Yes. Unfortunately the struggles of writing a book don’t end once you have a publishing deal. All writers struggle with the writing at times, and the process of writing a book is often different book to book.
I am reminded, of an Alice Sebold quote that means a great deal to me: “You save yourself or you remain unsaved.” While the quote’s context was much different than writing, I believe that it can be applied to almost any emotional/internal struggle.
As an agent I can give client’s advice, offer to brainstorm with them, fly out and visit and make them sit in a chair and yell at them to write (okay maybe not that last one). But I can’t get into their heads. They have to climb up and overcome those hurdles largely on their own (with a supportive New Leaf team to cheer them on or send them Elizabeth Banks gifs, Taylor Swift songs, or wereferret jokes etc).
My best suggestion is to shake up your routine. If you usually write at home, go to the library or a coffee shop, set up a writing date with friends. Take a walk and listen to music that could inspire you, try pandora or a spotify playlist of songs you’ve never heard before. Go for a run, play paintball, go kayaking, hike a mountain, do something that’s out of your everyday routine that will give you time with your thoughts. Talk through your story with a friend or relative who is a good listener.
OR: Go backwards–how do you want the story to end? What should the climax be, what are the obstacles your characters should face in order to grow into the most satisfying emotional ending? If you’re usually a pantster, write an outline (even plot out the beats using the Blake Snyder beat sheet), then turn that outline into a bunch of little chapter outlines for EACH chapter. Then write a draft of the next chapter and who cares if it is the biggest pile of garbage to ever come out of your head, it’s a draft.
And, most importantly, get rid of self-doubt and any negative thinking.
That may sound silly, but for another analogy: I have trouble sleeping. I have my whole life. And if I lay down and think “ugh I’m never going to fall asleep” guess what? I won’t. I’ll lie in bed and stress out about all the things I need to do tomorrow and why I need to get a good night’s sleep and I will be awake forever. In fact every time I fall into that trap, I get up and do something else–yoga, emails, candy crush, etc. Then I try again with a new mind set.
So make a promise with yourself. Your writing time is a safe space. There is absolutely no pressure to churn out a masterpiece in a certain amount of time. You are a writer because you love to write. And any time you start stressing, pause. Stop writing, get up and do something else for 10-20 minutes, and then come back with a new mindset because sometimes those garbage first drafts are actually pretty darn later when you go back and read them. And sometimes they’re exactly what you meed in order to revise a manuscript into submission.