A particular part of a chapter has been a source of consternation this week. I won’t go into too much detail and I apologize for being vague. But, I have found talking specifically releases the creative energy that’s required to produce writing until the very end. I digress…

My main character is deciding how to involve music in a particular scenario for a particular effect. I was originally writing it to go in one direction where, if music played, it would have an adverse effect on the character’s mindset. I’m sitting with it, mulling it over, rewriting and rewriting. Then it hit me. This element can still produce conflict and be an obstacle because the use of music is too much of an indulgence for the character. It’s distracting because it’s too much of a temptation, not because it makes the character feel bad.

There are different pathways for how an element can be used. It might end up serving the story the same way, but the reasoning could be different. This reasoning can lend itself to interesting dynamics later on in the chapter.

Takeaway: Trust the writing instinct. If you’re hung up on a particular part, stick with it, and the answer will reveal itself to you. If it’s difficult, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s completely wrong. It could mean the perspective might need to shift, or an approach might need to change. Resist the temptation to delete. You might just need to refactor.