Cytotoxic - the power of words

I don't often write about writing as such on my blog, but having been brought to a halt unexpectedly after finding it difficult to stop a story, which I blipped about a few days ago, I felt the need to say something, so here's an extract:

"The last time I was stopped completely by a novel was when, at 17, I read 'The Grapes of Wrath' for the first time. That time it was the final paragraph (above) which stopped me; I don’t think I spoke for a couple of days – literally.

"'The English Patient' did not stop life in the same way, it just brought my attempts at fiction writing to a halt. I have not yet reached the end; I was towards the end of only the third chapter. Michael Ondaatje seeming to do so easily what I was really struggling with, that combined with another event – or rather non-event – I just lost the motivation to continue. One of the consequences has been a renewed urge to blog more frequently, hence inflicting this on you, my readers."

The original post is too long for blip but if you're interested, and what cytotoxic has to do with it, you can find it on my blog - grumpytyke.com