What Novelists Can Learn From Building Jigsaw Puzzles
Lesson #23
School’s back in session, and the lounge is in full swing. Come on in, and join us!
Word of the Month
PUZZLE
verb: to feel confused because something doesn’t make sense
noun: a game, toy, or problem used to test one’s knowledge, intellect, or mental staminaExample: I’m puzzled by the joy I get from working on a complicated jigsaw puzzle.
This past month, my husband and I have found an escape from technology through building jigsaw puzzles. It’s old school, and maybe a little nerdy, but there’s a joy to be had working together on something complicated that has low stakes. It also got me thinking…some of the skills needed to solve a puzzle are the same skills needed to write a novel.
Every piece is unique and essential to the big picture
Each puzzle piece is like a scene. Scenes can stand alone, but they take on new meaning (their context changes) when they’re linked to other scenes. Scenes need to serve the bigger story to earn their place in the manuscript puzzle.
If you force a piece into the wrong spot, it messes up the big picture
If a scene isn’t meant to fit, you can’t force it. If you do, it distorts the larger story it’s part of. Building a novel requires switching back and forth from the micro to macro: you need to look closely at scenes, but then you need to step back and look at how they fit in with the big picture.
Building a puzzle is infuriating at times
How many of you have started a jigsaw puzzle, only to abandon it? Imagine how many novels have been abandoned as well, likely for some similar reasons: we can’t figure out how to make the micro pieces fit to form the macro final product. Aside from developing some grit and perseverance, how do we push past that frustration as a writer?
Build with a friend to get another perspective
There are times when you just can’t see how the pieces fit. Bringing in a friend provides a whole new perspective. However, there’s only so much space around the table.
The same is true for writing a novel. It’s mostly solo work, but bringing in a trusted friend to bounce ideas and read your work helps you see your manuscript in a new light.
You feel accomplished when you finish
I love the feeling of finishing something. That’s why I love microfiction so much. There’s nothing like stepping back and admiring a finished product you created. I look forward to that feeling when I finish the final draft of my first manuscript!
Budding and accomplished novelists, I encourage you to search for the metaphors in your life that might offer a new perspective on novel writing.
And if you haven’t built a puzzle in a while (or ever!), I encourage to get one and build it. We spend a lot of time on our screens, so there’s something reinvigorating about the tactile act of building a puzzle with our hands. Taking a break from one type of puzzle to solve another may be just what you need to find clarity in your writing.
Literary Puzzle Trivia
Did you know…
The first jigsaw puzzle is believed to have been created in 1760 by John Spilsbury, a London cartographer. He glued a map on a piece of wood and then cut it into pieces following the country lines.
Writing Activity
Remember magnetic word poetry? You get a box of magnets, each with a word on them, and arrange them to create a sentence, poem, story, slogan: whatever!
Try this same concept with something you’ve already written: it could be a poem, flash, or a page from a larger work.
Print it out. You might consider enlarging the font first.
Next, cut up the page into individual words or phrases.
Then, make something new with it! See how you can play with your words to make something new.
Consider gluing your work in its new form and hanging it up in your writing space as a reminder that, sometimes, it just takes a fresh perspective to see our work in a new light.
Love this Line
“Your hand fits mine like the last piece of a jigsaw puzzle.”
~ Jodi Picoult, #1 New York Times bestselling author
Novel Manuscript Update
Still actively working on my novel, even though the deadline for “beta reader ready” keeps getting pushed back. I continue to make forward progress though, and I’ve started sharing larger sections with critique partners, so that feels productive! Onward!
Exit Ticket
Don’t forget to answer the question before you leave the lounge. Thanks, friends! 😊
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Let’s Stay Connected!
Let’s keep the conversation and creativity going over on Instagram and Facebook! Here are a few fun items to enjoy over in those spaces.
Literary Trivia: I post one-question quizzes on my Instagram story. Test your literary knowledge!
Manuscript Updates: Watch in-the-moment updates on my novel-writing process and share your own writing experiences. Together, we can keep each other motivated!
Book Recommendations: Looking for a good book to read? Check out my recommendations. I love talking about books!
Love the puzzle metaphor! It really is perfect.