Megan McArdle for The Atlantic:

Over the years, I developed a theory about why writers are such procrastinators: We were too good in English class. This sounds crazy, but hear me out....

If you’ve spent most of your life cruising ahead on natural ability, doing what came easily and quickly, every word you write becomes a test of just how much ability you have, every article a referendum on how good a writer you are. As long as you have not written that article, that speech, that novel, it could still be good.

Oh boy. This is the sort of shit that keeps me awake at night, and one of the reasons that this site has been incredible useful to me. Not just for my writing either. Learning how to grind stuff out has benefited all of my creative pursuits.

I haven't written anything of substance for a little while, but I can feel the itch coming back again. It feels good.