YAlicious: Overcoming Writer's Block by Kelly Anne Blount

Kelly approached me a few weeks ago asking if I'd like to highlight her book on YAlicious. I took one look at the cover and said, "YES PLEASE!!" I'm super excited to have Kelly visit today so I can showcase her book and she can share a little about her writing experiences.

Today she is telling us all about how she overcomes writer's block...something every writer will find useful.

Thanks for being here, Kelly.

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Uh oh… I’m stuck! I’m guessing that all writers have uttered this phrase once or twice or even dozens of times during their writing career. I know I have! So, what should one do when they get stuck on a scene, the ending for their book, or even worse, they experience a complete shut down, popularly referred to as writer’s block?

I have several methods that help me get “unstuck.” The first thing I like to do is step back and take a short break. This helps me clear my mind and I find it helps to get up and stretch my legs. If I’m really perplexed and unable to figure things out, I may go for a run with my dog.

If getting up and taking a break doesn’t help, I search through my Kindle library and look for a book in the same genre of the manuscript I’m working on. I’m a huge fan of Amanda Hocking’s Trylle Trilogy and Cornelia Funke’s Inkheart Trilogy. I usually don’t reread books; however, I make an exception for my all time favorites. Anyways, I may read a few chapters or half of the book, just depends on how I feel and if the words of another author inspire me to get back to work.

Another sure-fire way to get my creative juices flowing is to bounce ideas off of my husband, online friends who write, or members of my critique group. I often find that talking through ideas with people I trust is extremely helpful. The simple act of expressing my thoughts out loud to another person is usually all I need to break through the block.

One last activity that almost always helps me get over my writer’s block is watching a movie or television program in the same genre that I’m writing. You see, I’m a very visual person, and as a visual person who is stuck and unable to think, seeing Jennifer Lawrence experience life in the capital or watching Josh Hutcherson desperately swim to get away from a monster-sized electric eel, helps me visualize scenes and characters in my own books.

Not being able to work on a manuscript due to writer’s block is an unbelievably frustrating experience that most, if not all of us have experienced while writing. Mounting pressure, such as deadlines or achieving personal goals often increases the stress during this troublesome time. When I encounter this issue, I use the activities discussed above to “snap out of it” and get back to my manuscript. Although what works for me may not work for others, I always find it helpful to hear how other writer’s and authors deal with common problems in the literary world.

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In the world of Necoh, everyone fears Grishma, a hideous murderous beast responsible for ruining or ending the lives of anyone who dare cross her.

As a young boy, Ryder lived with his family, deep in the caves underneath the Kadin Forest, unaware of the horrors of the world. His simple world was turned upside down one horrible night when Grishma attacked his family, killing his father and kidnapping his mother and younger sister.

From that night on, Ryder devoted his life to killing Grishma. He tracked the monster from Necoh, to our world, and back again. Unfortunately, during his quest, he accidentally transported Brooklyn, a high school junior into his tumultuous world, where she is mistakenly identified as Princess Sophie, the missing princess of Sumner.

Days after Princess Sophie’s return, Grishma plots and manipulates the King into drugging and marrying off his only daughter to Prince Algid of Dratun. Desperate to save Brooklyn, who now believes she is the long lost princess, his mother, and his little sister, Ryder embarks on the deadliest part of his quest.

Will he save Brooklyn? Will she ever regain her memory? What will become of his mother and sister?

Through epic adventure, loss, and love, GRISHMA depicts the strength of the human spirit and the tight bonds formed by the unique creatures of Necoh.

If you'd like to connect with Kelly online, you can follow her links below: