Sometimes when writing, you come to a crashing halt, and you can’t write anymore. Some call it writers block. It’s like when you paint yourself into a corner. There is little option of getting out without making a mess of the work you’ve already done.

I like to think of it as a creative block, because subconsciously, my story is telling me something isn’t right. I recently had this happen in my Romantasy story I’m writing. I’d successfully finished the first part, and just started on the second part, and I was three chapters in, but the third chapter just wasn’t resonating, and felt forced. So I sat back from it.

The thing is, when I’m out walking, I generally let my mind wander in my stories to see if there is a better way, or to find the direction it wants to move in. But unfortunately, it’s been stubbornly blank.

Until Saturday.

On my drive into work, I realised what was wrong. I’d already written that they needed to do surveillance around this person, but then I’d already written that it wasn’t possible, hence painting myself into a corner.

But there is more than one way to do surveillance on a person – such as using their own surveillance against them. They would be able to hack into their security system and see what was going on.

It was rather obvious, but for some reason I was trying to rationalise them having to stay in apartments above the property, which would give them a clear view, yet somehow be obscured. The rule is, if you don’t believe it, your readers won’t either.

Hacking into the security system it is. And the whole story is starting to flow again. And I can’t wait to get them mixed up in a new set of problems that will only be concluded in the third book.