Goodreads asked S. Kay Murphy:

How do you deal with writer’s block?

S. Kay Murphy There are two types of writer's block. The first is the problem-solving sort. "Hmm. My protagonist needs to suddenly produce a weapon in Act 3, but I didn't even hint at one in Act 1. How can I fix that?" When I have plot problems of this nature, I go around them, keep writing and let my subconscious chew on the problem for awhile. Usually, the solution will pop into my head.

The second is the tougher kind to sort out, and that is writer's block caused by an emotional or psychological stop. Sometimes our inner critic succeeds in silencing us. Sometimes, as Yeats so beautifully rendered it, "the world's more full of weeping than you can understand." There have been periods of my life--during a divorce, during illness, when friends have passed away--that my sadness blocked me from writing anything. In those times, I resort to my other form of creative expression: I sing. I sing and carry on living life and sing some more and look for new music and take long walks in beautiful places (and sing while I'm there). Then, finally, after time has gone by, I make myself sit down and write something short or read the last thing I wrote. Ultimately, we have to bring ourselves back to the discipline of daily writing. When we do, our creativity will eventually click into gear again.

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