Frustrations of the writer

Before

• You're in the mood to write, and have the time, but you have nothing to write about. You read through a list of prompts without success.
• You're bursting with ideas, but have no pen, pencil, paper, computer, phone
• You're bursting with ideas, but you're at the wheel driving the family around the M25

During

• You had a good draft, but each addition makes it worse. Somewhere along the line you've lost the scent. You know that eventually you'll have to start all over again
• The original excitement has gone. You have to complete the piece mechanically

After

• A piece of your rubbish is accepted on the same day that a piece you're proud of is rejected.
• Someone asks what actually happens after the end of one of your stories
• Just after you've sent a story off, submissions for a themed issue that would have suited your piece perfectly are requested
• An editor writes "This is a great read -- it's extremely entertaining and very witty" and rejects you. An editor writes "I've read the poems many times now, with the greatest interest" and rejects you. An editor writes "in its own right it is very good work" and rejects you. An editor writes "I enjoyed reading it. It was interesting and engaging" and rejects you.