You know the feeling.
Your characters are standing in a room.
Something important is supposed to happen.
You have written hundreds—or maybe thousands—of words to get them here.
And then…
Nothing.
You stare at the blinking cursor.
You reread the last paragraph.
You open another tab.
You make coffee.
You check your phone.
You return to the manuscript.
Still nothing.
You know where the story started. You might even know exactly how you want it to end. But somewhere between those two points is a giant, foggy stretch of “…and then what?”
First, take a breath.
Being stuck doesn’t necessarily mean you’ve run out of ideas. Sometimes it means your story is asking you a question you haven’t answered yet.
And fortunately, you don’t have to sit around waiting for inspiration to strike.
Here are several ways to figure out what happens next.
First: Figure Out What Kind of Stuck You Are
Not every writing block has the same cause.
Before trying to solve the problem, identify what is actually stopping you.
“I don’t know what happens next.”
You genuinely have no idea what your characters should do.
This is an idea problem.
“I know what should happen, but I don’t know how to get there.”
You know the destination, but the bridge between scenes is missing.
This is a plotting problem.
“I know what happens, but none of it feels right.”
You’ve technically figured out the scene, but something about it feels forced, boring, or predictable.
This is often a story problem.
“I know exactly what happens, but I don’t want to write it.”
Interesting.
This can be a sign that you’ve discovered something uncomfortable about your characters or story—or that you’re forcing the narrative in a direction it doesn’t naturally want to go.
“I don’t even care anymore.”
That might be a character, pacing, or motivation problem.
The important thing is that each kind of blockage needs a different solution.
So don’t automatically assume you need more inspiration.
Sometimes you need a better question.
1. Ask: “What Would Make This Worse?”
This is one of the easiest ways to generate your next plot event.
Instead of asking:
What happens next?
ask:
What is the worst thing that could happen right now?
Your protagonist has finally found the person they’ve been searching for?
They discover that person has been lying.
Your detective finally identifies the murderer?
The suspect is found dead.
Your characters have escaped the haunted house?
One of them realizes they left something—or someone—behind.
Your romantic leads finally admit their feelings?
Someone walks in.
The hero thinks everything is finally going according to plan?
It absolutely isn’t.
You don’t necessarily have to use the worst possible outcome.
The point is to introduce pressure.
Stories become much easier to move forward when something creates a problem that demands a response.
Try asking:
- What could go wrong?
- What information could be revealed?
- Who could arrive unexpectedly?
- What could be lost?
- What could be misunderstood?
- What secret could come out?
- What deadline could suddenly matter?
- What decision could become unavoidable?
You don’t need the perfect idea.
You just need something that creates movement.
2. Follow the Character Who Wants Something
When you’re stuck, stop thinking about the plot for a moment.
Think about your characters.
Specifically:
What does each character want right now?
Not eventually.
Not by the end of the novel.
Right now.
Your protagonist might want:
- information
- revenge
- forgiveness
- money
- safety
- love
- freedom
- recognition
- answers
- approval
- escape
Now ask:
What would they do to get it?
That’s your next scene.
Maybe your protagonist wants answers, so they confront someone.
Maybe they want approval, so they take a reckless action.
Maybe they want safety, so they lie.
Maybe they want revenge, so they make a terrible decision.
Character desire is one of the most reliable engines for generating plot.
When you don’t know what happens next, let someone want something badly enough to act.
3. Give Two Characters Conflicting Goals
Want an even stronger solution?
Give two characters different things they want.
Your protagonist wants to leave.
Your antagonist wants them to stay.
Your heroine wants the truth.
Her best friend wants to protect her from it.
Your detective wants to investigate.
The police chief wants the case closed.
Your romantic leads both want each other—but neither wants to admit it.
Now put them in the same scene.
You have conflict.
And conflict creates action.
For example:
Character A wants: to confess.
Character B wants: to prevent the confession.
Put them together.
What happens?
You don’t necessarily know yet.
But now something has to happen because their goals cannot comfortably coexist.
This is particularly useful when your manuscript feels like a series of characters having conversations rather than an actual story.
Ask:
Who wants what—and who is standing in their way?
4. Use the “Yes, But…” Technique
Sometimes your story is stuck because everything is going too smoothly.
Your protagonist succeeds.
Then succeeds again.
Then succeeds again.
Eventually, there isn’t much left to write.
Try changing the rhythm.
For every positive development, add a complication.
They find the missing document.
Yes, but half of it is missing.
They escape the villain.
Yes, but someone knows where they went.
They finally get the job.
Yes, but their new boss is their former enemy.
They discover their crush feels the same way.
Yes, but the crush is leaving tomorrow.
This technique creates forward momentum without requiring you to invent an entirely new storyline.
5. Try “No, And…”
The opposite can be just as useful.
Your character tries something.
It fails.
But the consequences create an even bigger problem.
For example:
She tries to steal the key.
No.
The guard catches her.
And now he knows exactly what she was looking for.
Or:
He confronts his brother.
No.
His brother refuses to talk.
And accidentally reveals that their mother has been hiding something.
Failure doesn’t have to stop the story.
Failure can create the next story beat.
In fact, some of the best plot developments happen because a character’s plan doesn’t work.
6. Force a Decision
If your story feels like it’s sitting still, your protagonist might be sitting still too.
Give them a choice.
And make both options matter.
For example:
Tell the truth and destroy the relationship.
Lie and preserve it.
Or:
Save the person they love.
Complete the mission.
Or:
Stay and fight.
Run and survive.
The choice doesn’t have to be enormous.
Even a small decision can create momentum.
The important part is this:
Don’t let your protagonist endlessly react to events.
Let them make choices that cause new events.
That turns your character from a passenger into the driver of the story.
7. Write the Scene You’re Avoiding
Here’s a surprisingly useful question:
What scene am I secretly avoiding?
Sometimes writers get stuck because they know exactly what needs to happen next.
They just don’t want to write it.
Maybe it’s the confrontation.
The breakup.
The confession.
The death.
The embarrassing conversation.
The villain revealing the truth.
The protagonist admitting they’ve been wrong.
You keep inventing little scenes around it because you’re unconsciously trying to delay the inevitable.
So ask yourself:
“If I stopped being afraid of ruining the story, what would I write next?”
That answer might be surprisingly revealing.
And remember:
You can always write the scene badly.
You can always change it later.
A terrible scene can be edited.
A blank page cannot.
8. Jump Ahead
You don’t have to write your story chronologically.
If you’re completely stuck on Chapter 14 but you know exactly what happens in Chapter 20, write Chapter 20.
Seriously.
Skip ahead.
Write the confrontation.
Write the kiss.
Write the murder.
Write the discovery.
Write the final battle.
Write the scene you’ve been excited about for weeks.
You can come back later and build the bridge.
Sometimes knowing where the story is going makes it much easier to figure out how the characters get there.
And sometimes writing a future scene reveals information about your characters that helps you solve the earlier problem.
Your first draft doesn’t have to be written in order.
9. Write Three Completely Different Possibilities
If you’re stuck because you can’t decide what should happen next, don’t try to find the answer.
Generate three.
For example:
Option A: The character leaves.
They abandon the situation and create a new problem.
Option B: The character stays.
They confront the problem directly.
Option C: Someone else intervenes.
An unexpected character arrives and changes everything.
Now examine the possibilities.
Which one creates the most interesting consequences?
Which one reveals something about your character?
Which one makes you want to keep reading?
Which one creates the most problems?
Often, the answer becomes obvious once you see the alternatives.
And if none of them work?
Write three more.
You’re not searching for perfection.
You’re forcing your imagination to produce options.
10. Ask “And Then What?”
This sounds ridiculously simple.
It works surprisingly well.
Take your most recent story event.
Then ask:
And then what?
Your protagonist discovers the secret.
And then what?
They confront the person responsible.
And then what?
That person denies everything.
And then what?
The protagonist reveals they have proof.
And then what?
The proof turns out to be fake.
And then what?
Someone else walks into the room.
And suddenly you’re moving again.
Keep asking until something sparks.
You don’t need to know where the entire chain leads.
You only need to discover the next link.
11. Change the Character Who Controls the Scene
Sometimes you’ve squeezed everything possible out of your protagonist.
So give someone else control.
Ask:
What would happen if another character made the next move?
The antagonist calls.
The best friend appears.
The ex sends a message.
The mentor reveals something.
The stranger intervenes.
The side character makes a mistake.
This can completely change the direction of a scene.
It’s particularly useful when your protagonist has been reacting to events for too long.
Let someone else do something.
Then make your protagonist respond.
12. Introduce New Information
You don’t always need a new event.
Sometimes you need new information about an existing event.
Your character discovers:
- someone has been lying
- the plan was compromised
- their assumption was wrong
- their ally has another motive
- the villain knows more than expected
- the person they trusted betrayed them
- an old event wasn’t what they thought
- the stakes are higher than they realized
Information changes how characters understand their circumstances.
And when their understanding changes, their decisions change.
Which means the story moves.
13. Use a Deadline
Nothing creates urgency like a ticking clock.
Give your character a limited amount of time.
They have until:
- midnight
- the wedding
- the trial
- the full moon
- the meeting
- the train departure
- the election
- the attack
- sunrise
- tomorrow morning
Now ask:
What must happen before the deadline?
And:
What happens if they fail?
Suddenly, your characters have somewhere to go.
14. Make the Problem Personal
If your plot feels technically functional but emotionally flat, increase the personal stakes.
Instead of:
The kingdom is in danger.
Try:
The kingdom is in danger—and the protagonist’s younger brother is next in line to be executed.
Instead of:
The company is going bankrupt.
Try:
The company is going bankrupt, and saving it is the only way the protagonist can keep their family’s home.
Instead of:
The villain has escaped.
Try:
The villain has escaped and knows the protagonist’s deepest secret.
Plot becomes much easier to write when the characters care deeply about what happens.
15. Let the Wrong Person Be Right
Here’s a fun way to create unexpected developments.
Take something one character believes.
Then ask:
What if they’re right?
The paranoid character thinks someone is following them.
What if they are?
The jealous lover thinks their partner is hiding something.
What if they are?
The supposedly unreliable character claims the house is haunted.
What if it is?
The villain says the protagonist is being manipulated.
What if they’re telling the truth?
This can lead your story into surprisingly interesting territory.
16. Interview Your Character
When plot ideas aren’t coming, stop treating your character like a puppet.
Treat them like a person.
Open a blank document and ask:
What do you want right now?
What are you afraid will happen?
What are you hiding?
Who do you trust?
Who do you hate?
What would you never do?
What would make you lose control?
What do you think is going to happen next?
What are you refusing to admit?
If nobody could stop you, what would you do?
Don’t worry about whether the answers are “canon.”
You’re brainstorming.
Sometimes your character will hand you the solution.
17. Create a Plot Twist—Then Ask What It Breaks
If you’re really stuck, throw a major change into the story.
Then ask:
What does this change?
For example:
Your protagonist discovers their enemy is actually their sibling.
Now ask:
What does that change about their goal?
Their relationships?
Their loyalties?
Their previous assumptions?
Their next decision?
Their emotional state?
A plot twist isn’t useful merely because it’s surprising.
It’s useful because it changes what happens next.
18. Follow the Consequences
This may be the most important technique on the entire list.
Look at the last significant thing that happened.
Now ask:
What are the consequences?
Your protagonist lied.
Who notices?
Your protagonist stole something.
Who comes looking for it?
Your character kissed someone.
How does that change their relationship?
Your detective accused the wrong person.
What happens when they realize it?
Your heroine quit her job.
How does she survive now?
Your character made a promise.
What happens when keeping it becomes difficult?
Stories don’t need constant random events.
They need consequences.
One event should create another.
That creates the feeling that your story is unfolding naturally rather than being dragged from scene to scene by the author.
19. Try the “Five Bad Ideas” Exercise
Here’s a trick for perfectionists.
Write five intentionally terrible ideas for what happens next.
Make them ridiculous.
Make them melodramatic.
Make them cliché.
Make them impossible.
For example:
- The villain gets eaten by a shark.
- A secret twin appears.
- The entire thing was a dream.
- A meteor destroys the building.
- Everyone suddenly starts singing.
Now that you’ve gotten the pressure out of your system, write:
Okay. What’s a version of these that could actually work?
Your ridiculous idea might contain a useful seed.
The shark could become a dangerous animal encounter.
The secret twin could become a hidden sibling.
The dream could become a false memory.
The meteor could become another external disaster.
The singing could become a tense party or performance.
The goal isn’t to use the bad ideas.
It’s to silence the internal editor long enough for the creative brain to play.
20. Don’t Ask “What Should Happen?”
Ask “What Would Happen?”
This tiny change in wording can make an enormous difference.
“What should happen?” encourages you to think like an author.
You’re worrying about structure.
Pacing.
Genre expectations.
Reader expectations.
Foreshadowing.
Marketability.
Perfect plotting.
Instead, ask:
Given everything that has already happened, what would realistically happen next?
What would your character actually do?
What would their personality lead them to do?
What would the antagonist logically do?
What consequences would realistically follow?
Sometimes the story already contains the answer.
You just have to stop trying to force it.
The Emergency “I’m Completely Stuck” Checklist
If you’ve been staring at your manuscript for twenty minutes and your brain has officially left the building, try this:
Step 1: Identify the last thing that happened.
Write it down in one sentence.
Step 2: Identify what everyone wants.
Especially your protagonist and antagonist.
Step 3: Introduce a problem.
Make something harder.
Step 4: Force a choice.
Give your protagonist two imperfect options.
Step 5: Choose the option with the biggest consequences.
Don’t worry about whether it’s comfortable.
Step 6: Ask “And then what?”
Follow the consequences.
Step 7: Write the scene badly.
Seriously.
Don’t edit.
Don’t polish.
Don’t reread.
Just move forward.
You can fix the writing later.
Remember: You Don’t Need to Know the Whole Story
One of the biggest misconceptions about writing is that successful authors always know exactly what happens next.
They don’t.
Some writers outline everything before they begin.
Some discover the story as they go.
Most writers fall somewhere in between.
Getting stuck doesn’t mean you’re a bad writer.
It doesn’t mean you’ve lost your creativity.
And it certainly doesn’t mean you have to abandon the story.
Sometimes you simply need to stop asking:
“How do I get from here to the ending?”
and start asking:
“What happens because of what just happened?”
That’s a much smaller question.
And small questions are easier to answer.
Your characters don’t need you to know their entire future.
They just need you to give them something to want, fear, discover, choose, lose, or fight for.
Give them that.
Then watch what happens.
Because sometimes the best way to get unstuck isn’t to figure out the entire story.
It’s simply to write one more thing.
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