cd drive not recognising disk

I am trying to move ny pictures to blank cds.
But I get the message " insert disc"

I has worked ok in past.

Any advice welcome

Does the CD start to spin in the drive when you close the tray, or is nothing happening at all.

No I dont think it spins, although when I insert the disc, there is a kind of start up whirring and a small disk icon attaches to the cursor for seconds..then all stops