Tuesday, November 10, 2009

The Writer's Lament

I done run outta words.

Seriously, I know where the current book is going, but I don't know how to get there. I have no idea what happens in the next three chapters that I need to write in order to finish off this section. Was it Raymond Chandler who said that when you don't know what to do next, have a man with a gun come into the room? Well, what do you do when you've already done that? (Since this is a Western, I just had an ambush take place, but it's the same principle.)

13 comments:

Richard Heft said...

The standard solution is:
"What the...! INJUNS!"
Indian attack leaves everyone except hero, villain and babe dead.

I'm guessing you're in Nome or Frisco or downtown Tombstone and this solution just doesn't work.

Randy Johnson said...

Hang in there, James. It will come to you. I have faith.

mybillcrider said...

Or "Cupids!"

I have a feeling you'll find those words pretty quickly.

Rittster said...

Have a naked woman with a gun come into the room?

Have a dwarf with a gun come into the room?

Have a horse with a gun come into the room?

Have a sleepwalking dentist with his drill come into the room?

I guess I'd better stick to my day job.

pattinase (abbott) said...

Gosh, I though this only happened to me.

Laurie Powers said...

No it happens to me too. And it was Raymond Chandler.

James Reasoner said...

Just so you won't worry about me, I went back upstairs, figured out what I needed to do, and wrote about 2500 more words.

Although I do like that naked woman with a gun suggestion. And the one with the dwarf. How about a beautiful female dwarf with a gun? No, wait, I think Whittington already did that in a Longarm . . .

Evan Lewis said...

Good to hear it, James. My faith in that WWJRD? post-it has been confirmed.

Charles Gramlich said...

A psychotic break or some hallucinations are always good to throw in at such times. And they are fun to write!

Glad you found your way through it.

mark said...

Have rocks fall on all of them and vault the story 100 years into the future...

Or not...

Unknown said...

Have a saloon girl/prostitute walk into the room...or out...

Cap'n Bob said...

What do you call a ten-minute period in which James Reasoner can't think of anything to write? Severe, crippling writer's block.

Juri said...

Francis Nevins said about Avallone that in his books it's not a man who comes into the room, it's rather a dwarf on walking sticks. Or something to that effect.

I believe that at the time I write this you've come to a conclusion. But hey, you could write something short in the interim.

Or take a walk. I've used that.