Goodreads asked Beth Anne Campbell:

How do you deal with writer’s block?

Beth Anne Campbell I have never had writer's block. What I HAVE experienced is lack of motivation and lack of ideas.

One of the greatest writing tips I ever received was to stop waiting for inspiration and motivation and start embracing discipline. This philosophy came partly from motivational speaker and author Mel Robbins and actress Lauren Graham.

Mel has a great Ted Talk where she reveals her 5-Second Rule for doing things we don't necessarily want to do.

Lauren mentions using a timer to discipline her writing in her autobiography "Talking As Fast As I Can."

Both of these have helped me greatly. It took me 3 years to write 3 chapters of my first book. I was searching for perfection, and waiting for motivation (neither of which ever happened).

So I took Mel's advice and just accepted that I would not always be super-inspired to write. Jodi Picoult helped with this too - she has a quote that I live by: "You might not write well every day, but you can always edit a bad page. You can't edit a blank page."

Then I took Lauren's advice and started setting a timer. I would put 20 minutes on the clock and write. Anything. It didn't matter, I would just write.

After adopting these techniques and mindsets, I finished my first book within six months. I'm now nearly finished drafting my first novel, less than 6 months since I put my first word on a page.

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