Goodreads asked Ashley Franz Holzmann:

How do you deal with writer’s block?

Ashley Franz Holzmann I take a break from creating things and fill back up on input. I've been reading more classic literature lately, finding more music, and enjoying the variety of children's books out there in an effort to keep my kids well-rounded.

Sometimes, the best thing to do is unplug.

I go in waves on social media. There's always something else to do with a creator's platform. So I went relatively dark on social media while rebuilding my website. Then I had to double down on my projects, so I didn't hang around social media as much during that time.

Now I'm finishing a few projects that I've spent years on, so I'm finding myself more time throughout my evenings to be more engaging.

To get back to the question: if you can't create output, consider the input you have. Are you consuming mass-media and hoping to pump out something original? You may find that difficult. Go for more obscure media and you may find yourself becoming more creative.

Or go back to the roots of something.

I recently traveled to Italy with my wife and I had such an awesome experience with the art of the old masters that I started drawing again. Am I creating works of perfection? Nah. But I'm inspired and I'm using that inspiration to find my own personal fulfillment through the things that I create.

And I believe that's the true nature of artists.

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