Too many writers have accepted the idea that they are going to be stricken, at some point in their writing journey, by that feared writer's block. If you believe in writer's block, then you will experience it and the more you believe in it, possibly, the more it will affect and hogtie you, keeping you for making your best work possible.

I've never believed in writer's block, but of course, I'm a psychologist and a writer and I always see the potential for stories in every single day of my life. In fact, I've discovered that there are more stories out there than anyone could possibly write even if they tried. I'll give you an example of a story that I had published in three different publications both in the United States and in Great Britain.

As I said, I see stories everywhere. While I was waiting with a friend who had to go for a medical procedure, I became a bit bored waiting and decided to look out the large windows which had a view of a very, very busy street. As I looked out the window, across the street I noticed a small group, primarily young women, some with young children holding their hands.

Intrigued, I wondered what they were going to do or what they were waiting for on that corner. It didn't take long before a small school bus was approaching, pulled into the curb and the kids began to run on and get their seats. Mothers kissed the kids goodbye, the children waved and laughed and it was a very happy scene.

But one woman, quite different from the others, stood back for a few moments as her little girl got on the bus. She caught my attention and although she wasn't the person who appeared in my final story, A Mother's Prayer, she was instrumental in initiating it in my mind. All I had was a woman on a corner with a child getting on a bus for a camp for children and a group of happy mothers and delighted children. I saw another side of the story that had potential and that's where I went.

So, as any successful writer can tell you, every experience in your life, every person you meet, every conversation you have, and everything you look at is potential for material that you will incorporate into your writing. For that, I have Nora Ephron and Harvey Fierstein to thank.

Free yourself from thinking that you have writer's block and begin to expand your horizon regarding what you will write, about whom it will be, and what the people in your story will experience. You've got it all, but you've tied your mind and your hands into emotional knots. Don't do that to yourself.

Look around, make notes, and whatever you see, imagine what will happen. Make it happen in your story. You don't have writer's block; you have creative blinders on, and you need to remove them.

Now, go write a terrific story. No, don't start with novels because writing short stories will give you the practice and confidence you need. In fact, you may decide that's your genre and not a novel.