Walls and Plot Holes

So I've been writing again. I know. But I can't help it. This book isn't going to rewrite itself.
And a few weeks ago I hit this wall. It pretty much came out of nowhere and there I was sitting in my, um, writing clothes (pajamas) and my husband came in to check on me and I was just staring at my laptop and I swear he probably thought I was watching Veronica Mars or something which I totally was not! and then it hit me.

The wall.

Now I wouldn't call it writer's block beause I don't believe in writer's block.

Writer's block does not exist.

Writer's block.

But I do believe in walls. They come out of nowhere and they stick around for a few days and then they magically disappear. Luckily that's what happened to me this weekend.
And do you want to know my secret to bulldozing a wall?

Reading.

Yep. It works every time. I picked up a book, one I had never read before, and by the time I'd finished it I was ready to write again.

Yeah books!

Wanna know what I read? Well, I'll tell you.

Clarity by Kim Harrington


Such a fun read! Y'all should run out and pick it up. Especially if you've hit a wall.

Now there is this other thing that pops up periodically when I'm writing and it's called a plot hole. Cute, huh? Not so much.

So here's the deal. I don't outline. I tried that once and it worked. Once. And now I keep a list of ideas and sometimes that list is longer than the novel itself but it helps keep my thoughts straight. Especially when I'm in the thick of it and things are flying left and right and I'm dodging ideas that could get me in trouble like yesterday when I wrote myself into a corner and I was all, how the hell did I get here and where are the cookies? Sigh.
Does this happen to you? Or am I just crazy?
Anyway.
I don't outline. I make idea lists. And it works for me. I like the element of surprise. I know I'm supposed to have it all worked out since I'm the one in charge and all, but nothing ever works out the way I planned.

I've learned to get over it.