Last week I eagerly worked through a Sudoku puzzle book. The ones towards the beginning of the book were easier, but as I got to the last few pages, they became much more challenging. Annoyingly challenging. The type of challenging where you just want to throw the book across the room, and smack the person who designed these things to begin with! But if you’re doing Sudoku, you aren’t the type of person to just give up. And neither am I.

But I realized that in order to move forward, I needed to pause. I needed a break so that I could return to the puzzle with fresh eyes.

So when I got to that point where I’d been staring at the page for over 15 minutes, unable to place any additional numbers, I stuck my pencil inside and closed the book. I got up and did some work, then some chores around the house, and since those are never ending, I remained busy until after dinner. As my kids sat to do their homework, I picked up that Sudoku book again. And within minutes, I was already filling in those squares that I had left empty. Before I knew it, I’d completely solved the puzzle.

That break helped my mind relax, so that when I came back to it, I was better able to focus and think. That ‘restart’ was enough to help me solve the remainder of the puzzle.

It’s the same with writing scenes that give us trouble. Often just a short break from your writing will give your subconscious mind the space to think while allowing your conscious mind to rest (from this subject, at lease).

Run errands, or finish some work. Do some chores, or read, or get some exercise. It doesn’t matter what activity you busy yourself with; the pause will likely be enough to help rejuvenate your thinking and creativity, so you can finish writing that scene.

During a recent coaching call, one of my clients shared that she was torn between sending her character to a setting she is familiar with as opposed to one which would be better for her character’s journey, but that she herself has never been to. I said, “You have to do what’s best for your character, not what’s best for you.”  

Now, by “what’s best” I didn’t mean what’s easy. I didn’t mean to give him a fun, happy, carefree ride. What I meant was: do what will show us—the reader—the character’s growth. Do what will raise the stakes, what will keep us invested in his journey, what will keep us rooting for him, on the edge of our seats, wondering how things will turn out.

Often we find ourselves wanting to write about places we have never been to. We feel anxious, wanting to give an accurate depiction but fearing that we may fall short. While it is always best to explore such real life settings first hand, research can take you very far. Put in the time; don’t just read about the location or look at images that your internet browser pulls up for you, but try to make contact with people who live(d) there. Online writers communities are wonderful places to meet people from all over the world willing to help you in any way they can, including helping you get a better feel for their hometowns. Connecting with other online groups from your desired location is another way to get varied and accurate accounts of life in the area. Some of the things you should ask about are: the weather at different times of the year and how the residents deal with it, vernacular, popular hangouts, little known facts, community quirks, architecture of the homes, majority and minority demographics, local industry, general level of education of residents, the presence of local universities or colleges, night life, popular shopping centers and restaurants. Listen to the stories residents of your desired town have to tell. Listen to how the story is being told, not just what it is about. You can learn so much by just engaging in conversation with people. Let them show you their pictures; pay as much attention to the background of those images as to the foreground.

Remember that the best stories are built deliberately. Don’t ever sink into the familiar at the expense of your story. If the scene that moves your story forward and develops your character means you must step outside of your own comfort zone, then that is exactly what you must do. Always, always, always, do what’s best for your story; there is a huge chance that when you do that, you will grow too.