We’ve all been there.

Looking at a blank screen with sad eyes and no ideas. You eventually want to jump into the screen and strangle that blinking cursor till it blinks its last blink.

This state of mind is affectionately called writers block; which can progress to “author’s madness” and end with a forced psychological evaluation in response to me standing naked, yelling out my window at random stranger to “Just give me a sentence”…. That’s a story for another time.

To stay away from a fate involving padded walls and a cafeteria that bands the use of metal silverware is different depending on your personality. To make it easier, I asked 5 famous writers how they deal with the fearsome writer’s block.

1 – Neil Gaiman on writer’s block
Don’t think about being blocked and keep writing.

 

2 – Joss Whedon on writer’s block
Have multiple projects so if you get stuck, jump to something else and return later.

 

3 – Alan Moore on writer’s block
Let your mind wonder and follow it with your writing.

 

4 – Kevin Smith on writer’s block