Inspiration. It is what drives us, encourages us, and makes us want to do something.

Often we are inspired by something we see, hear, watch, or read. Sometimes the cause for inspiration is small, such as the one paragraph 'writing prompts'. Other times, the cause is larger – an event, movie, story, etc. Occasionally, even a single picture is all we need for inspiration (such as a mysterious cloaked figure in a misty forest).

Inspiration comes in many different forms, and it can be reflected in many ways. Daydreams, painting, writing, and so much more.

It also comes in different strengths. Sometimes inspiration will hang around for months on end (or until the end of a story), and yet at other times, it resembles lightning - one brilliant flash and it is gone. (Sounds a lot like my memory....)

Sometimes you just lose interest or hit a writing block. Other times, life interrupts and makes you lose your train of thought. Distraction... Yep, it will happen. The dreaded writer's block...

Sometimes re-reading your previous chapters will get your creative juices flowing, while at other times, you may have to re-visit what caused your inspiration.

Sometimes you don't even really need inspiration. One of my stories, The Virus Within, started off with me writing to vent out my frustration during one of the most frustrating and irritating days I have had in years. I never thought that a story with a grouchy main character would go anywhere, yet it got more votes in four months than my first story had accumulated in two years...

Writer's Block:

Writer's Block. Two little evil words that every writer will meet one day. It is like a pen with no ink, a computer with no keyboard, a stapler with no staples; in other words, it is a problem, but there are solutions. Some may work for you, some may not.

Every person is unique. Often different writer's blocks need different solutions. Look for what works best for you.

If I have problems writing a scene, I tend to read the last chapter and go for a long walk. I usually come back with ideas and jotted down notes that enable me to continue writing.

Sometimes I just walk away from the computer for a bit and come back.

Every once in a while, I have to read the last five chapters – or on rare occasions, even the entire story – before deciding where I want the story to go, or how to write the next scene. A few times I had to read the entire story and create a timeline of events. 

Sometimes my blocks happen when my mind subconsciously realizes there's a serious problem with the plot. If I feel like I hit a brick wall and can't seem to keep going, I start looking for plot issues in the last 3-5 chapters. 

You can also try working on your plot or imagining what kind of epilogue you want.

Is there a particular scene you really want to add? Write it up and see where you can add it to the story. Sometimes I have half a dozen scenes written up in a separate file to be added later in the story.

Perhaps you wish to have your readers at the edge of their seats with an unexpected plot twist. Work on that while waiting for inspiration to return.

Some people create a cover or scroll through reader comments to get re-energized.

You will probably find that some things will work better than others. And some will work better on different occasions.

Burnout:

Sometimes writer's block isn't really writer's block, but something more insidious. Burnout is when your mind is so exhausted it has nothing left to give for the creative juices. 

The causes can be many: stress, frustration, pressure, long work days, too much writing, and just life throwing too many things at you. Yes, even if you're having fun writing and want to write, you can still experience burnout.

In these cases, you often need to take a break to allow your mind to recharge. It can sometimes take days or even weeks to recover from burnout, depending on how hard it hit you.

I've hit burnout a few times, and toed that fine line more often than was wise. Sometimes it bit me. Sometimes I recognized it in time, took a step back, and slowed down.

There isn't a magic fix for burnout. Your mind is just dealing with too much and needs a break.

You might just need a few hours to recover, or it might need days or weeks. Try going for a warm shower, go for a walk, take a nap, read a book, play some video games, or just unwind and relax in whatever your usual fashion is.

If you hit burnout, you have my sympathy. Please rest and feel better soon. 

Sometimes inspiration does not strike quite in the way we intended...