The curtains of confusion are gone. Much (though certainly not all) of the stress that had been inhibiting my creativity has vanished.

I am terribly relieved.

I can tell I’m feeling better, because my productivity has surged. I’ve gone from writing maybe 1000 words a day, to 2500-3000. I’m not having to fight to make the thoughts come or the plot develop. It’s happening naturally.

Last week was a true marker. My editor sent The Armageddon Clock back to me for changes. So I wrote 2500-3000 words of the next book in “The Usurpers Saga” in the early morning, and then edited 10 chapters of TAC over the course of the day. It was easily the most productive week, I’ve had in a long time.

My goal for this week is another five chapters of the new book, and a rewrite of TAC.

I’m sure I won’t be able to maintain this pace for long. Life will get in the way, and I’ll get some freelance gigs that’ll eat into my production time.

But the problem of stress-induced writer’s block appears to have cleared. I feel like a writer again. I feel like myself again.

I’m relieved. And I’m joyful.