I hate the term 'block".

Sorry you experienced such a setback in your life. However regarding writer's block, because you haven't experienced something doesn't mean it doesn't exist. Writers' block is very real for some people and can be crippling. Also writer's block is not procrastination or distraction as you seem to imply from your above example.

Charke said:

I never liked the idea of writer's block because it never felt like a block to me. It always felt like an elastic restraint. You try to write and you get pulled away. Some OTHER idea shows up and says "check this out". I am most bored, not when I have nothing to do, but when I can't do something I really want to do. I feel like that accounts for a lot of writer's block.

I should be editing my novel. I'm not. I'm working on a LARP rule-set because it's more interesting to me right now. It took me days to get into the editing and I eventually gave up and went back to the rule-set. I'm sort of the mind that I should just push through the LARP rules, get that done and then try to go back to editing, but that's how projects get lost.

The worst think that ever happened to me was hitting an all-time low in my life, (got real sick, lost my career but I got better), while I was writing a project. That was weird. I stopped all my projects from that time period and never went back to them. I needed to get away from that point in my life.

- Mark Charke

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Setbacks do happen because, well, life. It can be because of health issues or other major life events and I'm sorry, too, you had that experience.

Lack of engagement with a project and writer's block have a number of overlapping qualities, but they are different conditions and I think it's important to know the difference. I've experienced both. I procrastinate when I'm just not feeling it—it's not an idea I can really get pumped up about or it's a writing project I have to do but just don't wanna. Oh, but the horrid block. Yeah, that one really sucks. I want to write. I'm completely engaged with the idea and the story is there but the words. won't. come.

If you find yourself easily distracted, you probably aren't fully engaged with this writing project anymore. If the project initially excited you, it might be worthwhile to try to determine why it doesn't now and remedy the condition causing the procrastination. Or put it on the backburner, tackle the project that does engage you, and return to this one at some later time.

Either way—and this is important for anyone visiting this room to understand—writer's block is real and it's painful for those of us who do experience it. Saying it doesn't exist makes as little sense as telling someone in the throes of a migraine that their head doesn't hurt. It's great that you're not experiencing or haven't experienced it, but posting that writer's block isn't real can get you another kind of block—a block from posting in this room. Just a word to the wise.

Charke said:

I never liked the idea of writer's block because it never felt like a block to me. It always felt like an elastic restraint. You try to write and you get pulled away. Some OTHER idea shows up and says "check this out". I am most bored, not when I have nothing to do, but when I can't do something I really want to do. I feel like that accounts for a lot of writer's block

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You didn't read the notice.

You didn't read the forum description.

I don't give a rat's ass what you think writers' block is or isn't. What part of:

Writer's block is a reality for many writers. This is a place to discuss methods of coping with writer's block. It's not a place to debate the existence of writer's block.

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is difficult to understand?

We're done here.