Back in the Saddle Again

If anyone noticed, I've been essentially absent from blogging for the past two weeks, apart from some half-hearted book reviews. Even worse, my promised fiction offering was delayed!

The problem: self-induced writers' block. Considering that I've read both The Art of Fiction and The Art of Nonfiction before, I should know better than to re-read them right before I plan on beginning a fairly ambitious new fiction project and then decide I need to make some revisions to my writing style. The result was somewhat predictable, and went something like this:

Me: Okay, here's the outline for my story, and I need to make sure that I write with great color and flair and that I dramatize instead of narrate and I hint at events to come and that I stay completely focussed on my theme so that nothing deviates from it. Okay, subconscious, what have you got for me?

My Subconscious: bleh

Me: C'mon, I have to write this story!

My Subconscious: Denied.

Me: Pretty please?

My Subconscious: The number you have dialed is not in service. Please dial again, or press 0 to talk to an operator.

Me: Dammit.

So, essentially, I was completely unable to actually write until I let enough time pass that the specific advice dissipated from my immediate memory. Way to go Jen! Hopefully my readers will come back.