how to get unstuck.

It happens. I wish this were a post about the picture above, which is a car stuck in snow. Because it can feel a lot easier to get unstuck from that then from finding forward progress in your novel.

Let's get to it, then. Here's what works for me.

Go forward, literally.

Get in the car and drive. Walk. Get on a bus, or train or a boat. Whatever it is you choose, move forward in space and time. The easiest for me is to just walk out my door and head down the road. The simple action of moving forward triggers the same sensation in my mind.

Listen to music.

What do you mean you don't have a playlist for your book? Get one. Now. Open up your choice of a music library and start listening to songs that inspire your work. If you don't know where to start, ask your characters what they listen to, and why. Hopefully it's something you like. Otherwise it might not feel very inspiring. I always have a anthem or theme song for my stories. Sometimes I will walk or drive and listen to it on repeat.

Make a mood board.

This is seriously fun. Open up Pinterest or whatever, and start searching for images that relate to your story. Put them together in interesting ways. Imagine your book cover.

Read and watch.

This is your chance to binge Die Empeirien or Black Doves (guilty) or some other show you've been meaning to watch but can't justify taking the time. This is justification. Losing yourself in other stories always helps inspiration and motivates you to get back to the page.

Work out.

A good workout always put you in a better state of mind. My favorite is putting on my favorite 00s rap playlist and shooting hoops in my driveway. Ideas don't usually come to me while I'm in the middle of it, but afterward, as the body cools down, the brain refreshes itself with all those juicy endorphins, which are always good for the mind.

Tell me, what works for you?