Working Through Writer's Block

Many writers suffer from writer's block. Part of the problem is that it's "all in your head," and isn't something you can treat with medication. You are just unable to continue working on the project at hand. Your muse isn't cooperating, and the words aren't flowing.

Here are some great ideas to help get you past that block and back to work:

1. Figure out what's blocking you

Writer Michael Stackpole insists that there is no such thing as writer's block - it's simply your mind telling you that something just isn't working, and the cure is to find out what that is and fix it, then you'll be able to move forward. Go back to the last part of your manuscript that you feel good about and start asking questions. Why is this so hard to write? What's wrong with the next part? Why isn't this working? Figuring out where you went wrong and going in a new direction usually breaks the block.

2. Get into your characters

Sometimes you get blocked because you really don't know your characters as well as you should, and they're not behaving logically so it's hard to write about them. Fill out some of those handy online character charts, or find one of those "How Well Do You Know Your Significant Other?" questionnaires in a magazine and fill that out for each character. The better you know the people in your story, the easier things will flow.

3. Ask questions

Again, go back to the last part that was working well for you. Now, start asking some plot questions. What would my character logically do next? What if he does this instead? What if that happens to her? Asking "what if?" questions…