Every time I see someone dismiss writer's block (as in: you are unable to write at all, NOT being stuck when writing a story) as something that does not exist, I figure that person is lucky enough never to have experienced it this way. https://twitter.com/ChuckWendig/status/1335965957022490624

I need to write a "writing tips" post about my experience with this, I think, because I lived it for 10 years.

I was able to function in everyday life, but I was absolutely unable to write fiction in any way shape form.

I found a way out, but it was fucking HARD.

Someone posted this by @MaryRobinette in the original thread, and it's very good: https://maryrobinettekowal.com/journal/sometimes-writers-block-is-really-depression/

There's a sense of shame that comes with this after a while that is even more paralyzing. "I should be able to do this. I should be able to write my way out. Why can't I?"

And no matter how many writing tips you read, they DO NOT HELP because it's about writing but also NOT.

Tips about "how to write" did not work for me at all when I was deep in this because I could not sit down to write. I COULD NOT WRITE.

The struggle was getting to the point where I could sit down and write again.

It was absolutely terrible.

THIS, from Mary Robinette Kowal's post:

"...when the urge to go to the chair isn’t even present. When you go, you hate writing. The joy is totally gone when you do write."

If you can dismiss this as not existing, then congratulations on never having experienced it.

I'd say that the shame I felt that I wasn't able to write, that I wasn't able to pull myself out of it, even though I was A Published Writer (in Sweden) made me feel worse and contributed to how long it took to get out of it.

Shame is terrible to carry around.

"Just sit down and .... "

Yeah. If I was able to "just sit down and..." then I'd be halfway out of this.