Help! I'm Stuck! Beating Writer's Block

You're writing along happily, and suddenly... nothing. Your brain feels empty. This is called writer's block, and every writer in the world gets it sometimes. The good news? There are lots of ways to climb over the wall!

Trick 1: Make something happen

If your story feels stuck, throw in a surprise! A phone rings. A stranger knocks at the door. It starts snowing in July. A surprise gives your characters something to react to.

Trick 2: Skip ahead

You don't have to write your story in order. If you're stuck on the middle, jump ahead and write the ending. You can come back and fill in the gap later.

Trick 3: Talk to your character

Pretend to interview your character. Ask them: "What do you want to do next? What are you scared of? What's in your pocket?" Their answers might surprise you!

Trick 4: Draw it

Grab some pencils and draw the scene you're stuck on. Looking at a picture often gives you new ideas about what happens next.

Trick 5: Let it be messy

Sometimes we get stuck because we want every sentence to be perfect. Give yourself permission to write badly for five minutes. You can fix it later. That's what editing is for!