Writers’ block.  Any author knows about it and dreads it.  It happens to the best of us at the worst of times, never when it’s convenient.  But does anyone know truly how to break through it?

I’ve been trying desperately for a few months to get out a few of my newest novel ideas.  I know where they’re both headed, but neither one wants to come out.  I can get a paragraph, maybe two at most, then it just stops.  It’s like I’ve hit a brick wall and I can’t get going.  It started like that on Idea #1, as I’ve christened it, so I tried one of my handy tricks: start another project.  Nothing like getting those creative juices running, right?

Idea #2 started off on a high, too, but soon hit that wall.  This time, I was SURE it was going to work.  I’d open Word dutifully every night and just … nothing.  It wouldn’t come out.

I’ve just started on Idea #3, and I’m truly hoping this one pans out.  I’m definitely NOT a person who does well with proper outlines and whatnot, but I’ve mapped the heck out of this story and have serious plans for it.  And in 3 sessions I’ve come up with over 3,000 words, so that’s real progress in my world.  The only issue I’m foreseeing in this one is that I’m in uncharted territory — that is, I’m writing about a place I have VERY little experience visiting, so it’s going to be me and Google getting through this puppy.  I’m heading back to London in exactly 107 days, and I’m actually contemplating a daylong excursion to Paris, where this book is taking place.  I also speak a very limited amount of French and feel most comfortable with written French, because my accent is terrible, so I guess we’ll see how this goes!  My most trusted beta reader has gone through the first chapter, maybe chapter and a half, and says so far this is her favorite of all my works, so I guess we’ll see!

Does anybody else have any other strategies for writers’ block?  As you can tell, my “start a new story!” method has probably a 33-50% rate of success.  We can talk about it as I try to take a Google Maps tour of the 6th Arrondissement and the surrounding areas!

Until next time,
Kate