Goodreads asked F.C. Schaefer:

How do you deal with writer’s block?

F.C. Schaefer I have one character say something to another character, then have that character respond; they may say nothing that furthers the story at first, so I have to hit delete a lot, but if I hang with it, sooner or later something usable comes out of their mouths.

Often times I will have a problem making all the parts of a story fit together, I know where I want the story to end up, but can't find a way to get there that works or makes sense within the book. This is when I have to step back and take a hard look at what got me to this impasse; sometimes it's all a matter of stepping away from the work for a little while and trusting in my imagination and intuition to come up with a solution. But many times what we call writer's block results from an idea or premise that has been poorly plotted out, and the solution will require lots and lots of rewriting; a process I am all too familiar with in the past. It's why a writer needs to put a lot of effort into that first draft and find out what will work and what will not. And always trust your inner voice to tell you that you are on the right path.

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