Stuck

I'm writing a romance/chick lit/whatever it is- love story that takes place in Detroit. There are felonies, firings and (if the characters behave themselves) there will be steamy knocking of boots. Oh and just perhaps they'll fall in love somewhere in there too. But I can't get my characters to the boot knocking because I'm woefully stuck. 

It's not writer's block either.

There isn't a pithy phrase for the span of time when you want to write and you can write all you want, but it simply refuses to be... good.

I have been rewriting chapter six for two weeks. It's an underachiever. It doesn't want to improve itself. It feels fine being smelly and living in the basement; having flat soda and stale Cheetos for dinner every night. I have tried flattery, cajoling, tough love, hostility, threats and now I'm simply resigned. My chapter doesn't want to change. I can't make it want to take a shower and look for a job. It does what it wants and it wants to be mediocre.


The hero's little sister, a character I really love, refuses to be introduced. She's an unusual girl and she deserves a fun intro, but it's not happening. I keep trying to fit her into my scene and she raises and eyebrow and a middle finger at me. It's very hurtful.

I think part of the problem is that I never had siblings, so I'm struggling with their dynamic. I've settled on eye rolling, sarcasm and insults for their treatment of each other. If that kind of behavior is good enough for my friends, I imagine it's good enough for siblings. But so far it's not working on the page. It feels forced and unfunny. Sad face.

I'd move onto the next chapter, but I need to have this one ready for my writing group by the end of this weekend. Something has to click into place before then, because seriously, you are better than this chapter six. Snap out of it. 


Tonight's Writing Soundtrack:  Grenade (cover) by Memphis May Fire