I think a paper on any topic can drive you crazy, by virtue of its being a paper. I like mythology, I like the topic I wrote about- and I still hated writing the paper. Don't blame you for not wanting to get started on the WWI paper though- ugh.

Mmm, procrastination. Isn't it such fun?

That's exactly why I like fic- because I can write what I want, when I want. No deadlines. (Except the HP cookie jar ficlet they've probably given to someone else by now, or the essay I signed up to write about Moody...)