Goodreads asked Brett M. Wiens:

How do you deal with writer’s block?

Brett M. Wiens I plan like crazy. Before I even wrote the first word of my book, I spent weeks coming up with what I wanted to say, researching to make sure I didn't say anything that violated my own internal rules, and then coming up with a very high-level plot plan. Once I had written the high level, I went back and added checkpoints. The checkpoints were places that I wanted my story to go. I added more and more of these, populating the gaps in between with further detail until I had a pretty complete storyboard. Once I started writing, it was almost like connecting the dots. In the same way that somebody who sets a specific, measurable goal is more likely to achieve it with a plan, having these waypoints meant I always knew where I was going. I let the words fill the gaps, and occasionally I would find that I had to skip a particular waypoint because the natural words had led somewhere inconsistent with that event.

I don't think I ever really was unable to write. I had a plan, and following it made everything come easily.

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