One thing that I remember from a past time when I couldn’t write was that I changed my “stance.” I usually write (especially poetry) from a very balanced place; it sounds similar to what you describe above. I need to get my head aligned with the topic, bring the pieces together, order them, re-order them, polish them, etc. All of which requires balance. During a very upheaved (?) portion of my life, I found that I couldn’t write. The order wouldn’t come. The balance wasn’t there. So I tried writing off-balance. Almost as if I was writing from someone else’s perspective. I gave myself permission to be (possibly) a lot worse than usual (compared to whatever internal standards I normally adhere to). I gave myself permission to write, for awhile, from a place of anger, frankly. And while it didn’t really produce anything that I’d consider any of my best work, it did help excise some of my bugs, and it provided an interesting angle that I can now, from time to time, get back to, but in a more controlled way. In a sense, my main “writing personality” did take away something useful for the long haul.

Don’t know if that makes any sense, or helps. But it helped me to remind myself of that episode… It’s hard for me to write these days, too. Maybe it’s time to let the other guy out to do some spitting again for a bit.