Motivating Yourself Through a "Writer's Block"

I don't think anyone would argue that I'm a prolific writer, having put out some thirty or so published books in the past ten years (I've written more, but not everything has seen print, even though I've seen money for them). Even so, I've been in a writing rut that occasionally shows glimmers of my former productivity, but more or less is angsty and a pain in the ass.

So, what do I do to motivate myself to write? There have been days when I've stared at the page and I swear my character is staring back at me and asking me why I'm leaving him in this hell for so long. He and I have been stuck in a bad situation for days, and it sometimes drags to weeks. So, what do I do about all that?

1. Take a (writing) vacation. Write something else for a while -- a different scene, part of a different book, worry about something else -- and then get back to it. You don't have to stay stuck on that one section. If it isn't working or you're dragging your heels on it, maybe you need to lay off that section and work on something else more fun. You can always bang your head on it later.

2. Take a real vacation away from writing. I don't do this often, but even a day or two can rest and recharge you long enough to tackle the scene. Giving yourself a fresh perspective on writing the scene may be enough to break through.

3. Change your environment. If something isn't working for you, maybe it's where you're writing. It may be that your internet is too much of a time waster or you've been playing freecell too long. Mix up where you write and your writing medium, if necessary. If you've been using the computer, try a notepad; or vice versa. Put on some music you can write to. Go outside with your laptop or to the local coffee shop.

4. Give yourself a word count. Or write for a random number of minutes (random.org or a kitchen timer).

5. Reward yourself after getting a particularly hard section done. Do some reading for fun, watch a movie or do something you really like to do.

There are other ways to motivate yourself, but those are a few I use.