Imagine this: you are sitting at the table with your laptop or computer in front of you. Your fingers are gliding across the keyboard as words appears on the screen. Then, you stop. Oh no; you have writer’s block.

Writer’s block is a common thing for all writers, whether they are professionals or if they are beginners. When this happens, writers have written themselves into a corner or they do not know how to continue their story. Timing, perfectionism, and fear are all common causes of writer’s block, according to Goins Writer. Sometimes, it is simply not the right time to jot down your ideas. Others are afraid to put their ideas on paper (or on the computer) because they don’t want the world to critique it. The main reason that writers have a difficult time with their writing is because they are preoccupied with perfecting every last detail and not wanting to make a risky move. No one wants to show off something less than their best.

Now that they are stuck in place, how are they going to get their creativity flowing? Rest assured, there are several ways to get the story moving again:

• Listen to music before, during, and after writing. Music helps with blocking out the rest of the world and make you focus on just what you need to. Rhythms can help with word flow and give new inspiration to keep the plot going.

• Sleep on it. If you are working on a chapter late at night and you cannot seem to get the ending right, then go to sleep and continue the next morning. Because the subconscious is still active at night, you could have a new idea by the time you wake up.

• Go for a walk. Going for a soothing walk can ease your mind and release the stress of not being able to figure out what to write next.

• Take breaks. Writing is stressful and can take up a lot of time. Moving around will supply more blood and oxygen to your brain so you can think more.

• Don’t stay linear. Writing doesn’t always have to stay in order, according to Writer’s Digest. Just start writing from anywhere and come up with a good plot for that moment. Once that’s done, you can connect the dots.

• Remove any or all distractions. Something as simple as a piece of yarn sitting next to you could pull you away from your task. Without any distractions, you will be able to focus on your writing and nothing else.

• Don’t write for your readers, write for yourself! If you truly love writing, then you should only be worried about what you want your story to be, not what your readers think it should. Sure, fans are great, but you are the author and they are the observers; it’s not the other way around!

“There’s no such thing as a writer’s block. If you’re having trouble writing, well, pick up the pen and write,” stated American author Natalie Goldberg in Brainyquote.“No matter what, keep that hand moving. Writing is really a physical activity.”

The writing process is different from person to person, so certain ways may not work while others will. Writing may be a tough process, but don’t give up if you get stuck.