story please understand that it's normal because as a writer, you go through phases of excitement and frustration. But if you are not curious or emotionally interested in the story even after months or years of trying to continue the story then readers won't find your story worth reading.  At this point, Ask Yourself: “Are you pushing because you want to, or because you feel you should?” How do  you feel when you think about the story excited or exhausted?” If you feel exhausted rather than feeling passionate it might be time to let go. 


  1. Your Main Character Feels Like A Stranger: Characters breathe life into the story. If your protagonist doesn’t drive the plot forward or their motivations are not clear even after rewriting multiple times then this could be the sign of the flaws in your premise. Sometimes, the story that you write isn’t the one that your characters want to live. Try this: Rewrite the key scene from a different character’s point of view and check if it adds depth to the story or makes things worse. Consider changing your protagonist from the story if it doesn’t serve the purpose. If the story isn’t moving in a better way without that one character, the story might be too weak to work on.


  1. You’re More Excited About Other Ideas: Are you constantly distracted because you have new ideas to work on? Ask Yourself: “Will you be more focused and happy if you work on the new project?” If the answer is yes then it's time to pause or abandon your current project. You need to understand that if you are more interested in the new idea then working on the current project could drain your creativity instead of boosting it. 


  1. Every Fix Creates More Problems: Attempting to fix plot holes or character issues but nothing works? The structure of your story might be faulty. Here’s what you can do: Check whether the story’s progress is forced or natural. Also, check if the premise is unrecognizable because you have changed it multiple times. 


  1. You Keep Getting The Same Feedback: Beta readers or literary critics give you negative feedback even if you have tried improving it many times. It may mean that the story isn’t worth telling. Remember that every story isn’t worth sharing with the world and that’s okay! Tip: Understand the patterns in feedback if the majority of the readers have said that if the pacing drags or the stakes are weak, it's time to reconsider it.


  1. The Story Feels Like a Lesser Version of Something Else: Does your story feel like an imitation rather than an original work? It may lack a unique voice. If a story fails to bring something fresh to the table, there are chances it will struggle to hold readers’ interest. Ask Yourself: “Is there any unique element in the story?” If you can’t answer this question confidently you might need to rethink whether the story is worth pursuing. 


  1. You’ve Outgrown It: A project that excited you at one point of time but no longer resonates with your writing skills, interests, or personal growth. That’s okay because at times letting go doesn’t mean failure; it means making space for something better. Ask Yourself: “Would I write this story the same way if I had to write it now?” “Am I holding onto it because of the time I have invested in it or because I am attached to it?” It's only you who have changed and not the story then moving on might be a better choice.


After all these things, if you feel that your book has reached a dead end and it can't be fixed, leave that idea and start afresh. If you keep clinging to the same idea, you might waste a lot of time. Instead, leave that idea and work on another book, once you're done with that, try and see if you can write another story with the previous book idea.


If you feel going back to your outline might fix it check this out: https://www.rollingauthors.com/post/why-do-you-need-to-go-back-to-your-outline


For professional ghostwriting, editing, and book marketing, visit us at www.rollingauthors.com


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