Goodreads asked Beth Brower:

How do you deal with writer’s block?

Beth Brower I've heard other writers say that, at some point, you have to learn you don't get to have writer's block. And yes. I agree...? Except, I think you need to know yourself well enough to understand how to handle it for yourself, on both a larger scale and on a daily basis. You will encounter it. So. You need to figure a few things out.

There comes a time where you have to say, "I would rather write than..." And you stop watching that T.V. show, or stop spending all your extra time wandering through a fantastic second hand store, or even, *gasp*, the bookstore. {Not that I don't spend plenty of time there. But, you know. You know when your doing everything but.}

On the larger scale, I learned how to deal with writer's block by telling myself I had to write everyday. So, I would come home from work {I've been the Head Gardener at a private estate called Rivendell for the last seven years} so exhausted from a long day and I would sit down, pull my laptop onto my lap, and just go. Sometimes you just can't get into the manuscript you're writing, like it's locked from you and you've fumbled about for the key. No dice. Here I always make a judgement call--Do I need to be writing something else? Or, do I need to sit down and pound this scene out. Both are appropriate. You have to learn how to sense that.

On the small daily scale? You need to get it into your head, know when you're going to get going, and just pick up your computer. Yesterday I was having a rough time getting into my editing. I'd been super sick all week {the spend all day in bed for a week and forget that the outside world operates normally sick.} So, I read a blog post by a favorite author, then I went into my library, and sat down in front of the shelves. I stared at some of my favorite author's books, ran my eyes along their body of works. And I thought, I have so many books waiting to get out, I've gotta get going. Then I was excited about my work, about what I was trying to accomplish. And, I was in the game. I had several productive hours and rocked it again today. So, I guess that's what I mean when I say you've gotta find the little things that help you out.

Do any of you have tricks of your own?

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