Writer's Block

Since winter break, I've been experiencing the most disabling and profound writer's block of my 10+ year career as a writer.

This illness happens to coincide both with senioritis and cover letter season (for education-field-hopefuls). My professors have been telling me that my papers feel "rushed"--I wonder if writing them in the wee hours of the morning they're due has something to do with that vibe--and I have been taking days upon days to write cover letters (read: construct from pieces of old cover letters) for interested schools.

Thus, I have taken a completely different angle on my writing. In order to attempt to keep myself focused and to make progress of any kind, I just sit down and write. I write small, simple, boring sentences. I cover all my bases and write in circles.
Then: I edit.
This is the especially new part of my method. I used to figure that if I wrote carefully the first time around, I didn't need to go back and look at my work or readjust my argument. Now I realize that not only is it the backbone of good writing, but it comes in handy with resumes too. Not only does this catch typos (being a grammar snob myself, i can't imagine what application committees think when they see misspellings in an essay), but editing is somewhat like the extra rinse in the washing machine--it makes sure everything is as clean as possible.

I'm not sure if there is a cure for senioritis or writer's block, but the extra spin cycle is helping me through.