I remember Octavia Butler telling me (when I said I admired her ability to stay the course on her complex books) that she occasionally wrote half a book, and never got beyond that point. (Even Charles de Lint gets 2/3 of the way through a book, and panics briefly that it's crap.) So even the great among us have moments.

I had to cut 88 pages out of my second novel. The editor wanted 100, but said that the 88 took care of the problem. This is why I read my stuff out loud -- it usually helps me catch problems.

You are not alone. And having a day job you can make work for you is a very good thing. So right now it means one book a year. But with my medical problems, you can bet I wish I'd gone on to law school, all those years ago. I'd be on disability now, but I would have the disability and the pad from the law practice. So I get one book done a year, and worry about money.

Everyone has something....