ten hard-earned lessons about breaking through writer's block

I had a story due (minimum 6,500 words) for an upcoming YA paranormal anthology called KISS ME DEADLY and for the longest time I could not get it written. Writing – or more specifically, not writing – the story hijacked my life, so not only was I not writing the story, I also wasn't writing anything else.

Happy ending. I finished the piece on Monday, in a hotel suite in Mexico City, and sent it off to my editor. Several hours later she emailed her response: "Beautiful story…just...