# write oneself into a corner

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/write-oneself-into-a-corner
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

To reach a narrative point in which the story one is writing gets stuck, leaving no good or satisfactory alternative or resolution.

## Examples

- I wrote myself into a corner and cannot finish the story.
- The author realized he had written himself into a corner when his main character had no way to escape the locked room.
- By introducing too many conflicting plot twists, the novelist inadvertently wrote himself into a corner, leaving the final chapter impossible to resolve logically.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.