Goodreads asked Cynthia Sax:

How do you deal with writer’s block?

Cynthia Sax We’re zipping along, writing like madwomen, super excited about our stories, and the words simply stop. Can’t…Get…Past…This…Scene. We force ourselves to write because that is what many more experienced writers advise. This isn’t bad advice as long as we realize that all we’re doing is buying time to figure out what is wrong. These forced words will likely have to be scrapped.

Because we’ve made a wrong decision.

This is the number one reason why MY words stop (your reasons might be different). I’ve made a wrong decision for my characters. They know this. My brain knows this. But I’m stubborn and determined to be right. I refuse to revisit it and my characters go on strike. The characters ALWAYS win and they should. If they know they’re doing something they wouldn’t, readers will know this also.

I go back to where the words were flowing in the manuscript and examine the following scenes. If I still can’t see the wrong decision, I’ll hand the manuscript to a writing buddy or I’ll talk it over with my dear wonderful hubby. Sometimes simply talking about it clears the issues up in my mind.

flag