I've been a professional writer for over 15 years, and I still sometimes get "got soft-focus yet?" queries from clients when I'm working with them. The simple answer to that question is this: Yes you do. But why is that?
There are two reasons. One is that the client is not writing to you, but rather the editor. To that end, they are most concerned with how you express yourself in your words (which ultimately determines how they capture and deliver your message) than how you actually write. This is a subtle point, but worth bearing in mind when editing or revising a piece.
Secondly, and perhaps more importantly, a lot of them don't know enough about you to tell if you have got soft-focus yet. Unless they have seen you at work, that is. If they have, that's great - you've just confirmed your veracity as a writer. If they don't, then they need to ask.
A few years ago my colleague and mentor sent me to edit a book by a well-known publishing house. She asked that we read the book through, to her satisfaction. (This was actually the second time this had happened; she'd written the book and loved it, but wanted to make sure it met with publishers' standards.) After we finished reading, she asked me what I thought. I told her I hadn't read the book that deeply, but I'd seen the book several times, and knew what to expect. She was quite disappointed.
My response? "Books get soft-focus ways sometimes, but when we're revising them, they get hard-focus ways too." I believe strongly that a good writer never starts on a manuscript thinking it's great; always begin by thinking, "What am I trying to say?" That's how I think every author writes, even if they think they might be getting a hard-soft-fiction treatment.
Now, back to your question: "Why did I get soft-focus yet, when I get hard?" The answer to that depends on your purpose for revising. If you're revising to market a book or screenplay, you'll probably want to stay away from "hard" subject matter. You may, however, need to get soft-focus on a personal story or creative project (such as a blog) if you're collaborating with a creative partner. The bottom line? Always revise for your own purposes!
Another question for you to ask yourself as you strive to get "hard" and "soft" is this: do I like what I'm doing? Do I really enjoy the writing? Can I write something else if I lose interest? Once you answer these questions based on your own preferences, you're ready to move forward. If you don't, you'll need to revamp your vision.
And now you know why it can be difficult to get hard at first. It's all about attitude. It's all about how you feel about what you're writing. As a matter of fact, the attitude has everything to do with how you do things. And so the next time you're in a slump, remember: attitude is everything!