How do I deal with writer's block and other writing miscellany?

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Question:

I am outlining a novel that I have given great thought about bringing to fruition; one of my many dreams in life is to publish a novel!. I am outlining it by writing a "summary" of each chapter and then putting it to a real outline afterward!.

However, I am stuck in the middle of the plotline between the beginning of the story and the near end of the story!. I can't think of any good events to put between the beginning of the story and the climax/rising action stuff!.

How do I deal with this and has anyone experiened the same problem!?

also, should I make up a list of characters and their features first or have a list of set characters and make up other ones as I go along!?

For the record, the story (a romance) takes place in England in the late 19th century!. Jane Austen is sort of my "idol" in literature and it has that "Pride and Prejudice" touch to it without all the complicated love triangles!. It's pretty much clean-cut, PG-rated stuff with Christian themes to it!.

also, it never hurts to dream about making the N!.Y!. Times bestseller list, right!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:

Spiral+ has good advice!. When I'm blocked I go back to my literary idol, Flannery O'Connor, and see if rereading some of her stuff doesn't get the spark going again!.

If that doesn't work, I try something new: last time it was a book of stories by my 2nd favorite writer, David Foster Wallace!. I can't believe he died so young! :(

But when that doesn't work either, I back off!. If you hunt the muse, she generally hides from you!. I put down whatever it is I'm writing and either start on something else, or just leave it alone for a while!. So far I've always been able to go back to it (a month later, 6 months later, a year later, whatever) and pick up where I left off!.

Edit: something else that works sometimes, when I need my action to move ahead and I seem stuck: think about the most extreme action/situation you could imagine for your characters: something ridiculously extreme, like let your female lead reveal that she's a man in drag --- something way way way over the top!. Of course I never keep that as part of my narrative, but it often gets me moving in the right direction!. There is something about keeping a character "in character" yet putting him in some ridiculous extreme circumstance that helps me get stuff moving again!.

Hope some of that helps!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I read my favorite book(Twilight by stephanie meyer) and usually I gain my confidence back!.Www@QuestionHome@Com