“Getting Unstuck”
Narrative writers of all ages get stuck. Many writers refer to it as writer’s block, but for me, it feels less like a wall, and more like everything shifts into slow motion.
It’s as if I’ve been swiftly paddling down a deep river that suddenly becomes shallow. My paddle scrapes along the river bottom. I’m still moving, but it takes too much effort.
If your student writers are frustrated, I suggest experimenting with the following techniques. Getting unstuck is personal, but it’s likely that once they find the right tool for them, it will work again and again as they write.
Try this: Read! Reading is a surefire way to release my seized-up writing brain. Recently, I was stuck in the “mushy middle” of a new manuscript. I set it aside to read a chapter of Aubrey Hartman’s The Undead Fox of Deadwood Forest. Her clever dialogue and tenderhearted characters jumpstarted my writing brain.
Try this: Draw! If the words aren’t coming, sketch. Doodle whatever images, characters, or actions are in your mind. See if the words follow.
Try this: Move! Taking my ideas on a walk always helps me get unstuck. Let’s say I can’t figure out how a character in my story will react to finding out she’s been lied to. As I walk, I train my thoughts on this story problem and don’t let my mind stray. Will my character get mad? Will she cry? Will she respond with a lie of her own? (If walking isn’t an option, try any kind of movement: dance in your seat, roll you head side to side, jump in place.)
Try this: Interview! Pretend to be a character in your story, and ask a partner to interview you. Have them ask questions, such as: Who do people think you are, but who are you really? What do you want? What’s getting in your way?
Try this: List! Take a break from composing sentences. List nouns that come to mind. Then list verbs. After you’ve come up with your lists, try your hand again at a sentence.
Try this: Listen! Like reading, listening to music seems to trigger my imagination. When I was working on Wide Eye, if I got stuck, I’d listen to the indie folk band Big Thief. Their music has nothing to do with my book, but the lead singer’s voice always seemed to crack open my thoughts.
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Giveaway! Jennifer will send a pack of Wide Eye stickers and bookmarks to the first teacher who contacts her via Instagram. Send Jennifer (IG @bookmarkedbyjen) a DM with the message: Unleashing Readers Giveaway.
Publishing October 6th, 2026 by Pushkin Children’s Books
About the Book: A whimsical middle-grade adventure about a young girl, a wacky museum, and a local monster, exploring the transformative power of imagination.
Every year, 10-year-old Meridian spends her summer with Grandpa Frank on Wide Eye Lake, where she helps out at his quirky museum dedicated to the mysterious Wide Eye monster.
But this year, something is different. Tasked with organizing the museum’s old files, Meridian stumbles across more than just faded photos and scribbled sightings of mysterious paw prints. Hidden among the clutter are some old mementos that unlock a long-buried family secret—one that turns her entire world upside down.
Not only does Meridian have a family mystery to solve, but this summer she has to avoid two prankster classmates who just so happen to be vacationing nearby. Summer at Wide Eye Lake really isn’t turning out to be the magical escape it used to be. Can Meridian rediscover the magic of the lake and the local stories she once loved, or will her family be forever changed?
Wide Eye is a heartwarming, family-focused middle-grade adventure that explores the power of imagination and the healing nature of friendship.
“A gem of a novel – a masterclass in how to write for children and make them laugh but also challenge them.” —Iqbal Hussain, author of The Night I Borrowed Time
“[A] thoughtful, character-driven summer adventure.” —Kirkus Reviews
Find an educator’s guide for Wide Eye here.
About the Author: Jennifer Liss writes books for children and teens. She is the author of the middle grade novel Wide Eye (Pushkin Children’s), a London Times Children’s Book of the Week. Her middle grade novel JAMES ON THE EDGE is forthcoming in 2027, also with Pushkin Children’s. For twenty years, Jennifer has worked in educational publishing and has written dozens of books for struggling and reluctant readers, including Doubles, which received a School Library Journal (SLJ) starred review. Jennifer is a regional coordinator for the Society for Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) and a recipient of the Highlights Foundation Lee Bennett Hopkins Scholarship and the Boyds Mills PJ Library Scholarship. She lives in Northern California with her husband, who is a public school teacher, and her two teenage sons. Follow her on IG @bookmarkedbyjen
Thank you, Jennifer, for these great tips for writer’s block!!
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