The writing process is so bizarre. After weeks of creative gridlock, I decided to sit down with my laptop today to work on the novel. I hadn’t touched it in weeks. After meeting with my editor on Friday, I was even more worried about getting back to it. 
According to my editor the basic structure of the story is good. These next rewrites will be dedicated to expanding the story. One character needs to establish a deeper role in the story. I never quite developed her into anything interesting or helpful to the story. Also, we decided that one character who is eluded to, but never takes an active role in the story is far too important to have an offstage role in the story. So I now must add another story line to an already complicated story that covers multiple time lines. So all this was heavy on my mind when I sat down at my laptop this afternoon (with my hot chocolate).
My mind wrestled with itself. For a good 45 minutes I hemmed and hawed and squirmed in my chair trying to find the missing pieces of the story. Then suddenly….I got an idea. I began typing like a mad-woman to capture it before it disappeared. It wasn’t a brilliant idea. In fact, it was kinda dumb. But that dumb idea lead me to another idea that definitely had substance. It was then I felt the faucet begin to trickle. Creativity, slowing dripping into my brain. By the time my daughter woke up I only had 500 words, but I was totally absorbed in the idea and the trickle evolved to a steady flow. Darn, too bad I had to stop then. But after my hiatus to this novel, as I come back to it, I am still in love with the story. I am still enraptured by the characters. It’s amazing I’m not sick of them yet, but there is more of their story to tell and I am their messenger. I hope I am finally exiting the creative desert.
I am so excited for you and your work. Can’t wait to read it.
Glad you are getting some drippy drips in your dry cup. I really do believe sometimes it takes a little time away, the key is that you actually do get back to it! Good luck!