Goodreads asked Alastair Luft:

How do you deal with writer’s block?

Alastair Luft I’ve never experienced writer’s block to the extent that I couldn’t write anything (knock on wood!) although I’ve certainly had days where it feels like everything I write should go straight into the trash. On those days, which invariably come after a period of a few days or longer where I haven’t been writing, I put my head down and force myself through, either to meet the time I’ve set aside or the word count. It’s tough because the writing is so terribly awful, so bad I almost have to take a strange pride in just how terrible it is to make it through. As tough as it is, I know that if I can make it through one bad session, the next session should be a little easier. I find it very analogous to going for a run after a long period off; the first run is always a brutal experience that even at its best could not be described as fun. But the second one is always better, and so on, until I’m back in a groove, and I find it’s much the same with writing. That’s why even though I know there’s some divergent opinion about the maxim to write every day, to me it’s non-negotiable – I write better when I’m on a regular routine.

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