There is nothing scarier to a writer, horror or not, than the dreaded writer's block. Everything was going well: you had your characters, your plot, your setting, your monster, and it was all perfect. Then you wrote yourself into a corner. You cannot not figure out how they were supposed to get from plot point B to plot point C. So now, you're stuck and no matter how many times you stare at the computer screen and let your fingers clack along the keyboard, you just cannot figure it out. Well, I may not be able to fix your particular problem, but I can at least give you a few ideas of how to work through it.
First, stop banging your head against the wall. Not literally (though if you are stop, please, you'll ruin the paint job), but if you keep trying to headbutt your way through a writer's block, it will only make things worse. If you cannot get something on the page in 10-15 minutes of thinking, it's time to go for a walk, play a short game, read a book, or do a chore you've been stalling on. Just anything else that will distract your mind. Often, that's when the stroke of inspiration will come to you. Think about it: how often is it that you get an idea from sitting at a computer desk? Not very, right? You get ideas from your environment, conversations, wandering around, doing a mindless task or something from that book you are reading. It seems counter productive but breaks are the key to creative thinking. Don't bust your head open trying to find a new idea for your story.
If that doesn't work, then it's time to bring out a piece of paper and start jotting things down about your problem. What is the problem with your story? Is there a character that is not acting the way you expect? Are your characters not going to the plot points? Identifying what has you stuck can help a lot in coming up with a solution. If you're still having trouble, get a stuffed animal, a rubber duck, or anything that looks like something you can talk to. Tell it your problem. Tell it how you are stuck, what you think you can do to fix it or if you have no idea what is going on. Just vent to the object. This is what is known as the “rubber duck” method, popular among computer scientists but it is very useful for writing as well in terms of solving problems. Ever had a math problem that you only solved when you explained your issue to the teacher? That's what is at play here, by talking aloud about the problem, the solution often comes up as you speak. It sounds silly, but if you feel uncomfortable talking to rubber ducks, find a partner, friend, parent, sibling, or another warm body and ask if they can use you to help work through an issue. The key thing here is talking aloud, saying the problem in detail so you can come up with possible solutions.
One last thing I will recommend, which sort of ties in with taking a break, is work on another story. Put that story on a little shelf and work on something else. Surely you must have another story itching around in your brain, I know I half finish stories all the time waiting for the moment they get inspiration. I got a handful sitting on the shelf now, one I haven't worked on since October has been bothering me in the back of my mind yet I have two ideas from December I could work on and a few more recent ones that also want my attention. Switching between stories at times can give you a bit of a mental break from another one but still feel productive. It helps, especially when you realize you haven't written anything in a while.
Now do you guys have any ideas for what to do when writer's block becomes the monster under your bed? I'd love to hear about them below in the comments along with what methods you have tried up here and your experiences with them.