Naturally, I'm not going to be able to cover all the roadblocks you might encounter (I probably couldn't even imagine some that might crop up in your world!) I can, however, take a look at a few common obstacles that stop people from writing - and suggest possible solutions.

What's the most important thing you need to keep in mind? As we've already said in this program: deal with it, get past it, and keep going.

A roadblock is temporary - so don't allow it to become a wall that will block your way forever!

Roadblock 1: No Time

"I don't have enough/any time to write!" This is probably the complaint I see most.

Since everyone has the same number of hours in the day, what this really means is that YOUR 24 hours have so much packed into them that you have difficulty fitting in writing tasks as well. (Everything would be fine if we didn't need to sleep, of course.)

You don't have to be Einstein to work out that if you REALLY want to write, something else has to go. Your task is to decide what it will be. Otherwise - you don't get to write. It's that simple. (Unless you can exist without sleep.)

If you absolutely can't get rid of any of your other commitments (and let's be honest, we all have times when this is the case) then take the opposite approach: attack them head on and give them even more of your time. It's likely that at least a few of them can be dealt with permanently - in a relatively short time - if you do this. Whenever possible, co-opt others to help with the load. As soon as the way is clear, slot in some regular writing time.

Roadblock 2: No Motivation/No Energy

Lack of motivation and lack of energy often go hand in hand. If you're exhausted, it's pretty hard to drum up motivation to write.

If you don't have any energy, then look at (1) your diet (2) your level of exercise and (3) your sleeping habits. (At this stage I will remind you that I am not a doctor and a lack of energy could well be attributable to some physical cause that I don't know about. Naturally you should arrange a medical checkup if you suspect that your tiredness might be caused by illness.)

By now it will not have escaped your notice that I continually rattle on about the importance of a healthy diet and regular exercise. Yep, I know that a lot of you will consider this boring and you wish to heck I'd stop nagging you about it - but believe me, if you just give it a try for a month you'll see such an increase in your energy that you'll be kicking yourself for not doing something about it before. Look back to my previous suggestions about snacks and exercise - I don't want to repeat it all here.

If it's poor sleeping habits that are making you tired, then see a doctor and book time at a sleep clinic to find out the cause.

But what if you have enough energy to light up a whole city, but still can't get motivated to write?

Sorry, but here we go back to the harsh realities of life. Nobody is MAKING you write. If you can't be bothered to sit down regularly and do it, then give it up. You're the only one that really cares. Others might show interest, but they don't have the emotional investment in writing that you do.

The truth is that all authors like to hold that published book in their hands. Most of them love the feeling of accomplishment that goes along with having written a book. They're not so keen on the slog that goes into sitting down to write one. It's exciting to get ideas; it's fun to create a plot and to invent characters... but after that, it's just hard graft. (It's not ALL hard work and no fun, or nobody would do it. But there's enough hard work involved to frighten away the dabblers.)

Tips on 'getting motivated':

1. Acknowledge that motivation comes from without (seeing rows of books in a book store and imagining yours there with them) but willpower comes from within (to get to the goal of seeing your book in a book store, you have to write it first!) Work on your WILLpower.

2. Tell yourself that just as an athlete has to warm up muscles before the main session, a writer has to warm up the brain. Decide on your day's writing task, then lead into it with easy steps. Allow fifteen minutes 'warm up' time and you'll find that your writing gathers momentum as you go along.

3. Try the well-worn (but effective) 'carrot' technique. Promise yourself a reward that you'll really look forward to after completing your writing tasks for the week.

Roadblock 3: No Ideas

Lack of ideas can come at any time during the writing process. You might have begun a story with a flood of ideas for the plot, only to find that they don't work so well when you start writing. Back to Square One - you have to come up with more ideas! You can also run out of ideas for characters, obstacles to complicate a plot, or snappy lines for a section of dialogue.

What you need to do here is take time out to prime the pump. We all write from life (whether we know it or not). Your time out can range from an afternoon in duration to a month or more.

What do you do during your time out?

You can consciously look for ideas or you can just sit back and let life flow over you, while you observe people, places, and events. If you are looking for a new character or ideas for dialogue, you can't beat sitting in a coffee lounge or a food court and people-watching. (A bit of eavesdropping will generate some great plot ideas and snippets of dialogue, too - but you didn't hear that from me.)

If you feel really clueless and you have the time and money to do it, take a holiday. Soak up atmosphere and characters while you are enjoying your break. Have your "writer's radar" active when you are browsing through magazines or watching the nightly news on TV, as well.

Then, after you feel the ideas are flowing again, go back to your writing.

Roadblock 4: No Support and/or Feedback

Writing can be a lonely occupation, particularly if you live by yourself or you're the only one in your family who wants to write. When you're tired, or having trouble with your plot, or missing family outings because you're writing, you are likely to find others indifferent or resentful, rather than supportive. Most non-writers simply can't relate.

You can try explaining to others how important writing is to you, and might well get you some cooperation from your family and friends when it comes to getting time to yourself. BUT - that's still not the same as support from other writers.

It's worth going to the trouble to find other writers who can be supportive when you get a rejection, or when the ideas won't flow. Another writer will know exactly what you're going through. Look for other writers in these places:

• online (there are lots of writers' discussion groups online, and this is the easiest way to link up with other writers)

• local writing groups or classes (check out evening classes and writers' organisations - your state writers' centre might have a list of groups near you)

• workshops (contact your state writers' centre or keep an eye on the local paper)

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• for ads in newspapers).

Once you start networking with other writers, you'll be in a better position to find writers at a similar level to you, or slightly above, who can help you with feedback on your work. If you have the money, you might like to invest in a paid critique from a reputable provider. Feedback is essential for most writers to get a sense of how they're doing. It's all too easy to miss small problems that others pick up on immediately because they're not as close to the work.

Roadblock 5: No Money

You don't need a lot of money to write, but you do need money to pay the mortgage or rent, and to eat. When writers say that money is a problem, they usually mean that they can't make a living from writing. Or at least, from THEIR kind of writing.

Here are some options:

1. Find a 'real job' (yes, I did write that with my tongue firmly planted in my cheek) and work at that to pay the rent and to provide other necessities. Block out writing time in the time that's left over. In your view this might not be ideal, but plenty of writers have found that their output actually increases when they remove the stress of not having enough money to live on. Never underestimate the crushing effect of money worries - it can completely kill creativity.

2. If you're torn between creative writing and the need to earn a living, AND you can do the kind of writing that will earn you money (business writing, copywriting, ghostwriting) then split your writing day in half. Spend half your hours writing the stuff that pays the bills, and the other half writing your novel.

3. If you are really, really hard up and can't even afford the necessities (a computer and printer) then you will probably have to sacrifice time and privacy for money. Go to a library or a community centre and book time on their computer. If you need to do this, then you might find that writing the first draft by hand is the best way to go - you can then concentrate on the creative process in privacy.

These five roadblocks are the most common ones. The bottom line is this: if you really want to write, you'll find a way. If you're half-hearted about your writing, then lack of time, lack of motivation or energy, lack of money, lack of support and lack of ideas might all just be excuses. Be honest with yourself and with others... if writing seemed like a good idea, but didn't work out in practice, then admit it and find something else you'd rather do.

But if you DO want to write - find a way around those roadblocks!

Your goal for Week 3:

Read through the possible roadblocks that can arise, or that may already be in existence. Formulate a plan to get around these roadblocks so you can keep going with your writing career.

Next week we'll look more closely at your support team, feedback and rewards.