A Cut Thread

My ability to write has always been rather fluid in nature. When I have a good grasp of the story thread I want to tell, I can just hold on and follow it, and the words will just come to me.  It can feel a little spooky at first; sometimes, I wonder if I’m truly writing, or just recording an alternate reality I can just barely sense (which, if I’ve ever roped you into a conversation about the Unending Cycle of Creation, you will no doubt recognize as a key component of that belief). 

Sometimes, however, I'll come to a near or complete halt. Progress through the chapter will be slow and not very satisfying; like a nice sandwich that you microwave and eat, only to discover it's still stone cold in the middle. Sorry; I haven't had breakfast yet ... but you know what I mean.  In my experience, however, this isn't actually writer's block, but a sign that I didn't properly follow the story.  I wandered off and got lost in some possible thread that I subconsciously realize will ultimately go nowhere or just won't work. 

When facing this situation, I've discovered only one effective method of dealing with it; deleting the entire chapter and starting again.  Yes, even if I like part of the chapter.  Yes, even if it took days to write the chapter.  A dead story thread isn't going to please anybody; the reader or the writer, so I just suck it up and delete the chapter, two chapters if it's a particularly brutal situation ... and you know what?  I have always found the new chapter to be better.  I'm not saying it'll work for everyone, but hey; give it a try if you're stuck.