Why does it only work some of the time?

So right now I am writing a book based off of Victor Hugo's novel Les Miserables, which I believe to be one of the best works of literature out there.

Anyway, whenever I want to make an attempt at writing more of it, I open up Les Mis, and see if a scene comes to mind. Granted, I am mostly browsing the barricade scenes, because that is where my book takes place for the most part.

The problem with this is that it doesn't always work. There was one time when I actually wrote a pretty good scene, if I do say so myself, without even opening the book, and I hadn't read it for a while. But now I can't do either, and it is driving me up the wall.

For anyone who's a writer, then you will understand me when I tell you that my characters are in complete control, and they are taking their sweet time telling me about what is happening.

I can't seem to write anything at all at the moment, and when I attempt to practise with a few tricks a friend taught me, nothing happens; it makes me want to scream.

If anyone has any suggestions on how to beat writers block, I'm all ears

Intro

Hello, I'm the Lady of Day.

I have never done anything like this before, so I beg you to bear with me while I work everything out.

To introduce myself, I am a writer in progress with more story ideas floating around in my brain than I can keep track of, and those are more than likely what I will be posting in the future.

I love to read, mostly 19th century literature and murder mysteries. I also love Japanese anime, and I am a movie fanatic. I love musicals, and have a tendency to fall in love with them before I have even seen them.

As I said, since I am new to all of this, I ask you to bear with me, and when I think of something else to say, I'll let you know.

Intro