At times, it can be pretty daunting to sit down at your computer and see a blank screen staring back at you. Whether you’re just starting your book, working on a pivotal scene, or are ready to write that last chapter, sometimes an empty canvas can be anything but inspiring to an author.

If you ever feel like you’re suffering from a bad case of writer’s block, here are a few strategies to help:

1. Immerse yourself in nature. This doesn’t mean taking a sabbatical to the jungles of Costa Rica (though by all means…if you can…we’re not stopping you!), but it does mean to just go outside for a while. Focusing on the great outdoors can help clear your head and inspire you.
2. Sleep with a notebook next to you. You never know what ideas will come to you in your sleep. If you have that notebook nearby, you can jot down a few ideas before you forget them.
3. Write somewhere else.  We get it. You spent a lot of time creating an immersive environment specifically for writing your book. You have motivational posters on the wall and the lighting is perfect. You even added a desk waterfall to let soothing water sounds keep you in a tranquil, inspired state.  Maybe you need to spend a day out of that environment.  Go to a local coffee shop, the library, a park, even a different room in your house…anywhere that provides a change of scenery. The new surroundings may inspire you to take your book to a completely different place as well.
4. Develop your characters. Do some free writing that really dives into the background of your characters. You may not add this information to the book, but if you have a better understanding of your characters, you  may learn something new that you can incorporate into your story. Try a day in the life journal entry, a brief history, or even an in-depth physical description. 
5. Accept that sometimes writer’s block happens. Having a case of writer’s block doesn’t make you a bad writer. Nor does writer’s block mean you should stop telling your story. It simply means that today, you need to work from a different angle. Don’t be too hard on yourself. The tortured writer cliche is overdone, anyways.