I should be writing my novel. I added lots of words in November but hardly a paragraph since NaNoWriMo finished. At first I thought it was because the ‘flu and Christmas preparations were taking my mind to other places but I still can’t get started even though both of those have passed.

Yet I can scribble away on my blog with no difficulty. Hmm. Is it simply because this is an entertaining avoidance, stopping me from getting down to some real work? I think it probably is. I’ve reached a third of the way through my first draft of the novel, that notorious barrier watched over by the guardians telling me I can’t do it. “It’s no good”, “Stop, you fool”, “Who told you that you were a writer?” they shout. Unfortunately I’ve started listening.

I have techniques to battle this. I will deploy them. Soon. Honest.