It’s no secret I’ve been flirting with burnout. I’m halfway through the very first revision (i.e. the major work of fixing the story problems, and the frustration of not always knowing how to do that and still working in a vacuum).

But I know what I most need to do: I need to fall in love with my story again.

Here are some ideas I’ve had to help me:

• Read awesome (and awful!) books in your genre—but not too similar to your story.
• Reread your favorite parts of your story, the “candy bar scenes” you waited and waited and waited to attack (or attacked first).
• Make sure you’re not “renovating a condemned novel“
• Rethink your story structure. These things that you think are written in stone—are they really? Do they have to happen this way? Is there a way that’s better for your story, your readers, your genre?
• Read craft books directly related to the problem areas
• Take a break and explore other creative outlets—or even menial tasks!
• Remember your original inspiration. What made you devote months of your life to this in the first place?
• Write something short and fun, or challenging. See how good it feels to finish something? Don’t you want to feel that way about your novel??

What do you think? How do you fall in love all over again with your story?

Photo by A Klar