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How Lost is My Story? Refocus & Check-In

Writer's picture: Crystal CabraeCrystal Cabrae

Updated: Oct 16, 2024


How Lost is My Story?

Have you lost your way in the middle of your story? Take a minute to check in with your story (and yourself) with this mini-quiz. The results will leave you with a strong direction to refocus and get back to writing what you love.

Refocus Check-In

  1. What is your gut reaction about this project right now?

    1. I still love it, but something isn't working...

    2. I feel like there are parts that work but other parts have lost their purpose.

    3. I f*^%$ hate this s&%^ and I want to quit.

  2. What is your biggest plot problem?

    1. There are holes between the middle and the end.

    2. I've written myself into a corner and it's turning into a mess.

    3. The story has unraveled at the seems.

  3. Do you know how your story ends?

    1. Yes, but I've lost sight of how to get there.

    2. Kinda, if I ignore all this other stuff that has popped up as I was writing.

    3. Ends? I'm still at the beginning!

  4. How do you feel about your most important characters at this point?

    1. I love them, but they aren't connecting the way they did at the beginning.

    2. I have my favorites but I keep finding the need to kill off the rest.

    3. Burn them all in a fiery pit. I don't care anymore. (But be gentle)

  5. Is your main conflict clear up to this point?

    1. For the most part, but it could be stronger.

    2. If you ignore these four sub-stories I wrote you might see one or two major ones...

    3. There's only supposed to be one?! I have six!

  6. What do you think you should do at this point regardless of the consequences?

    1. Take a moment to gain some new inspiration before jumping back in and coming up with a strong plan.

    2. Take a beat from this project and go do anything else before coming back and cleaning up house.

    3. Call the time of death and shut it down because this story is done for.


Results

Mostly A's: You have a few hiccups here and there but your structure is still intact. Take a small break before coming back to reassess where you went in a weird direction. Maybe start from the last place that makes your heart sing.


Mostly B's: You have a ball of yarn that keeps getting more tangled the more you mess with it. Just stop and put the darn thing down until your head is clear. Wait about a week before tackling the project again and use the time to brainstorm on other projects or just relax. Either way, leave it alone.


Mostly C's: We all know a corpse when we see one, but that doesn't mean that all is lost. Hold a funeral of your lost idea and put it away. You amy come back to it a week from now or years or never. Either way, the project you were working on when you first started is dead and it is time to put down the pen and grieve.


Mostly A's & B's: You are about five seconds from spinning out. Stop and rest a few days before coming back to see where you went wrong.


Mostly B's & C's: Hope is not lost but a break is long overdue. There should be a string to your initial idea around here somewhere, but you need a clear mind if you're going to find it.


Mostly A's & C's: You sound burnt. Caught in the crosshairs of love and hate for a project with potential but refuses to cooperate. Walk away from it and go outside or something. Come back when you feel inspired to and not a moment sooner. Even if the computer glares at you, stay away until the time is right.


Whatever you decide to do with your project, remember that some stories are saveable and some are not. Take it from someone who canned her debut novel because it had more plot holes than a story about a family of Swiss cheese. FInd what made you excited about the story in the first place and go from there. You can only go up from here. Be brave!


 

About the Author

Crystal Cabrae 2024

Crystal Cabrae is a storyteller who writes dystopian, romantic, and adventurous worlds for animation and fantastical fiction. Born as Angelica Cabrera, she is a proud graduate of Full Sail University, AMDA NYC, and New World School of the Arts. Her six years of acting training in New York and Miami gives her a unique perspective when approaching her characters. Crystal has a passion for sharing how to create stories with the world and inspiring the storyteller that lives within all of us. While she tries to keep up with her social media accounts, the best way to get to know her is over a cup of tea or a good plate of food.


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