Some writers seem to be endlessly prolific. They can draft a book in a few weeks, edit it, and move on the next project. They never seem to get stuck. I am not one of these people. I love editing, whether my own writing or someone else’s. Drafting, on the other hand, is hard. I get stuck way more often than I’d like to admit. But there’s nothing to edit if I don’t get a draft done.

There are certainly things prolific authors do to keep their creativity flowing, such as showing up to write consistently and diminishing distractions. However, even the best of us have times when we’re stuck. Sometimes the “stuckness” can last days. Sometimes it lasts years. The longer it goes on, the harder it is to pull ourselves out. We may wonder if should just give up.

So how do we climb out from the muck? The good news is that there are things we can do to free ourselves.

The first thing is to figure out why we’re stuck. This is important because the reason for our stuckness impacts how we should approach it. Here are the main reasons I’ve been creatively blocked, and techniques I’ve found that work for me. Keep in mind that writing is deeply personal, and what works for one person may not work for another.

“I’m Stuck” Reason 1: I don’t know the story.

Sometimes I’m stuck because there’s a plot problem, and I don’t know what happens next. Sometimes I don’t know my characters well enough, so I can’t see my way forward. For me, trying to write through this kind of block only leads to frustration and terrible results.

Solutions:

• Brainstorming: If I’m stuck on a story-related problem, I have to stop and figure it out. This doesn’t mean I don’t write at all; it just means I might not be adding word count. I need to take time to brainstorm. This could include contemplating/writing unfiltered ideas to get my mind going. It could include going for a walk or taking a short break. It’s amazing how many times ideas come to me while I’m taking a shower (I swear, there’s something magical about water!) or driving. If I don’t actively and frequently think about the problem, though, the solution isn’t likely to fall in my lap. I need to make sure I’m actively brainstorming.
• Discussing with others: Sometimes we need to bounce ideas off someone else. This could be a spouse or friend, a critique group, or a mentor. It’s helpful if our brainstorming partner is a writer or reader, but it’s not entirely necessary. Talking it out enables other perspectives and can generate ideas we can’t come up with on our own. Even when people give us awful ideas that would never work, those awful ideas can spark good ideas.
• Free write: This doesn’t necessarily mean completely random writing. If I’m stuck because I don’t know my characters well enough, for example, writing about the story from their point of view can be extremely helpful—especially if they’re not the story’s POV character. I learn a lot about them by letting them ramble about their reaction to what’s happening or about their backstory. It helps me understand their motivations, which improves my storytelling. Sometimes the results even lead to information I can include in the story.

“I’m Stuck” Reason 2: Perfectionism.

Sometimes I get stuck because I’m putting too much pressure on myself to write a gorgeous first draft. I’m so focused on composing perfect prose that writing becomes painful, and I can’t get anything out at all. The funny thing is, when I shut down my editorial brain and get into the flow of writing, it comes out better than when I’m hyper focused on making it perfect. So how can we turn off our inner critic?

Solutions:

• Writing sprints: Giving myself a deadline of 25 minutes works really well. I might see how many words I can write in that amount of time, or I might set a particular goal. (And, no, I don’t beat myself up if I don’t meet the goal.) There’s something about the panic of trying to get a lot of words out in a short period of time that enables me to shut off my editor brain. It also helps with tuning out distractions. I can’t be watching cat videos on Facebook if I’ve got to write 500 words in half an hour. Once I’ve sprinted, I can take a quick break and start again. Pomodoro timers are fantastic tools for this.
• Setting deadlines: It’s amazing how setting a firm deadline can spark creativity. If I’ve got to have a story drafted by the end of the summer, I don’t have time to criticize myself on how many times my main character’s stomach has clenched. The best deadlines are real ones, such as needing to finish a draft in time to pitch it at a conference or enter it in a competition. But if there’s nothing impending, a personal goal will work well enough—as long as I can convince myself to keep it.

“I’m Stuck” Reason 3: Lack of inspiration.

Sometimes I just don’t want to write. This might be the trickiest stuckness to defeat, especially since the more we delay writing, the less inspired we’ll be. It requires a good deal of self-control and perseverance to overcome. Here are some ideas for getting back in the flow.

Solutions:

• Set small goals: If writing for an hour or two feels overwhelming, I’ll set a small goal. Maybe my goal will be to write for 20 minutes or to write 100 words. It feels doable even when I’m not “in the mood,” and often my creativity will kick in and I’ll be able to do more. And if not? At least I’ve done something, and I’m remaining engaged with my story.
• Creative brainstorming: This can be similar to brainstorming about a plot problem, but it’s generally less guided. It might involve sitting in a bathtub and staring at a candle flame while I let my mind wander. It’s allowing my brain to be creative without the pressure of getting words on a page, whether I’m generating ideas for a specific story or just dreaming up concepts.
• Fill the creative well: If we’re always generating creative works that we hope will be worthy of sharing, we may find our creative well runs dry. How we refill our well is vastly different for each of us—and can vary based on our season of life. Maybe we need to absorb ourself in a good story that someone else created. Maybe we need to engage in creative pursuits that are just for us, whether it’s writing a story we don’t intend to share or creating a different kind of art. For example, I love to do watercolor. I’m not good at it, and I don’t want to become good. I enjoy dabbling with colors and seeing what happens. Other possibilities include playing with kids (ours or someone else’s) and being fully present. Maybe we need to reconnect with our Creator, the ultimate wellspring of creativity. Find what fills you up, and make time for it.
• Switch projects: Be careful on this one. If you’re the type of person who bounces from project to project and never completes anything, this advice is not for you. But if you’ve been flailing and getting nowhere on a particular project, this might be something to consider. Recently, I switched from working on a YA paranormal that I was struggling to draft to rewriting a previous story from YA to middle grade. It was clearly just what I needed to spark my creativity; I was able to rewrite and edit the story in two months. I had been working on the YA draft for nearly two years. Sometimes, it’s just not the right time for certain projects.
• Take a break: This should be used sparingly. It’s easy to take “a break” and never write again. First of all, there is absolutely no shame in deciding that writing isn’t for you. If you’re okay with setting it aside and never coming back, don’t guilt yourself into writing again. But if writing is your calling, you may still need a break due to mental health, external circumstances, or exhaustion. The key here is to be intentional about it. How long will the break be? What will you do during this break? How will you start writing again?

“I’m Stuck” Reason 4: I’m too busy to write.

This one is tricky. We can’t spend all our time writing. We need to support ourselves. We need to spend time with friends and family. We need to live to have enough experience to draw from. It can be especially difficult to write when we have demanding jobs and/or young children to care for. It’s so easy to relegate writing time to “whenever it fits” and discover that it doesn’t fit anywhere. If we’re not intentional about writing, it’ll never happen.

Solutions:

• Schedule time: Ideally, we would all write at consistent times, scheduled when we’re at our peak creativity. This isn’t always possible, of course. If (like me) your peak creativity is late morning and you work at that time, you’ll have to find a different time. But at least try to avoid your least creative times. For example, if I scheduled in writing time at 9:00 pm, it would be pointless because I would fall asleep instead of writing. If I tried to write at 5:00 am, I wouldn’t make it out of bed. Call me a diva, but I like my sleep. I’ve got to schedule my writing somewhere in between there. The main point here, though, is that writing time has to be scheduled. And don’t feel guilty about taking that time. Are there approximately 834 other things you can be doing time? Sure. But maybe the world won’t fall apart if you don’t vacuum today. Protect your writing time. Make it a priority and don’t let anything short of an emergency disrupt it. Is this easy to do? Nope. I’m not very good at this. But for most of us, it’s the only way writing will actually happen.
• Take advantage of small moments: Sometimes I think I can’t write if I don’t have a two-hour chunk of time. But the truth is, I can make progress if I write half an hour a day. Taking advantage of the time I do have can lead to more progress than I realize. Have fifteen minutes? Instead of doom scrolling, write!
• Write on the move: When my kids were little, I wrote when they were at playgrounds or splash pads. Now, I have Scrivener synced in such a way that I can write on my phone using an external keyboard. This allows me to write pretty much anywhere at any moment. So take advantage of waiting at the dentist office or the airport and get some words going.
• Limit distractions: When you do have writing time, use it well. Turn off phone notifications. Don’t check social media. Put a do-not-disturb sign on your door. Put on noise-canceling headphones. There are more and more tools coming out, such as computers that won’t connect to social media or web browsers. Whatever you’re able to do to keep your focus on your writing, do it.

I hope these ideas are helpful in pulling yourself out of the muck or keeping yourself from getting there. Above all, it’s important we give ourselves grace. If we’ve gotten to a place where creativity is hard, beating ourselves up isn’t going to help us get out.

Also, remember why you write. If you’re hoping for money and fame, you’re probably in the wrong business. But if writing is your calling, remember that. Remember that this is dry season has an end, and you’ll be able to write again. Your story matters. Don’t give up on it.