Creative difficulties occur for a number of reasons. Perhaps things were running smoothly and then our story ran out of gas. Maybe we have grown careless with our processes and habits, rendering us unprepared for challenges. Our enthusiasm may wane, draining all motivation. Bottom line: we hit a wall when we lose sight of our goal. Without a clear target, we begin to drift and our story may stall.

How can we prevent the proverbial wall from appearing? How can writers apply the power of defined goals to their situation?

An outline provides a writer with a clear path to follow. Writing without an outline is like driving without a map – we don’t know where we’re going. A basic synopsis, complete with ending, will keep our story flowing forward. With an outline, we always have the option of skipping ahead to the next scene just to keep creativity flowing, thus preventing writer’s block from stopping us cold.

An outline will also keep us from wandering from our original idea. Think of all the time we save when we stop chasing rabbits! A physical outline is far more effective than a mental one, too. Our brilliantly conceived story will hold our interest if we can view concrete ideas and plans. Relying on the wisp of an idea in our minds is too vague and eventually leads to frustration. Write out the basic plot and set it in stone.

It takes more than an outline, though. The real strength of our resolve to stay on target resides between our ears! Our attitude and determination will play a pivotal role in our ability to move past obstacles. How strong is the desire to see our vision develop into a tangible story that others can enjoy? It will not matter how well constructed the outline if the story does not ignite the fire in our soul.

Is it really that simple? An outline and our attitude? Yes, because all it really takes to overcome any challenge or problem is a dream and a desire!

So, make preparations before the wall appears on the horizon and the inspirational muse goes missing. Plan a course of action and get excited about the journey. Remember, we don’t have time for obstacles in our path. We’ve got a story to write!

Well…this is that certain sort of question that arises in our creative minds once in a while. You all may wonder: “why does this happen when you least expect it?” They say that so-called “blank page” periods most likely occur under stressful conditions and lack of inspiration. But those are not the only concerns when it comes about writing. A professional and highly experienced writer can encounter such block while reaching for the highest pick of his carrier or…why not, attempting to launch brand new published papers on the market. Writer’s block is not necessarily supposed to happen only in time of crisis but under prosperous circumstances too. It strikes anyone, anytime, anywhere without warning!

There are several signals which are to be considered before putting the pencil on paper and dropping the very first lines of a potential successful novel! Every professional writer has to make sure that no distraction or any other jeopardizing factor and harmful environment can ever shatter the silence around. A peaceful state of mind and, of course, a balanced and disciplined life style – those are nothing but essential for a pen-performer, right before committing to writing. No worries, no negative thoughts, no debts, no divorce papers, no screaming and shouting all around the house and…like someone said once…”no flashing toilet”! That’s the number one rule! No dreadful noise around the author’s desk! Don’t even think to start writing before turning off any alarm, shutting the windows and setting silence mode for your cell-phone. However, some of these adjuvant rules are to be obeyed and some are not! It depends on the writer’s particular reaction to all of these external factors. For instance, there are many published authors that cannot possibly concentrate on writing without listening to music at the same time.

Writer’s block can be fooled in so many ways. Certified experts believe that a long walk down the beach or simply going outside for some fresh air, even walking your dog for a couple of hours, can work miracles! Whenever you feel stuck in a limited idea and can’t go on with focusing on some of your chapters, all you need to do is…STOP! Stop working, quit writing and try to do something else for a change, just for a couple of minutes! Make yourself a mid-day snack, take a hot shower, turn your living floor in a dance floor, move, walk, shake your arms and legs all around the house, ride a bike or a bus or just go a drive carrying no destination ahead. You can do all these things everytime you feel trapped in front of the keyboard. Once you’ve taken this moment for granted while enjoying a cup of tea, even just for a while, you can return to your writing with this invigorated mind and recharged batteries. Don’t make a big fuss out of it! Just live the moment as it is, don’t panic and try to recover your lost inspiration. Believe that this is just temporary and be positive about your own creative skills! Don’t ever let yourself fooled by tricky moments like these! On the other hand, there are writers who think they should ask for professional help in order to get over this as quickly as possible. You can also get counseling if you want. Talk to a shrink, ask for accredited advice, follow specific instructions but keep yourself busy all the time! This is crucial! As long as you’ve got something to do around the house, you’ll notice that your writing ideas are coming back, one at a time. You’ll even wake yourself up in the middle of the night for laying spontaneous thoughts down on the paper!

This is absolutely normal! And it’s surely a full-size notice of improvement. It means you’re heading the right track so that one day, the dream of your lifetime finally comes true: associate your name with a best-seller on the top shelves of the National Library!