Whether I liked what the article was about or not, I did my best to keep an open mind. Pushing myself further was difficult, but it seemed to expand my mind and my ability to write about things I had no prior information about. The more I wrote, the more I realized how real and terrible writer's block was. It was dreaded and anticipated every time I sat down to start writing. Once I realized how much writer's block was affecting my work, I decided to take action. I started practicing skills like eliminating distractions and taking breaks every half hour. Becoming aware of my problems and making a conscious effort to change them has improved my writing ability tremendously. As a writer, I feel I have a responsibility to hold myself to my own standards. Depending on these standards, this might encourage me to push myself harder or cause me to humiliate myself. It's important for me as a writer to learn how to find balance and accept constructive criticism without getting it