Jeff VanderMeer has written a fascinating post regarding inspired, rather than forced, writing on his blog here. His post has helped me understand why I haven't written much of anything for the past few months. Here's why: My writing has devolved into 100% perspiration and 0% inspiration. The inspiration, the fun of writing, is gone for me, and, to paraphrase Jeff, if writing isn't inspired or fun at least some of the time, why write at all?

So, where did my inspiration go? The answer lies in the type of writer I am. Unlike many others, I've never been the sort who wakes up every few days with a new story or poem idea. Story and poem ideas take years to bubble into existence in my mind, and my last two years of prolific writing are really just a matter of finally sitting down and writing out a mass of accumulated ideas. I have pulled up the last bucket of ideas, and now I have to wait for the well to refill.

I've been feeling somewhat guilty about my lack of writing, but no longer. I'll sit back down to write when I feel inspired to do so -- when the the fun of writing, rather than the drudgery, returns. It may take a while, but that's okay with me.