Goodreads asked Judy Kelly:

How do you deal with writer’s block?

Judy Kelly Writer's block. When I find that I can't go any further with a character or topic, I first look at the topic. If my character is to make a banking mistake with a customer, for example, and I am blocked on it, I go to the bank and while in line or pretending to fill out a form, try to see how what I want to happen can happen. I think things through step by step while in the bank (having it act out in my mind), and when I get home, I draw a diagram of what I want to happen. If it still doesn't work, then I toss it and try something else. In my first novel, I wanted my main character to go down a street in Alexandra, Italy. I got books, went on the internet to see how he could walk one block. I wanted the flavor of Italy and that was the only way I could do that. I also found out so many other things that I used in the novel as well. If I'm stuck on what a character would do or say, then I go back to my character sketch to determine whether or not my character would do or say what I want. If not, using my character sketch, I change things to what they would do or say under the story's circumstances.
What I'm saying is that I work my way out of writer's block. I find that I'm blocked when I don't know enough about something or that I'm having my characters act against who they are. I also take my time, put the work down and go back the next day or the day after.
I don't let terminology stop me from writing my story. I really don't think I know what writer's block is or believe that there is a writer's block.

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