Take a piece of paper and a pen – or a felt tip and a whiteboard – and take a potent word from your last piece of writing. Write it in the middle of the page and circle it. Now start free-associating outwards, in chains of words and spider diagrams. Open up your mind to whatever turns up. When the page is full, draw lines between the words that feel connected. Are there any interesting combinations or oppositions? Where might they take your story?

Louise Welsh, author of novels including The Cutting Room and A Lovely Way to Burn

Stephen May, author of Get Started in Writing a Novel

‘You won’t always find the answers on the page’

 Understanding the different types of Writer’s Block  from Get Started In Writing a Novel by Stephen May, Nigel Watts And Jodie Daber   Technical and non-technical writer’s block When Nigel Watts wrote the first edition of Get Started in Writing A Novel, he identified two types of writer’s block: technical and non-technical. He asserted that…
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‘You won’t always find the answers on the page’

Mike Gayle, author of novels including Turning Thirty, My Legendary Girlfriend and Mr. Commitment

‘There’s no such thing as writer’s block’

  I used to be a big believer in writer’s block and then I attended a screenwriting course by a big name screen writer where he said, ‘There’s no such thing as writer’s block there’s only under-plotting.’ As soon as he said it I realised he was right. Every time I’ve thought I had writer’s…
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‘There’s no such thing as writer’s block’

Becky Walsh, editor, John Murray

Anna Soler-Pont, founder and director of the Pontas Literary & Film Agency since 1992

'Disconnect from the internet'

The most interesting conversations between an agent and an author are about the writing process. Or even better, the pre-writing process: that moment when a client asks you “What should I write next? I’m lost!” or says “I have this wonderful idea, I’ve tried, but I’m blocked, I can’t go on, what should I do?”.…
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'Disconnect from the internet'

Jurgen Wolff, author of Your Writing Coach

‘How to address a writing problem you can’t solve’

  Addressing a lack of motivation  from Your Writing Coach by Jurgen Wolff   Sometimes your lack of motivation doesn’t have anything to do with your mental or physical state, it comes from feeling frustrated that there is a writing problem you can’t solve. For those times, I have six strategies for you to put…
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‘How to address a writing problem you can’t solve’

Felicia Yap, author of Yesterday

Katherine Grubb, author of Write a Novel in 10 Minutes a Day

‘Ten things to do if you are stuck’

  Simply ask yourself, ‘What happens next’? from Write a Novel in 10 Minutes a Day by Katherine Grubb   Ten things to do if you are stuck  Just simply ask yourself, ‘What happens next?’ Review your notes. Do a free write on anything: the main character, the supporting characters, the setting, the plot or…
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‘Ten things to do if you are stuck’