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Think writing a book is easy?

Any aspiring writer can tell you that it's much harder than it looks.

Even published authors like Annette Curtis Klause get stuck every now and then on an idea that just won't flow - or a character who just won't "behave." The key is not to give up.

Here's what Klause had to say about "writer's block" and other dilemmas during last week's visit to Houston:

GETTING STARTED - Some writers keep journals. Others scribble notes on the back of napkins at Denny's.

Whatever your technique is for "getting the idea down on paper," it's probably going to involve some old-fashioned daydreaming.

"Everybody starts in a different way. I always think, `who's my main character?' and try to make that person come alive in my head," Klause says.

FORGET THE FORMULA - While a disciplined writing schedule can make or break your success as a writer, formulas that help you, say, "write a best seller in 10 days or less" are not the way to go. As Klause says, every writer is different and every project is different.

"My first book took nine months to write, longhand on the bus. The book I'm writing now has taken me over three years, and I'm not finished with the first draft."

SECOND OPINIONS - If you're ready to take your work outside the creative writing class setting, the person to go to for an honest critique is not Dad, Aunt Sue or Grandma. "Don't just give things to Mum, who says `that's nice.' Share things with other aspiring writers and get feedback - even if it hurts."

By the way, three books and a boatload of accolades later, Klause still meets with her writing group once a week.

REVISE, REVISE, REVISE - One of the most gut-wrenching parts of being a writer is cutting the fat - tossing out those pearls of prose you slaved to get on paper weeks or months ago. But, as Klause says: "Nobody ever writes anything perfect the first time."

More than once, she's found herself trashing whole scenes from her books during the rewrite process. As painful as it might be to let go of those words, Klause says it's better for your writing in the long run. "If you use the right words, you can cut out a lot of excess."

STAYING FOCUSED - Every writer experiences the ultimate letdown - writer's block. You've got a brilliant idea and a brilliant opening, but somewhere along the way, you've lost interest or find that you just can't write anymore.

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