For 20+ years, I was a GM/DM, and often would run games with little or ZERO preparation and ZERO modules—all stories plucked from my brain, and somehow they all come together into something coherent. Some of our best games and story arcs were the products of these impromptu game sessions. Talk about panstering! So I figured I’ve got the creativity thing down, no problem. I’m a pro at coming up with ideas and brainstorming!

Until May came around, and after two years of writing, editing, more writing, marketing, blogging, and other writing-related activities, it all came to a halt. I wrote a short story with my kiddo on Mother’s Day and polished it, but… after that? I only wrote one blog post in June, and that’s mostly just excuses why I’ve been unavailable. I tried to write some posts about some authors I know, but that was mostly rehashing what I had written on a page that I had dedicated to them already. I un-published those few blog posts, because I was having technical issues with them, anyway, and I left the Featured Author page as is.

I tried to write. I tried to edit. Really.

I sat in front of my computer and stared. Sometimes, I fell asleep at the computer rather than get anything productive done. Other times, I read a book. Other times, I avoided my stuff by critiquing other people’s stuff. And, of course, there was the lovely social media time waster. Let’s not forget playing sudoku or other simple games on my phone. I’m really addicted to Triple Match 3D or Match Triple Master 3D. Super exciting games, amiright? I even binge watched a couple of shows, something I haven’t done in forever.

I’ve been depressed before and not wanted to do jack shit. I know what that feels like. This wasn’t it. This was more like an inability to do anything creative, not just writing or editing my books and stories, but my blog, too. It was such a weird feeling! A sort of empty space where the well should be. And humbling because I’ve learned that I’m not miss-precious-pants-I-never-get-writer’s-block anymore either.

But I’ve written two blog posts now, and have plans for a couple more. I’ve created a month’s worth of Instagram posts, and I am prepping a ghost short story for an anthology submission this weekend. This week, my intention is to dig out Cooking Up Magick. I’ve given myself a deadline of August 20^th to get the first two books finished (breaking up book one into two books instead). We’ll see how I do. Hopefully, my block is a thing of the past….