TSMIES Syndrome - The Bane of All Writers
DAY 45Word Count: 29,050
Sentence of the Day: The lone sunbeam slid along her skin-wrapped bones like a knife, cutting and severe.
"I do not so much write a book as sit up with it, as with a dying friend. During visiting hours, I enter its room with dread and sympathy for its many disorders. I hold its hand and hope it will get better."
~ Annie Dillard
The Writing Life
Yeah...it's one of those days. Ever feel like your WIP is languishing? For me, that slump usually hits around the 30-50k neighborhood. It's known as the mid-point doldrums, or what I affectionally like to call This-Stupid-Manuscript-Isn't-Even-Salvageable syndrome.
The first thing I want to point out is that TSMIES syndrome is normal. Every writer, even the biggest names, suffer from it. It's nothing new or unique, so rest assured you are not a freak (but don't quote me on that).
Think about it for a minute. The beginning of a story is fresh, the ending is exciting, the middle...well, I yawned just typing the word. And if you're bored writing it, just think of how your reader will feel.
If you're currently suffering from TSMIES syndrome, here's a little Rx to keep you moving while slogging through that center section:
- add in a new character to spice things up a bit, someone eccentric or sassy or hilarious
- give yourself permission to sway from your original outline and/or synopsis...if it's not working as you originally planned, then change it
- master your emotions...acknowledge that even though you feel like this is the worst thing you've ever written, reality is that it's probably not
- share your slump with your writing buddies...no one knows how to comfort like those who've suffered with this syndrome before
- put on your big girl pants (or boy, as the case may be) and just write...bemoaning the fact that you think what you've got is a steaming pile of doo-doo doesn't get you any closer to your word count goal
The good news is that this syndrome isn't fatal. There is life beyond the middle, and the sooner you get past it, the better you'll feel.