Block

I have a touch of writer’s block.

This is only mildly inconvenient for the three people who read my blog, as I haven’t posted anything in several days. But it is a catastrophe of epic proportions as I flip the calendar one more week, and realize my thesis has to be done and turned into my committee in a month. Well, five and half weeks.

I sent off the first 20 pages to my chair via email, accompanied by various feeble excuses for the sorry state of the draft. I have no idea how long it has to be by March–all of my friends here seem to be getting different page lengths from different faculty members–but I’m guessing there is a scale of sorts:

120+ pages: Superstar! You should write a book!
100 pages: Awesome! You should get a PhD!
80 pages: Good for you! Now go find a nice non-profit that needs a sharp mind!
60 pages: Bless your heart for trying…we’ll let you know the night before graduation if we’ll give you the degree. Ever considered the fast food industry?

I don’t recall ever being so paralyzed by fear or incompetence that I was unable to write. Writing has been one of those things that I always felt I could do well, or at least passably well. Yet every time I sit down to write, I can’t do it. I don’t know what to say. I don’t know what’s expected of me, and while I love my topic, I’m just not quite sure what it is I’m supposed to say.

So I do other schoolwork, or read other blogs, or watch old West Wing episodes, hoping somewhere along the way, inspiration will strike, and it will all come tumbling out.

But if anyone has any ideas for beating writer’s block, I’m totally open to suggestions.