when in writing doubt: modest advice for the novel stuck at page 100

Say you have 100 pages of a novel. Say you're not completely sure about how to carry your dreamy idea about the story through. Do you sit? Do you moan? Do you eat all available chocolate? You could, but here is something else you might do:

Return to the beginning. Build the characters more truly. Shore up your environmentals. Make sure you've nailed the mood. It might look, to you, as if your story is standing still, but no: It is here, in this developmental work, that you will find the key to moving forward. Your 100 pages becomes 130 pages. Your novel is on firm footing. The dreamy is less ambiguous. The characters are more demanding.

See if it works for you.

Report back.

We'll doubt and then un-doubt together.