Whipping Writer’s Whiplash

with guest Susanne Dietze.

This past year has been an exciting one, with eight contracts due in a fourteen-month spread. Eight is great, but the projects often overlapped, which resulted in something I’ve named Writer’s Whiplash.

Do you know what I mean? Think of writing each individual story as cruising down a unique story highway (you can also call it a “story universe” but we’re sticking with the automotive metaphor, so bear with me). Today, you’re traversing the road for your current project. You’re driving at a comfortable speed. The scenery is familiar; you’re traveling with character companions you know well; you know where you’ve been and where you’re headed.

Then—cue the squealing breaks! 

You receive edits for a story you already turned in, and they’re due in seven days! Or you get a call that an editor wants a revise & resubmit on a proposed project, pronto! Or, as happened to me once, in one week you get edits for one story, galleys for another, a request for possible cover art ideas, while a deadline looms. 

In these situations, when time is of the essence, we do not have the luxury of staying the course on Story Highway #1 and reaching the destination before turning our cars onto Story Highway #2. We must change course immediately. Kick the characters out of the car, promise to pick them up later, and do a 180 onto Story Highway #2, burning rubber as we go.

But oh—I feel dizzy. When I have to slam on the brakes and turn immediately onto a new story highway, the car goes one way, but my brain is still going another direction. That’s when it hits. I go blank. I wonder where I am, who I’m with, and where I’m supposed to go. 

This is Writer’s Whiplash. 

It’s jarring, confusing, and maybe even panic-inducing. Maybe you’re one of those writers who has no problem with this, and I confess, the degree to which I experience Writer’s Whiplash has varied by situation. Sometimes it’s a minor pain in the neck. Sometimes I need a neck brace and a blankie.

But we’re valiant authors! We persevere, and Writer’s Whiplash is sometimes part of the business. Here are a few ways I handled my Whiplash:

Pull Over

The moment Writer’s Whiplash starts, stop what you’re doing. Pull off your Story Highway and take a pit stop. How?

I suggest a physical and a mental break. The amount of time your pit stop takes can depend on how soon a deadline looms, but if you have a full day between projects, take it. If you’ve only got five minutes, take it. Use the time by:

• Getting up and doing something unrelated to writing (laundry, exercise, starting dinner, etc) to help your brain shift gears.

•  Praying for wisdom and direction. God gave you these stories! Ask Him to help you write what He’d have you write!

Use a Map

I am a broken record when I come on Seekerville: organization was key for me when it came to managing multiple deadlines. I couldn’t have done it if I didn’t have ready-made tools on hand to use as a map to remind me where I was going.

• First, I leave myself a trail of breadcrumbs on Story Highway #1, so I know how to find my way back. I do this by jotting notes in my manuscript (in all caps, marked with asterisks) that tell me what should come next in the plot, what’s the mood, etc. Then I get out my premade map for Story Highway #2 so I know where to go.

• What is this map, you might ask? It’s my notes on the plot, which I did in advance. This doesn’t need to be finely detailed. A synopsis is fine for some people, but I need more. Before I start a story, I use an excel spreadsheet to block out the basics of the plot. I use a column for each chapter, headed with a note of what needs to happen at that particular point of the story (point of no return, black moment, etc.). Another option I’ve used is typing up rough paragraphs of what will happen in each chapter. Either way, I print them out and then I write notes all over them as I write, because things do change and evolve, but I still have the skeleton in place.

• Don’t forget your characters. They should ride along with you in the car, but you may need to become reacquainted with them, so I make notes on them, too. Some authors like a sheet that describes each character—looks, personality, etc. Include horses, dogs, etc.—Writer’s Whiplash can erase them from your memory! When I was working on eight stories, that meant not only eight heroes and heroines, but their pets, horses, parents, siblings, kids, etc., all with distinct personalities and traits. If I hadn’t organized them, I might well have confused a few of them.

Use Landmarks

When we’re driving, we know to look for certain things to help us know where we are. The same is true in writing, and I’ve found that engaging the senses when I’m on a Story Highway can help me when I need to get back on that particular road. Some of these landmarks are:

• Visuals. I’m a visual person, so I make a Pinterest board for each of my stories. I use photos of scenery, houses, dogs, horses, gowns, and characters so I can return to them later for reference. 

• Sound. Some people don’t write to music, and not all who do can write to anything with lyrics. Find what works for you: sound or silence, but if you write to music, here’s an idea. Choose a “soundtrack” unique to each story. I don’t mean using a particular movie soundtrack, per se, but one of your own making that evokes the mood, feelings, and sense of place you need for each Story Highway. I had particular albums that I listened to for each Story Highway I traveled. That way, when I played one album on my phone, it would instantly make me think of the Story Highway I paired it with. 

• Scent. Smell is the fastest sensory trigger to memory. It can take us back to a place and time we haven’t thought about in years. Try assigning a scent to each story freeway (think of it as a car air freshener!). This can be a scented candle, the aroma of a coffee blend, the lavender blooming right outside your window, or maybe something else. When you were in the groove on one story freeway, tangerines were in season—now the smell of tangerine can take you right back.

Writer’s Whiplash may be unavoidable at times, but it’s manageable—and it’s also proof that we are blessed to have multiple projects and opportunities. 

I’ve found organization to help, but do you have any tips to help me cope with Writer’s Whiplash in the future? I’d love to hear what you do!

Leave a comment today and you could win a copy of My Heart Belongs in Ruby City, Idaho: Rebecca’s Plight. Winner announced in the Weekend Edition.

My Heart Belongs in Ruby City, Idaho: Rebecca’s Plight


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Susanne Dietze began writing love stories in high school, casting her friends in the starring roles. Today, she's the award-winning author of a dozen new and upcoming historical romances. A pastor's wife and mom of two, she loves fancy-schmancy tea parties, the beach, and curling up on the couch with a costume drama and a plate of nachos. You can visit her on her website, www.susannedietze.com, and sign up for her newsletter for an occasional cheery hello: http://eepurl.com/bieza5