Have I Lost My Ability To Write?

I'm experiencing one of those dreaded situations where everything I write sounds to me (and probably everyone else) absolutely terrible. I guess you could call it a writer's block. If you've never heard of writer's block, it means that you can't think of anything to write or you don't know how to go about writing. In my case, I'm experiencing both of these things.

Recently, anytime I write something, I delete it. It's not good, doesn't live up to my standards, etc. I find myself writing a few paragraphs and then scrapping it, all motivation lost. It's a horrible feeling, especially for someone like me who has always loved writing and found it as an outlet, because right now I feel like I forgot how to do it. It's like, what is "to put words to paper," ya know?

I wish I could say that it was only affecting one part of my life, but it isn't. It is affecting the things I write for the Odyssey, for myself, for school. It would be easier to say I was just procrastinating and that's why I can't bring myself to write something, but that isn't it at all. I feel too unmotivated and like I have no ideas and I'm not sure how to pull myself out of this slump.

While I was studying abroad, nearly every time I traveled I would come up with a new idea for a book I wanted to start working on. If you didn't know, since I was younger, my biggest goal has been to publish a book. I've been writing poems and short stories and things like that for as long as I can remember, but what I really want to do is write a book.

While traveling, I had so much motivation and want to start writing and then as soon as the trip was over, that want and motivation went away. Now that I'm home again and I'm into that unchanging routine of going to work, going home, studying, and then going to bed, my mind finds it almost impossible to come up with any ideas in such a monotonous routine.

To you, it might sound like it would be easy for me to fix it. Just travel somewhere, right? I'm sure you realize it isn't that easy. I can't quit my job. I don't have the funds. All of these things just keep causing me to lose my motivation even more.

You know how people say that comparison is the thief of joy? It really is. At least two of my friends are also working on books that they would like to get published. They at least have a sample or a working first chapter or something to that extent. I've been sent copies to read and examine and I can't even do that because it makes me feel like I'm not being fair to myself. I have all of these things that I want to write and that I want other people to read, and the lack of motivation and this stupid writer's block that is plaguing me right now is keeping me from doing these things.

If you know of any ways to get out of a slump like this or if you've ever been in a similar situation, I would love to know how you managed to get out of it. Did you make yourself write even though you didn't have anything to write about? Did you Google it? Did you change your writing location or time? I would love to know of anything that could perhaps help me get out of this unmotivated funk.