Everyone writes differently, and has diferent habits. OSC for example, takes long stretches off between books, from what I've read. Obviously this works for some writers. I couldn't do it. The longer I don't write, the more of a habit it becomes not to write, and the harder it is to get back.

I don't know what your writing habits are, but I suggest making whatever works for you a normal part of your everday life, just like eating and sleeping are. If you finish something, don't even think about it. Dive right into a new idea or story right away until your normal productivity is there, even if it feels strange. Do this enough, and it won't feel wierd or strange anymore.

But it's not writer's block. It's happened two or three times already, and I know I just need 2-3 days to catch my breath. I suspect that during those blank bouts my mind is collating story ideas, because afterwards everything goes fine. It's just the 2-3 days that follow that are going to be hell.

OK, maybe I'm still rationalizing writer's block...

Also, I'd point out that if this is normal to you, maybe you shouldn't let it bother you as long as you're productive overall. Maybe it's just the way you write, and if that's different that what it was before, then maybe you've changed your writing habits. Nothing wrong with that as long as you can still write consistently.

You could write something other than fiction, or write a form of fiction you don't usually work with, while your brain is recharging for your customary work. Start a blog. Write a non-fiction article on the Aztecs. Write a series of greeting cards.

Or just store up the impulse and use it to get momentum later.

Luapc, you're probably right: my writing habits may have changed over the last semester (for one thing, I've got a lot more productive), which explains why I'm worrying about the whole process.

Beth, I've started a blog, although it's nowhere as funny as yours. I haven't typed much in it up to now. Perhaps it's the time to do some movie reviews. Or perhaps I should follow Mike's idea about that poor mummified burro, which sounds fun

er...or perhaps I should start on that homework...

I get my characters from my other stories. They might have been just the doorman in "Friendship in Trouble," but someday, I'll need to tell the story about how his leg got gimped...

Emily, a MC in one of my novels had three brothers, they each have their own stories, maybe some part of that was interesting.

I have never met a human being without one or two interesting stories about themselves, so every character has a least a short story that would be interesting.

The problems occur when I start a short story to find out that the character had secrets they hadn't told me before and I end up with a novel of material.

I have the idea for the story first. Generally, it's a situation (to take an example from a story I wrote: "what if an incarnation of a god was killed?") and a setting (I absolutely need to know what civilization I'm going to be working with, because it conditions the characters and their state of mind. An Aztec warrior does not think like a Chinese one, for instance).

I then determine the character(s) most likely to hold the POV. The main criterion is OCS's: "who suffers most?", "who is most concerned?". (I'll add that the situation may come in with built-in characters, which saves me some work )

Then I fill in the holes. I need a few more characters, their relationship with my MC.

I write bits and pieces. The main goal of that part is to have an idea of where it's going. By and large, I hate making BIG modifications to a draft, so the first thing I write has to nail most of the plot down. So I have to know the ending. The last lines even.

(for novels I don't work at all like that. I've got a vague idea of where I'm going, I know where I start, I've filled in the characters, and off we go !!! )