I still have a few days before I'd say I've got A Problem - but I'm having a lot of trouble changing tracks from 'writingabout my stories, the plots, the settings, characters, themes, etc' to drafting, you know, the actual novel. I don't know what the block is exactly; maybe I have a dialogue phobia? But I doubt I could write the entire story while holding everything in it at arms' length like this - and yet..

I've been assuming the only solution is "dive in head-first and heedless", but I'm really not a seat-of-pantser. Any advice, guys?

Even though you aren't a pantster, you need to write. I suggest you take one scene at a time and concentrate on that. If you have a chronological outline do the first scene. When you finish that do the next. Don't worry about the entire novel yet. You have plenty of time for that.

Another tactic it to write your climax first. That way you will know who you have to get to the finale.

Either way I think you'll find that if you start writing the writing will flow. At least that's what I've found.

The hardest task we writers face is to write.

Hope this helps.

You can do it!