Navigating Plot Challenges: Writing into a Corner

I’ve been editing and polishing my latest story, as discussed last month. I know I’m making the story better and stronger, but it is not without its challenges. One issue I faced is the skipping of progress in certain character/conflict arcs. My method of tracing these arcs exposed a weakness in part of the story. I realized that I had essentially skipped over showing progress in that conflict.

As I work to resolve that issue, I’ve expanded the conflict. I’ve added several thousand words to the overall story. The obstacles facing the character are more difficult. They are also more compelling to the reader. But now I’ve written the character into a corner.

I want to be clear; I like what I’ve added. However, I don’t see a clear path to resolving this part of the story. Without sharing major spoilers, this part of the book deals more with a procedural crime novel than science fiction or fantasy. The character is uncovering leads and connections, but has now hit a wall that makes progress nearly insurmountable. Their progress supports the larger tale with interesting background connections. It raises the stakes for one of the main conflicts. But, I need to find a method of linking their current progress and dilemma back to the main tale. How can them resolving their part of the conflict tie into the larger story?

One method of resolving this that I’m exploring now, is to write a few sentences of possible scenes/options using a yes-and approach from the MICE model in my post on flash fiction. This forces me to write the action the characters take, and the reason/outcome that moves them closer to resolving the conflict.

I know I’ll get there, but this is obviously a problem being a gardener-style writer.

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