Hi all,

I started working on my PhD in October last year and I'm finding it really hard to get through this summer... my supervisor has been really busy for various reasons so I feel like I can't bother him at the moment. I'm working in a literature dept. I've written a (very rough) intro chapter and I'm now working on my first proper chapter. It's going really badly and I've spent a few weeks now staring at it and increasingly feel like I just don't know how to write any more. I've taken days off to do other things to try and get refreshed but it doesn't seem to help. I'm now feeling like nearly a year of my life has gone by and I haven't made any real progress, it makes it worse that I'm borrowing money to do the PhD which I feel like I'm wasting. I've given one conference paper this year and I'm involved in organising a conference next year, which has taken up quite a lot of time this summer. I'm also due to start teaching in my department next year, and I feel sure the students will see right away that I've never taught before and that I don't know what I'm doing. I'm starting to feel increasing depressed and panicky about everything, and the days just keep passing whilst I make no more progress.

Any words of wisdom appreciated!