Oy, there is no such thing as Writer's Block! It's a term made up by someone in California who was too lazy to write. (I didn't make that up - I read it ... somewhere).
I don't believe in writer's block, either. It's an indulgence of amateurs and hobbyists--when you've got a contract with a deadline and you either turn in a manuscript or return your advance (which you spent long ago), you may find writing difficult and your results unsatisfying, but you do it anyway, because that’s what professional writers do: write.
There are lots of ways to get yourself going again.
Give yourself permission to write crap. Lousy idea, poor grammar and spelling, stilted dialogue, predictable plot... Write it anyway. Written things can be revised or rewritten to improve them. The blank pages of the 'blocked' remain blank.
Change your writing environment. Try something radically different. If you write on your computer in a quiet room, try a spiral notebook in a park or coffee house, or ruled paper on your grandmother’s dining room table. (Not recommended: your blood on walls.)
Perform writing exercises. We've got plenty right here.
Move physically. Play a sport, go for a walk or run, swing on a playground, whatever you like, but get your blood pumping. When it's racing through your body, the brain gets plenty of oxygen--and ideas.
Give yourself blocks of unstructured time when you’re not likely to be sleepy. Find a quiet place, think about your current writing project, and let your mind wander. Rein it back to the subject as needed. This can be combined with physical movement--a long walk may be an idea wellspring.
Write daily, every day, no exceptions, for a set amount of time. If you can't write, you must remain in your writing environment for the set amount of time anyway. Your choices are write and don’t write. No games, no internet, no music, no nothing. Write or don’t write. (This is the BIC method--butt in chair.)
Stimulate your mind with new experiences. If you're a movie fan, see a play or watch street performance. Hear live music rather than CDs, or listen to something in a genre you know nothing about. Eavesdrop on or observe people unlike most of the ones you know. People watch (and invent lives for passers-by). Attend a sporting event (any kind, at any level) where you don't know anyone and watch the crowd rather than the players.
On waking, jot down the surrealistic snippets of whatever dreams you remember. They don't mean anything, IMO, but the odds are good that they're packed with drama.
Just do it. You don't want to be a self-indulgent amateur, right?
Maryn, who's shared this before