In the weeds

Writers talk a lot about the difficulty of the publishing world: the uncertainty of getting published or getting read, the whims of the marketplace. Those difficulties are often set against the joy of the writing process. And it's true that generally, writing is more fun than marketing.

But there are times when the writing itself--the craft part, not the marketing--is tough. When you don't know how to start something, or how to finish it. When you don't know how to fix what isn't working. When you can't stand to look at the page for another minute, because you have read the words there so many times.

Those moments can come as a shock, especially after a long period of smooth drafting, or a bout of revision when everything has seemed to click. But that's just the way it is sometimes. It happens especially if we're challenging ourselves. There's always a way out (or through), even if it's frustrating that the way is not immediately apparent.

Sometimes, in those moments when we have to stop and search for the path out, or wait for it to reveal itself, unexpected benefits come.