Zarina Docken

Question:

What is your personal remedy for writer's block?

Answer:

When I'm blocked, it's nearly always because -- sub-consciously -- I know I've made a mistake either with character development, structure, or story. It's as if my mind tells me that I'm wrong somehow, and that I'd better stop because I'm heading in the wrong direction. Thus, I find myself writing more slowly until I simply can't write anymore -- a classic case of writer's block. In a situation like that, I quit trying to press forward and instead ponder the book, or I begin to edit the previously written sections. I might go through everything I've already written a hundred times, tweaking and changing little things, as if I'm trying to find my way through a darkened room. And little by little, I find those errors. Once they're corrected, I find that I can then begin writing new material.

The problem, however, is that I seldom know what I did wrong. I know it's wrong, but not where, what, why, how or when. Thus, I make changes and change them back. . . it can be a long process, but it always eventually works out.

Nicholas Sparks is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Notebook, Message in a Bottle, Nights in Rodanthe, The Guardian, and many more. His latest book, Three Weeks With My Brother, is now available. Read an excerpt on his site.