When you have the feeling that your progress on your writing project is becoming sluggish, it can be wise to take a short break. Not a long one or you may lose your momentum totally, but a day or two of not working on or even thinking about the project can be helpful.
I have a theory about how creativity works: our subconscious mind leads and our conscious mind follows. Once you commit to writing a certain story, your subconscious mind goes to work in the background. It mulls over who your characters are and what might happen, just as it creates dreams for you every night.
During the actual writing process the conscioius mind draws upon this reservoir of ideas and brings up ones that fit the story you want to tell.
However, when you write a lot you sometimes get ahead of the subconscious mind and less and less material seems to pop into your head when you need it.
When you take a short break and feed your head with stimuli that have nothing to do with your story, it's like filling a well. When you return to your writing, you may find lots of fresh new ideas come to the surface.
I also think sometimes when things slow down it's a signal from your subconscious mind that you may be heading in a wrong direction with the story or that something is lacking.
I've just had this experience with a children's book I am writing. Progress suddenly slowed down. Fortunately this coincided with a trip to Spain to attend a wedding. For three days I was in a new place, seeing new things, meeting new people, not thinking about the book at all. It was on the plane on the way home that I began to think about the plot and suddenly realized I'd left out one important element and came up with a solution.
Of course I can't prove any of these theories about creativity, but if you are encountering a slowdown, consider assuming that I'm right. If it doesn't work for you, you can look for different solutions, but it may be just the thing to get you back on track.
