Muddled in the Middle by Wendy L. Macdonald

 October: Getting Stalled in the Middle

This month’s prompt by Sandi Somers:

It’s easy to begin a writing (or other) project with enthusiasm, energy, and ambition. But then comes the middle. Frustration steps in, we lose momentum, and our project is easily set aside.

What experiences have you had with this challenge?

What strategies have you used to keep on track, get re-motivated, and keep going?

What messages from the Lord encourage you? 

Muddled in the Middle by Wendy L. Macdonald

I wish I could say I have no idea what Sandi’s prompt is about. But no—I do know. The middle is always messy for me. The biggest challenge I have regarding the middle is my inner critic. She says things like: This is stupid. Who are you to think you can get this finished—never mind published?

The first time I wrote an entire novel manuscript, I didn’t share it with anyone until I was done. Since my internal editor tends to be ruthless with my writing, I knew I couldn’t bear to expose my incomplete rough draft to anyone else. Two strikes would be too much to ignore. I needed to get the first draft down before I showed it around.

First drafts are where I discover what my story is about. I’m a pantser who loves the mystery of not knowing who dunnit until the end. This is the same way I write nonfiction. I’m scared to be scared off a project. I also wrote the entire first draft of a recovery memoir in seclusion so that I wouldn’t lose momentum. And when I joined a critique group, I didn’t make it past the middle because I realized the story was still too tender to touch. More healing had to come before I shared the whole thing. 

Unfortunately, I showed my fourth fiction manuscript to an online critique group before it was done. And, of course, I focused on the one critique that didn’t include any encouragement. I never returned to that story. But since it wasn’t part of the series I’d already written, I’m not mad at myself.

Last year I discovered I could complete something while being critiqued along the way. I was able to write past the messy middle because I had a set of eyes who were reliable and offered constructive criticism balanced with encouragement. These wise and kind eyes belong to an award-winning author and award-winning literary agent (Cynthia Ruchti). She sharpens my writing without stifling my creative spirit. She appreciates my strengths and guides me concerning my weaknesses. (Cynthia Ruchti was recently awarded the ACFW literary agent of the year title again. I can see why.)

The messy middle isn’t as dark and lonely when you have a good-willed critique partner. My positive experience with my agent gave me the courage to also join a fiction critique group. My writing is blossoming in this care-and-share environment. While our group doesn’t hold back any constructive criticism, nor are we chintzy about compliments. When my inner critic tells me my manuscript is stupid, my writing group assures me it isn’t. 

I agree with the adage I read in a writing book about good writing being as much about continuing to do what works as well as avoiding what doesn’t work. 

Every writer has a voice worthy of growing and showing. Thank goodness we’re not all the same. Thank God for the variety He has made in nature and in us. And because we’re all different, our approaches to tackling the messy middle of manuscripts will vary too.

I’m learning that reminding myself I’ve completed a manuscript before means I can do it again. Remembering how fun and rewarding the discoveries are that pop up while writing helps keep me interested enough to keep going. There’s nothing more fun than unexpected goosebumps and chuckles I didn’t see coming. When emotions are evoked in the writer, her written words will stir the readers’ hearts too.

I’m nosy-to-know if you write your entire first draft before showing it to anyone? Why or why not?

Blessings ~ Wendy Mac

Wendy L. Macdonald is an inspirational blogger and podcaster who loves to photograph nature on Vancouver Island. Her byline is: “My faith is not shallow because I’ve been rescued from the deep.”