So, because I’m not writing anything I’m researching instead.

Writer’s Block definition as per our good friend, Mr Wikipedia:

Writer’s block is a condition, primarily associated with writing, in which an author loses the ability to produce new work or experiences a creative slowdown. The condition ranges in difficulty from coming up with original ideas to being unable to produce a work for years. Throughout history, writer’s block has been a documented problem.^[1] Professionals who have struggled with the affliction include author F. Scott Fitzgerald,^[2] Joseph Mitchell^[3] and pop culture cartoonist Charles M. Schulz.^[4] Research concerning this topic was done in the late 1970s and 1980s. During this time, researchers were influenced by the Process and Post-Process movements, and therefore focused specifically on the writer’s processes. The condition was first described in 1947 by psychoanalyst Edmund Bergler.^[5]

Blah, blah, freaking blah…  Although it’s nice to know even famous people went through this shit.

“Writer’s block is for people who have the luxury of time.” ~ Jodi Picoult

Some definitions I’ve come across state that Writer’s Block is the inability to come up with anything to write about. I refer to Mr Wikipedia once more:

Blank page syndrome is similar to writer’s block, but in this case it isn’t a psychological term like writer’s block is. It can happen at any point in time during a writer’s career; be it right after an author dishes out six best-selling novels, or smack dab in the middle of the page. This syndrome can be very irksome to authors and often leads to a long span of time where they can’t come up with anything new. Coping strategies include: distracting yourself from the piece for a while, reading a book, and forcing yourself to write something even if it doesn’t make any sense. To avoid blank page syndrome it’s best to have an idea when you sit down to write, and to keep from procrastinating because stress only worsens the blank page syndrome.

This is not the case for me. I have a WIP with 15k already written, another one with 13k. I also have an outline for one I haven’t started yet. And it’s not like the characters aren’t talking to me. They won’t shut the hell up! My problem is I seem to have lost the ability to write anything I consider any good. My sentences are a mess, my timeline is out. My characters are shitty and one dimensional. My scenes are FORCED. I feel it. They are stilted, and most of the time unreadable. It’s like pulling teeth. I’ve lost my confidence.

 

“There is no such thing as writer’s block for writers whose standards are low enough.” ~ William Stafford, American poet

This quote tells me I don’t have writer’s block, just high standards. Do I release something that is sub par? Uh, no. That would be stupid. I’ll just bide my time with research, planning and walking the dog. If it gets any worse I’ll clean the house.

And here’s the obligatory hot man pic…

<3
RJ